If 2020 didn't get you into the kitchen, we don't know what will. With stay-at-home orders [1] sweeping the country for most of the year, newfound chefs and bakers came out of the woodwork looking for recipes [2] to take up their time and provide them with some sweet homemade happiness. This year more than ever, bread recipe [3] searches spiked while people took to sourdough starters [4] and way-too-ripe bananas to occupy their time and fill their kitchens with freshly baked slices of their labour. Comfort foods were cooked up in ovens across with country with mashed potatoes, rich ravioli, and warm cookies adorning dining room tables. Everything from Disney's very own Ratatouille recipe to Chrissy Teigen's famous banana bread (literally) hit home this year, proving that during tough times, food is always the answer.
If you're in search of your new favourite recipe or just want to see what this year was all about, look no further than these trendsetting recipes that defined 2020. From POPSUGAR editor favourites to the most-searched recipes of the year [5], these ideas are fit for stay-at-home-foodies of all kinds. Check out the best recipes of the year, ahead.
Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls were all the rage this year, and this mouthwatering recipe makes these glazed goodies in 30 minutes flat. Dripping with butter and brown sugar, these homemade treats will make you swoon.
Get the recipe: crescent cinnamon rolls [7]
Chrissy Teigen's Banana Bread
What's the best thing since sliced bread? Chrissy Teigen's banana bread! You need a bundt pan for this recipe, and yes, it's worth it. With shredded coconut and chopped dark chocolate, this is a step above an average banana bread.
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's banana bread [8]
Cinnamon Butter Baked Carrots
One of POPSUGAR's most famous recipes, this dish features fresh carrots that are smothered in cinnamon butter and then baked in the oven until they are perfectly glazed and tender. With the stunning presentation and sweet cinnamon butter sauce, these carrots are sure to steal the show.
Get the recipe: cinnamon butter baked carrots [9]
Joanna Gaines's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are a classic baking staple, an iconic comfort food, and timeless in every way. This recipe is in Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Table, Volume 2 [10] cookbook, and only takes 30 minutes to make, so you're just a short time away from enjoying warm, chocolatey bliss.
Get the recipe: Joanna Gaines's chocolate chip cookies [11]
Whipped Coffee
TikTok taught us many things this year, and let's just say that whipped coffee will go down in history as one of the best caffeinated recipes of all. This creamy, cloud-like concoction is easy to make at home, meaning you don't need any barista experience at all. Cheers to that!
Get the recipe: whipped coffee
Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
These huge, plate-size cookies are chewy and gooey, perfectly thin and slightly crispy around the edges, and they have almost a caramelized flavour thanks to the unique baking method and copious amount of sugar and butter (no complaints here). This viral recipe was a 2020 hit, so be sure to try it ASAP!
Get the recipe: pan-banging chocolate chip cookies [12]
Chrissy Teigen's Spicy Miso Carbonara Pasta
Chrissy Teigen was at it again in the kitchen, and all we have to say is that her recipes really got us through the year. This spicy miso carbonara pasta only requires four ingredients besides the pasta — bacon, chili garlic sauce, miso, and Parmesan cheese — meaning it's super to easy to make. Chrissy, we thank you.
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's spicy miso carbonara pasta [13]
Carrot Cake
This Chrissy Teigen-approved [14] carrot cake recipe is just what your taste buds have been dreaming of. It's superflavourful and rich, and it features a buttermilk glaze. Need we say more?
Get the recipe: carrot cake [15]
Chrissy Teigen's Lemony Arugula Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Chrissy Teigen takes classic cacio e pepe (cheesy, pepper, and spaghetti) and amps up the flavours with crispy pancetta, acidic lemon, spicy red pepper flakes, and fresh arugula. This crowd-pleasing pasta is perfect for dinner parties or a date night in.
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's lemony arugula spaghetti cacio e pepe [16]
Snickerdoodles
Ever get cravings for cinnamon-dusted cookies? We do, too. Snickerdoodles are seriously good, and this recipe makes them so they melt in your mouth.
Get the recipe: snickerdoodles
Chocolate Cake
Imagine: a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Yup, that's what you get when you make this moist, almost fudge-like delicacy. Due to the addition of cocoa powder, this treat isn't too tooth-achingly sweet, but also not too bitter and dark either — aka the best of both worlds.
Get the recipe: chocolate cake
Chrissy Teigen's Chicken Pot Pie Soup With Pie Crust Crackers
Chrissy calls herself the soup master, and this recipe proves why. It's everything you love about chicken pot pie, but in a comforting soup format. Use the buttery pie crust crackers to scoop up every last drop.
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's chicken pot pie soup [17]
Vanilla Cake
A timeless classic, it doesn't get much better than vanilla cake. It's the ultimate crowd-pleaser, and for good reason! Top it off with sprinkles, fresh fruit, and any other sweet things you can think of.
Get the recipe: vanilla cake
Disney's Ratatouille
If you've ever wondered just what it takes to create the notorious roasted vegetable dish ratatouille, look no further than "Disney's Ratatouille Recipe" from The Family Cookbook Project [18]. A Disneyland original recipe published in the Disneyland Resort Inspire Cookbook, this seemingly intricate dish comes together easier than one would think, stacking thinly sliced courgette, aubergine, and bell pepper and roasting them to perfection.
Get the recipe: Disney's ratatouille [19]
Roasted Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers, and Onions
Looking for an easy dinner? This is it! After about 10 minutes of prep work (if that), all you need to do is stick the pan in the oven and let the oven work its magic: the sausages get snappy while the onions and bell peppers soften so much that they practically melt in your mouth, and everything — especially the potatoes — benefits from the flavourful pork fat that renders out of the sausages.
Get the recipe: roasted Italian sausage, bell peppers, and onions [20]
Vanilla Swiss Roll Cake
Inspired by The Great British Baking Show [21], this vanilla Swiss roll cake recipe is as good as it gets. It's worth the hassle of making because, damn, is it good.
Get the recipe: vanilla Swiss roll cake [22]
Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino
Translation: spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili pepper flakes. Sounds simple, right? It is! And it's so, so delicious. It's the kind of meal that makes you stop and think that the simplest foods are often the most wonderful. With only a few ingredients that are staples in most pantries, you can create a beautiful, flavourful, and comforting meal from scratch.
Get the recipe: spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino [23]