Keeping ourselves safe and entertained during this pandemic has truly been challenging. Being locked indoors for weeks has led many people to get creative. I have used this time to try lots of new recipes, and, honestly, I am out of control. I have used more flour in the last three weeks than I did the entirety of my first semester. So, I thought I would share my favorite things I’ve made.
- Matcha Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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This recipe is definitely the one I am most proud of. I adapted a chocolate chip cookie recipe from Liv B’s Vegan on a Budget cookbook. I added 1.5 tablespoons of matcha powder (use one designated for baking) to the flour mixture. I also substituted the vegan chocolate chips for some very dark chocolate that I chopped into chunks, which I’d highly recommend, but you could always use chocolate chips as well. These cookies are so delicious, and the bitterness of the chocolate and matcha balance out the sweetness. If you don’t have access to matcha powder while in quarantine, I’d also recommend the unmodified chocolate chip cookie recipe as well! It’s without a doubt the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever tried.
- Soft Pretzels
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I never realized how easy it is to make homemade soft pretzels. These pretzels are so delicious and so fun to make! My favorite part is shaping the pretzels. This is a great recipe to make if you’re really bored since it’s a little more time-consuming. I also brushed a little melted butter on top of these and dipped them in cinnamon sugar for a more sweet pretzel.
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
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This discovery was definitely my most dangerous, for once you realize how easy these pancakes are to make there is no going back. To make these pancakes, I modified a basic pancake recipe. First, I would recommend adding about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to whatever milk you use. Let it sit for a few minutes until the milk starts to curdle. Now you have buttermilk, and your pancakes will be 100 times better. To make these cinnamon roll pancakes, simply mix together some melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. I just eyeballed this; however, make sure the filling has a pourable consistency. Put a little bit of pancake batter in the pan, then add some filling and put more pancake batter over top to cover the filling. To get a nice swirl with the filling you can use a sandwich bag and cut off the tip to pipe a swirl onto the batter.
Baking is always a great way to pass the time, and right now we all have too much time on our hands, so trying out new recipes is a fun way to pass the time. Now is the time to try recipes you normally wouldn’t try or wouldn’t have the time for!