Photo: via magnoliamarket.com
When she’s not transforming old houses into people’s dream homes, designing quality decor products, launching a magazine, and opening her own restaurant and bakery, Joanna Gaines (jack and master of all trades) can be found doing the one thing she might love more than shiplap: cooking up her favorite recipes in the kitchen. And while it’s no secret that the co-star of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, who works hand-in-hand with her (equally charming) husband, Chip, knows her way around a kitchen, it’s safe to say that the well-rounded expert is certainly skilled in more than just designing open-concept cooking spaces and enviable farmhouse-styled dining areas.
Between the mouthwatering recipes she shares on her blog, At Home, and in her upcoming cookbook, Magnolia Table—along with the homemade sweets and treats she sells at her bakery, Silos Baking Co.—it’s clear that Gaines can certainly teach us a thing or two as far as cooking and baking go. Here are the best cooking tips we’ve learned by following along on Gaines’ many cooking and baking ventures:
Photo: via magnoliamarket.com
1. It could take a long time to perfect a recipe—but the end result is worth it.
In a blog post update, Gaines admitted just how long it took to get her homemade biscuit recipe to her exact liking. “For the past year or so, I have spent almost every Saturday morning perfecting this biscuit recipe, and we finally have one that has the seal of approval from Chip and the kids,” she wrote.
See how one of our editors did making these biscuits (spoiler alert: they are delicious!).
Photo: via Facebook/JoannaStevensGaines
2. Cooking is a collaborative effort.
Gaines made sure to include recipes from family and friends while creating her cookbook, Magnolia Table, so that it isn’t just about her own recipes—with an end goal of the meals being shared together. In the same blog post, she explained that “…the cookbook is a celebration of bringing people together, because I think there’s nothing better than gathering around a table with family and friends for a good meal.”
Photo: via magnoliamarket.com
3. Just because a snack is sweet, doesn’t mean it has to be totally unhealthy.
Judging by the selection of pies and cupcakes she sells at Silos Baking Co., and all the sweet treats she shares on her blog, we can safely assume Gaines is just like us—she isn’t afraid to indulge her sweet tooth every now and then. Still, a lot of her recipes—like the Power Balls she makes for her kids—don’t include red-flag ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup. (Find our power snack recipes here.)
Photo: via Facebook/JoannaStevensGaines
4. Meal planning is all about finding a strategy that works for you.
Brainstorming an entire week’s worth of dinners can be more overwhelming than expected (we’ve all been there), but Gaines has found success with a meal planning worksheet. She writes down the meals she is going to cook Monday through Friday, along with the weekend, and a list of items she needs to buy from the grocery store to do so.
Photo: via Facebook/JoannaStevensGaines
5. It’s OK to have standbys.
As Fixer Upper fans can attest, Gaines isn’t afraid to try something out of the box—whether it’s a room she’s styling or a recipe she’s creating. Even still, the Silos Baking Co. website explains that some of the best-loved recipes they sell—including her homemade chocolate cake, Syrian donuts and chocolate chip cookies—were inspired by the “trade secrets” she learned while cooking in the kitchen with her family when she was young. Gaines is proof that when you cook what you know and love, it’s easier to perfect the recipe as you go.
And shortcuts are never a bad thing either! Find out what cooking shortcuts Joanna relies on for easy weekday meals.
Photo: via Facebook/MagnoliaMarket
6. It’s just as important to taste-test a recipe as it is to cook it.
Just ask Chip, and all the cupcake flavors he tried before their bakery was open to the public (as documented in this Instagram post by Gaines herself).
Hungry for cupcakes now? Here, try these.
