I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (2024)

Some were definitely too good to be true.

by Hannah LoewentheilBuzzFeed Staff
I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (3)

Zoë Burnett / BuzzFeed

Hi! I'm Hannah from BuzzFeed's food team.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (4)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I love trying to cook new things, and I'm sort of obsessed with all things Pinterest + food — as you can tell from my never-ending board of recipes to try.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (5)

Pinterest

But every now and then, I stumble upon a recipe that sounds way too good to be true, like two-ingredient cookies or simple no-knead bread. I wanted to find out: Could they actually be legit? I just had to see for myself — so I tried out eight "miracle" recipes. Here's how they all turned out.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (6)

Recipe #1: Two-Ingredient Cookies

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (7)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (8)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The idea: I first saw these two-ingredient cookies floating around Pinterest and noticed they were called ~breakfast cookies~. All you need to make them is banana + rolled oats. No sugar, no butter, no flour, NADA. They happen to be gluten-free and vegan, if that's your thing. (But I added chocolate chips because I am a sugar fiend.)

Did it work? Yes!

The results: After baking these cookies at 350°F for 30 minutes, they were warm and gooey on the inside, but firm on the outside. Given the nature of the ingredients, they were definitely soft and TBH, tasted more like sweet, chewy granola bars than cookies — but they'd definitely satisfy a cookie craving.

Recipe #2: Cloud Bread

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (9)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (10)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The idea: Cloud bread is all over Pinterest, described as a low-carb bread alternative that still tastes light, airy, moist and chewy. It's only three ingredients: cream cheese, cream of tartar, and eggs (plus any seasoning or spices you'd like). Bloggers swear you can use cloud bread to make anything from sandwiches to pizza.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (11)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Attempt #1

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (12)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Attempt #2

Did it work? Meh, not really.

The results: TBH, I think it's my own baking ability and not the recipe that failed me here. It all comes down to whipping the egg whites REALLY well until they have stiff peaks. Then, you gently fold in the yolks so the cloud-bread batter has is nice and fluffy when you put it onto the baking sheet. I tried out this recipe twice: The first time, I whisked the egg whites by hand. MAJOR fail. The bread was flat and crispy, kind of like crackers. The second time around, I used a hand mixer to whip the egg whites. It made a world of difference, but I still couldn't get the batter as fluffy as it should have been. When I took cloud bread attempt #2 out of the oven, it definitely resembled bread. It tasted sort of like bread too, in the sense that it was doughy and moist, but it had an eggy flavor to it. My cloud bread did not come out nearly as thick and doughy as the the original Pinterest-worthy pictures.

Recipe #3: Microwave Mac 'n' Cheese in a Mug

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (13)

The idea: Let's be honest: There is nothing difficult about boiling a pot of water and making boxed mac 'n' cheese. But the beauty of microwavable mac 'n' cheese is that it's the perfect meal to whip up in the office cafeteria or even your college dorm room. It's also the perfect single-serve recipe. Supposedly, you put noodles and water in a mug and zap it in the microwave for about 5 minutes (stirring every 2 minutes) until the noodles are cooked. Then you add the cheese, and voilà: a cheesy mug dinner for one.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (14)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (15)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Did it work? You bet!

The results: I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe, but I did take a few liberties. First of all, I used two types of cheese because #YOLO. I opted for a mixture of sharp cheddar and fontina, but you can really use any kind. When I added the cheese to my mug, I also included a little bit of butter to make the final product super creamy. Let me tell you, this mac 'n' cheese really hit the spot. My puppy agreed. This was his definitive favorite of the eight recipes we tested together.

