A running log of things I’ve baked, with notes on what worked, what didn’t, and whether it’s worth making again.
Jun 28, 2026
Category: Pastry · Cinnamon Rolls
A semi-scientific comparison of cinnamon roll recipes. Each roll is made from a different recipe and scored by the same tasters.
Roll #1 — Ambitious Kitchen
Recipe: Ambitious Kitchen — Best Cinnamon Rolls
Notes: Made with pride colors.
| Taster |
Score |
Notes |
| Aaron |
7 / 10 |
Nice soft texture with some chew, nice cinnamon level. I miss the slight crunch or caramelization that can happen with cinnamon rolls. It’s almost too fluffy. The cream cheese could benefit from a bit of acid. |
| Jamel |
8 / 10 |
Perfect chew and tear, flavor was balanced with cinnamon and sugar. Could use more tang in the icing. |
| David |
9 / 10 |
Really wracking my brain trying to think of anything I dislike about this cinnamon roll. |
| Ellie |
9.5 / 10 |
Literally cannot think of a single critique, she’s perfect. Slight preference for icing over cream cheese frosting, but damn the cream cheese frosting is good too. |
May 8, 2026
Category: Desserts · Cookies
Recipe: NYT — Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rating: 4 / 5 · Make again: Yes · Made by: Jamel
Process notes. Easy to bake, no need for room temperature butter (love that), and the wet and dry come together fast. They spread nicely when baking. This recipe yielded 24 cookies.
Tasting notes. Well balanced — crunchy edges, soft chewy interior, and bigger chocolate chunks are definitely better. The browned butter gives a deep richness that elevates the brown sugar. Used coarse kosher salt instead of what the recipe calls for, which gave a better burst of salt throughout each bite.
For next time. Used a semi-sweet and milk chocolate from a nearby specialty store. Next time: increase the brown sugar and salt, and go 70% milk chocolate / 30% semi-sweet.
May 6, 2026
Category: Bread · White Bread
Recipe: King Arthur — Our Favorite Sandwich Bread
Rating: 4 / 5 · Make again: Yes · Made by: Aaron
Process notes. Easy and quick. The loaf came out a bit small.
Tasting notes. Really soft and lovely. Lightly sweet with a nice smell — reminds me of Grandma’s challah when toasted.
For next time. Increase the recipe size by 50%, or check that the yeast is more active.
Apr 20, 2026
Category: Bread · Sourdough
Recipe: King Arthur — Vermont Sourdough
Rating: 3 / 5 · Make again: Yes · Made by: Aaron
Process notes. Recipe was pretty involved. Next time bake it a bit darker.
Tasting notes. Good flavor. The crumb came out a bit tighter than expected, but it toasts up well and has a pleasant texture once toasted.
Modifications. None this time.