Chocolate Caramel CupcakesYou only need a few baking staples to throw together these gooey delights. Boxed cake mix and a can of frosting make them fast, but caramel, walnuts and chocolate chips tucked inside make them memorable. We like them with ice cream. —Bev Spain, Belleville, Ohio
Chocolate Cream CupcakesMy favorite hockey team the Boston Bruins inspired these cupcakes. Add a love note on top using a little white icing. —Alisa Christensen, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Red Wine and Chocolate CupcakesRed wine and chocolate make an amazing pairing, especially in these rich, elegant cupcakes I make each year for my mother’s birthday. She adores them! —Candace Cheney, Fort McMurray, Alberta
Peanut-Filled Devil's Food CupcakesThis recipe features a luscious peanut butter filling surrounded by devil's food and then iced with a rich layer of ganache. They're to die for! —Mary Lou Timpson, Colorado City, Arizona
Black Bottom CupcakesThis recipe's been in our family for years, but these cupcakes still go quick each time I make them. So I always double or triple the ingredients! You'll likely see what I mean if you make them at your place—I can't remember anyone who's tried them for the first time not asking for seconds. —Julie Briceland, Windsor, Pennsylvania
Mini Chocolate Cakes with Caramelized BananasThis was one of my first times spreading my wings with a recipe and trying to go a bit fancy. This is a breeze to make and a delight to serve. The recipe may look intimidating but after you try it once, you'll have it down pat. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Chocolate Gingerbread CupcakesThese luscious cupcakes have a touch of semisweet chocolate in the batter and white chocolate in the filling. They melt away fast at our house. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolaty FrostingI begged my aunt for this recipe when I was 16 years old, and it's still my very favorite. The silly monster eyes give these devilish cupcakes some Halloween fun! They are always on my husband's short list for special desserts. —Dawn Koestner, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Peanut Butter Truffle CupcakesEverybody loves cupcakes, and these have a wonderfully tasty hidden treasure inside. They're rich and delicious! —Marlene Schollenberger, Bloomington, Indiana
Chocolate-Coconut Angel CupcakesMy guests are never satisfied with just one of these, but that's OK because they are so light. The meringue-like tops make them different, and the chocolate and coconut make them memorable. —Bernice Janowski, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Nana's Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint FrostingEven though Nana is no longer with us, her treats bring me so much joy every time
I bake them. For a more indulgent version, double the frosting and pile it on high! —Chekota Hunter, Cassville, Missouri
Buttermilk Chocolate CupcakesGood any time of the year, a chocolate cupcake recipe make a great get-up-and-go treat on busy summer days. These buttermilk chocolate cupcakes have been a frosted favorite with family and friends for at least 35 years. They're really popular at bake sales. —Ellen Moore, Springfield, New Hampshire
Chocolate Macaroon CupcakesA delightful coconut and ricotta cheese filling is hidden inside these chocolate cupcakes. —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania
Toffee Mocha CupcakesChocolate, toffee and espresso make a mouthwatering concoction. The yummy sweets are perfect for any party or gathering. Make plenty, they'll go fast! —Brenda Melanin, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Dream Cupcakes My grandchildren absolutely love these cream-filled cupcakes, and I hope the chocolaty treats become a favorite in your home as well. —Dorothy Bahlmann, Clarksville, Iowa
Chocolate Cupcake ConesI experimented with these cupcakes when my girls were young. Now, I'm a grandmother of nine, and these are still our favorites. They're a great treat for kids to bring to school.—Betty Anderson, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Chocolate-Glazed CupcakesBecause I have a dairy allergy, I'm always on the search for treats I can eat. I prepare these cupcakes with dairy-free chocolate chips and vanilla coconut milk instead of cream. —Kirstin Turner, Richlands, North Carolina
Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter CupcakesCupcakes aren’t just for girls! My dad and brothers love peanut butter cups—the inspiration for these goodies. —Alisa Christensen, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Cream Cheese Chocolate CupcakesSmooth cream cheese inside makes these cupcakes so rich. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips comes through in every yummy bite. You'll be asked to make them again and again. —Shirley Dunbar, Mojave, California
Chocolate Ganache Peanut Butter CupcakesI've been baking cakes for years and enjoy trying new combinations of flavors and textures. For this peanut butter cupcake recipe, I blended peanut butter and chocolate. As soon as I took the first bite, I knew I had created something divine! —Ronda Schabes, Vicksburg, Michigan
Creamy Center CupcakesMy mother made these cupcakes from scratch when I was growing up, but I simplified the recipe with a cake mix. Sometimes Mom would replace the smooth filling with homemade whipped cream. They are really good with either filling. —Caroline Anderson, Waupaca, Wisconsin
Chocolate Orange CupcakesChocolate and orange are perfect together in these fudgy morsels. To give them a moist brownie-like texture, I add mayonnaise. The cupcakes taste even better when served with a scoop of homemade ice cream. —Shirley Brazel, Coos Bay, Oregon
Heavenly Surprise CupcakesThe recipe for these filled and frosted cupcakes was handed down by my mother-in-law, who taught this fledgling cook what to do in the kitchen. She's no longer with us, but baking these treats reminds me of our good times together. —Judie Heiderscheit, Holy Cross, Iowa
Sour Cream Chocolate CupcakesMy husband and I love these classic moist, chocolaty cupcakes. The sour cream is definitely the ingredient that give them their distinction. —Alicsa Mayer, Alta Vista, Kansas
Updated: Jun. 03, 2022