Recipe #4: Four-Ingredient No-Knead Bread

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (16)

The idea: Confession: I lost a little bit of sleep thinking about the daunting task of baking bread in my kitchen. But this no-knead recipe seemed straightforward enough: Combine flour, water, salt, and self-rising yeast, cover it in plastic wrap, and leave it out overnight at room temperature. The next day you just roll the dough into a ball on a floured surface and bake it at 450°F.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (17)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (18)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Did it work? OMG OMG OMG YES

The results: Guys, I literally felt like Ina Garten. This bread was SO good. It was golden brown and crusty on the outside, but on the inside it was perfectly moist and doughy. Pretty sure I cried a few tears of joy with my first bite. I served it to my carb-loving boyfriend with a little olive oil and red pepper flakes, and he literally didn't believe that I baked it myself. Suffice it to say, I was impressed with myself. The key to this recipe is that you need to let your pot get CRAZY hot. I used a Le Creuset Dutch oven, but according to Mark Bittman's recipe, you can use any sort of heavy covered pot. You'll heat the pot it in the oven for 30 minutes so it gets nice and toasty before you even put the dough inside.

Recipe #5: Oven-Poached Eggs

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (19)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (20)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The idea: Poaching eggs is a little intimidating (you know, making that whole whirlpool and cracking an egg inside). BUT apparently you can alleviate all breakfast anxiety by cracking an egg into each cup of a muffin tin and baking them in the oven so they taste poached.

Did it work? Yes! But I let them bake a little too long.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (21)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The results: I cooked them for 14 minutes, which was a bit too long. At that point, the yolks were very firm. (Next time, I'll remove the eggs from the oven after about 12 minutes to get a runnier yolk.) Either way: The oven-baked eggs tasted very similar to poached ones. I added some red pepper flakes and parsley to my eggs to spice them up, and I would definitely make these eggs again, especially if I were cooking brunch for a group.

Recipe #6: "Magic" Cake

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (22)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The idea: Magic cake is a strange concept. With just a few basic ingredients— eggs, butter, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and flour — the super-thin batter is cooked at a low temperature (300°F) and somehow separates into three distinct layers. According to the recipes on Pinterest, the top layer should come out fluffy like angel food cake, the middle is like a custard, and the bottom layer is thick and dense. I was definitely skeptical.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (23)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (24)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Did it work? Sadly, not quite.

The results: I could make out two layers in my magic cake: One layer tasted like a creamy custard, and the top layer was a cake/custard mix — somewhere between a sponge cake and pudding. It was pretty tasty, albeit a little eggy. After reading more about magic cake, I discovered one major potential flaw in my baking. According to The Kitchn, magic cake needs to sit in the fridge for about four hours to turn out best. Being eager, I cut into the cake right after baking. I also think I could have been more gentle when mixing my yolks into the whipped egg-white mixture. Too much of my fluffy egg whites dissolved, which probably affected the overall texture of the cake.

Recipe #7: Two-Ingredient No-Churn Ice Cream

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (25)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I've seen plenty of no-churn ice cream recipes on Pinterest, but this one for coconut ice cream, which calls for just heavy whipping cream and cream of coconut, really caught my eye. Supposedly, you simply freeze the mixture overnight —and in the morning, ice cream awaits.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (26)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

Did it work? Yes!

The results: The final product was super creamy and actually really delicious, and I felt like I was being transported somewhere warm and tropical with each bite. I would totally make it again, but I would probably add some coconut flakes for a little texture. You don't need an ice cream maker, but unless you're an arm-wrestling champion you WILL need a hand or stand mixer. The key to this recipe is whipping the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. That's what gives it the luscious, thick texture once you mix in the cream of coconut.

Recipe #8: No-Bake Cake Batter Truffles

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (27)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (28)

Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

The idea: Is it just me, or does the word truffle sound so sophisticated and hard to make? This version calls for two ingredients: A stick of butter and a box of white or yellow cake mix. Oh, and there's no baking required. I figured this was a low-risk, high-reward situation that I just had to try.

Did it work: Absolutely...if you like cake batter.

The results: Literally all that went into this recipe was melting a stick of butter and stirring it into cake mix. I added rainbow sprinkles, because what is cake batter without sprinkles? After rolling the batter into balls, they firmed up pretty quickly. They tasted exactly like cake batter, so if that's your thing, go forth and eat cake.

I Tried 8 "Miracle" Pinterest Recipes And Here's How They Actually Turned Out (2024)

FAQs

What is the yield of a recipe? ›

Yield in culinary terms refers to how much you will have of a finished or processed product. Professional recipes should always state a yield; for example, a tomato soup recipe may yield 15 L, and a muffin recipe may yield 24 muffins.

