Easy baking recipes you can make with pantry staples

Everyone responds differently to stress and anxiety, but it's not uncommon to want to bake when things feel uncertain (or downright scary). With coronavirus, quarantine and self-isolation the watchwords of the moment, it's prime time for self-soothing measures too. So if you're apt to tie on an apron and turn on your oven when you're in need of comfort, we have some easy baking recipes you can make with pantry staples.

See all of our sister site Chowhound's COVID-19 coverage for more information on what you can do when it comes to food, including for others in need right now -- and remember to wash your hands often. Then get them dirty with flour and butter and feel a little calmer, at least for a while.

Take pleasure in feeding your family too, if you're all at home together. If you're more isolated and feeling lonely, consider making a virtual date with a friend (or your grandma) to both bake something sweet -- or savory -- then hop on a video chat while you snack, have a cup of coffee or tea and catch up.

Most of these recipes do call for eggs, milk and butter, but not all of them do. And none are complicated, because for most of us, that's the last thing we need right now.

Easy brownies

Brownies are one of the simplest yet most satisfying sweets to make, and this version is pretty basic -- but if you don't have any chocolate chips or baking bars in the pantry, swap in a mix of cocoa powder, butter and sugar instead. Get Chowhound's easy brownie recipe. (And if you have even more supplies on hand, see 11 ways to upgrade your brownies.) 

Raspberry cake slices

This small-scale dessert from from Scandi Bites by Trine Hahnemann is perfect if you don't have anyone around to help eat your baked goods and aren't great at self-imposed portion control (um, hello). The jam is made with frozen berries, but you can also simply spread on some store-bought stuff from the jar in your fridge. And while the pink sprinkles are delightful, you can use regular sanding sugar, turbinado sugar or whatever you have left from decorating Christmas cookies -- or nothing at all. Get the raspberry cake slices recipe.

Peanut butter jelly bars

Similarly comforting but yielding a bigger batch, these one-bowl peanut butter and jelly bars are perfect if you're home with kids; they can help you bake the bars, and they'll love the familiar PB&J flavors in dessert form. Use any jam or jelly you have on hand. Get Chowhound's peanut butter jelly bars recipe.

Easy banana bread

If you have bananas that are going spotty, you know what to do: Make Chowhound's easy banana bread recipe. If yours aren't ripe yet, you'll have to wait a while -- but this is why it's worth getting in the habit of freezing any overripe bananas so you're ready to bake banana bread any time you fancy. (And depending on what's in your fridge and pantry, consider stuffed banana bread or banana bread mix-ins.)

Chocolate chip cookies

Practically perfect in every way, chocolate chip cookies are always welcome -- and the methodical nature of scooping out the dough is sort of like meditation. If you have chocolate bars but no chips, just chop those up and mix them in. Get Chowhound's chocolate chip cookie recipe (and see 15 of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes ever, no matter what your texture preferences). If you prefer to eat the unbaked cookies, see how to make edible cookie dough that's safe to eat raw.

Peanut butter trail mix cookies

These easy, vegan, gluten-free cookies (sweetened with maple syrup) are packed with protein, so you can feel good about snacking on them even in the a.m. They're also highly adaptable -- use another nut or seed butter, swap in agave nectar or honey for the syrup if you're out and if you don't have trail mix, stir up any combo of nuts, seeds, dried fruit or chocolate to make up the 1/2 cup total. Get the peanut butter trail mix cookie recipe.

Mocha pudding cake

If only something deep, dark and super rich will do, this foolproof, dump-and-stir, one-bowl cake is here for you. It separates into three layers as it bakes: a crusty top, cakey middle and gooey pudding-like base. If you don't want to include the brewed coffee, see some ideas for substitutions. And if you're out of fresh milk, try full-fat canned coconut milk in its place. Get Chowhound's mocha pudding cake recipe.