In 2025, we cooked our way around the globe, from the mustard capital of France to the gateway to the Amazon River. Our most-loved recipes included new creations by some of our favorite chefs as well as near-forgotten classics—potatoes boiled in a seemingly unreasonable amount of salt, New York cheesecake unlike any found in bakeries today, and a lush chocolate cake that’s every bit as good as it was in the ’70s. There’s more than one grandma-certified number in the mix.

Every year, we sift through all of our recipes to see which ones resonated with our readers the most. We hope our most-clicked recipes of 2025 inspire you to bake, braise, and barbecue for many months to come.

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Thu Buser

Tainá Marajoara, a chef and activist for Indigenous rights, is the force of nature behind Iacitata: Amazônia Viva in Belém, Brazil. At this restaurant and cultural center, she pairs this moist, gently sweet loaf with preserves made from cupuaçu and other local fruits. If you’ve only baked cake-like, soda-leavened banana bread, this fluffy, yeasted variation will be a real treat. Get the recipe >

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Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Thu Buser • Props: Mustard pot by Christofle

Little about this French condiment has changed since the Middle Ages, when Burgundian monks first mixed pulverized mustard seeds with grape must. While there’s hardly a shortage of commercial mustard available, assistant editor Ryan McCarthy’s DIY version is surprisingly easy and infinitely customizable with seasonal fruits, homemade vinegars, or fresh herbs. It makes for a lovely last-minute holiday gift, too. Get the recipe >

Henry Hargreaves (Courtesy Knopf)

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In her cookbook Bake Club, pastry maven and Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi writes that these “accidentally gluten-free and not super sweet” bars are “not much to look at, but I promise, you’ll keep them in your rotation.” We couldn’t agree more. They’re filling and wholesome enough to swap out for your granola bar at breakfast, although if you want to nudge them in the cookie direction, a sprinkle of chocolate chunks or a swirl of caramel wouldn’t hurt. Get the recipe >

Photo: Sam Harris • Food Styling: Esther Clark • Prop Styling: Louie Waller (Courtesy Quadrille)

With its crumbly texture and neutral flavor, paneer is an ideal sponge for bold spices and seasonings. In this recipe from Romy Gill’s India, the eponymous author transforms the versatile cheese into a hearty vegetarian main packed with ginger, garlic, chiles, and a pop of black mustard seeds. Stuff it into halved pita bread for an easy, portable picnic or school lunch. Get the recipe >

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Photo: Nina Gallant • Food and Prop Styling: Madison Trapkin

Before the Junior’s Cheesecake archetype—mile-high wedges dense with cream cheese—became standard, this lighter, less sweet version reigned in New York. Writer Mark Kurlansky’s grandmother’s lemon-scented cheesecake is tangier thanks to farmer cheese. If you can’t find this mild curd cheese at the store, don’t worry—it’s a snap to make at home. Get the recipe >

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber

Serve these warmly spiced, boozy fruit slices over ice cream for an easy yet impressive topping. Writer Dinkinish O’Connor’s recipe is inspired by her friend Sandy Dorsainvil, the Haitian American owner of Miami-based rum brand L’Heritage Rhum, and her Jamaican mother, who always kept a can of evaporated milk in the fridge. Get the recipe >

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Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Thu Buser

Bahamian rum and jerk spices enliven chef Simeon Hall Jr.’s scene-stealing dish from The World of ’Cue, a barbecue celebration at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. The oxtails are browned in the oven and braised until fork-tender, then finished on the grill. The braising liquid is reduced to demi-glace, enhanced with barbecue sauce, and brushed onto the meat for even more flavor. Get the recipe >

Photo: Nina Gallant • Food Styling: Madison Trapkin

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Every year for Songkran, the Thai New Year celebration, writer Ali Domrongchai’s family, who run Peppermint Thai Sushi in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, make this comforting, auspicious classic. Her grandmother’s recipe calls for tempura flour, which makes for a wonderfully light, crispy coating on the fried chicken. The nam jim gai, a garlicky vinegar sauce with bird’s-eye chiles, adds a welcome kick. Get the recipe >

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Ryan McCarthy

Don’t be fooled by the bare-bones three-ingredient list—these spuds boast a remarkable textural complexity and depth of flavor. They were popularized by Irish workers in the 19th century, when Syracuse, New York’s salt industry was booming, who’d cook potatoes with copious amounts of salt in boiling water on their lunch breaks. Get the recipe >

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Courtesy On the Rocks

Japanese Roku gin and Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter liqueur in lieu of Campari make for a sophisticated twist on the classic Italian cocktail. Hidetsugu Ueno, of Tokyo’s legendary Bar High Five, serves this drink over one of his hand-carved “diamond” ice cubes for an extra flourish. Get the recipe >

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Thu Buser

Food blogger extraordinaire Joy Wilson (better known as Joy the Baker) is behind these buttery, not-too-sweet scones. Especially when in season, blueberries make for a winning addition, but the recipe works just as well with raspberries or strawberries. Best of all, the dough comes together quickly enough for an impromptu afternoon tea. Get the recipe >

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Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Thu Buser

Pastry chef Janice Feuer Haugen invented this ultra-rich dessert in 1976. A full pound of bittersweet chocolate makes for a dark, creamy cake, which gets crowned with tufts of whipped cream and chocolate curls. A tart raspberry sauce adds balance and brightness. Get the recipe >