How do you write ingredients? ›

Ingredient list. The order of the ingredients list and the list of instructions should match. Be specific, give all necessary amounts, and describe the condition of the ingredients listed; for example, melted butter, frozen butter, etc. Keep the ingredients for a recipe's main steps separate.

How to create own recipes? ›

Tips to keep in mind when writing recipes:
  1. List ingredients in chronological order. ...
  2. Separate ingredients for major steps in a recipe. ...
  3. List steps in order, keeping instructions short and to the point. ...
  4. Give specifics about doneness. ...
  5. Include storage suggestions. ...
  6. Offer extra methods or substitutions (when tested).
Nov 19, 2020

What is the formula for cooking loss? ›

The cook loss, cook loss retention, and/or total loss were calculated using following formula: % Cook loss = 100 × ( W 1 − W 2 ) / W 1 % Cook loss retention = 100 × ( W 2 − W 24 ) / W 2 % Total loss ( 24 h ) = 100 × ( W 1 − W 24 ) / W 1 where W1 is weight of raw meat samples before cooking, W2 is the postcook weight of ...

What are the seven 7 parts to a well written recipe? ›

  • Using BLUE write the seven components to a recipe in the boxes provided. Underline the component. Look them up on my webpage under “7 Components to a Recipe”.
  • 7components'16.
  • INGREDIENTS: AMOUNTS: DIRECTIONS: EQUIPMENT: TEMPERATURE: TIME:
  • YIELD:
  • 7 Components to a Recipe.

What are the 5 elements in a standard recipe? ›

  1. Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  2. List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  3. Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  4. Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  5. Temperature & Time.

What is the most common format for recipes? ›

Recipe Formats There are three commonly used formats for recipes: Standard Format, Active Format, and Narrative Format. STANDARD FORMAT This recipe format is easy to follow and takes up the least space. Ingredient list is a quick reference to determine if ingredients are on hand and listed in order of use in recipe.

What ingredient should be first on a list of ingredients? ›

On a product label, the ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by weight, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed by those in smaller amounts. The label must list the names of any FDA-certified color additives (for example, FD&C Blue No.

How much do you need to change a recipe to make it your own? ›

The general rule [...] is that three major [emphasis added] changes are required to make a recipe "yours." However, even if you make such changes, it is a professional courtesy to acknowledge the source of or inspiration for the recipe.

How to write a recipe like a professional? ›

7 Steps to Pro Recipe Writing
  1. Find Inspiration. Inspiration can come from anywhere! ...
  2. Determine Your Audience. This step is all about figuring out who you are writing a recipe for. ...
  3. Identify Your Reason. ...
  4. Separate Yourself from the Dish. ...
  5. Select a Measurement Style. ...
  6. Write the Recipe. ...
  7. Test, Taste & Tweak!
Sep 21, 2023

Is there an app to write recipes? ›

Recipe Keeper is the easy to use, all-in-one recipe organizer, shopping list and meal planner available across all of your devices. Enter your recipes with as much or as little information as you like. Copy and paste recipes from your existing documents or apps. Categorize your recipes by course and category.

Is it cheaper to make your own meals? ›

Meal kits are 3 times more expensive than cooking from scratch. When cooking at home, you'll save most money on carb-based meals (vs eating them at a restaurant).

How to calculate yield? ›

For stocks, yield is calculated as a security's price increase plus dividends, divided by the purchase price.

What is the yield of a standardized recipe? ›

Standard Yields

The yield of a recipe is the number of portions it will produce. Yields can also be expressed as a total volume or total weight the recipe produces. An example would be a soup recipe that yields 24, 8 oz. portions which could also be stated as a yield of six quarts or a 1 ½ gallon.

Is yield the same as servings? ›

When it comes to cooking, the term yield refers to the number of servings or the quantity of food that a recipe produces. It is the amount of food you can expect to have once the recipe is prepared. Yield is typically stated in terms of servings, such as four servings, eight servings, or any other specific number.

What is the yield of a recipe quizlet? ›

The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make. Knowing the yield in advance helps one to know if more or less food is needed - whether or not to make more or less of the food. Ingredients are listed in the exact amounts needed.

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