'Tis the season – for yearly wrap-ups.
You know, all those "10 Best Cat Videos of 2014" posts on YouTube; and the David Letterman type lists that remind you of every trend, fad, and lost resolution of the year gone by.
Here at King Arthur Flour, we're not immune to the urge to compile these lists. In fact, we love them – they let us peek into our readers' kitchens to find out what you've enjoyed baking, what food topics resonate with you, and what we should offer you more of.
For instance: chocolate chip cookies, the subject of our blow-it-out-of-the-water top Facebook post of 2014, with an astounding reach of well over a million people.
And Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts, the Instagram shot that rocketed to the very top of all of the 2,000+ pictures we've posted on that app.
And then there's our recipe site, which millions and millions of you visit each year. Which recipes did you view most over the past 12 months? Those same chocolate chip cookies? Brownies? Apple Pie?
Actually, none of the above. While Fudge Brownies did crack the top 25, the significant majority of recipes you viewed and liked were yeast-based. Specifically, bread. King Arthur has always served a devoted core of bread bakers, with both our flours and recipes, so that's no surprise.
What did surprise us just a bit were the two "flourless" (read: gluten-free) recipes that slipped into the top 10 – with two additional gluten-free recipes in the top 25, meaning one in about every six of you is looking for gluten-free recipes.
Which actually pleases us no end – yes, we're a flour company, but our true mission is to share the joy of baking with as many of you as possible. Don't bake with wheat flour? We can help; we've got over 150 gluten-free recipes on our site, plus a wealth of GF mixes and ingredients.
All right already, enough with the small talk – how about that top-10 list? Here they are, in order, beginning with 2014's #1 recipe (and also the recipe we named 2014 Recipe of the Year last year at this time) –
1. Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread
★★★★½ (300)
Reader rave: "Oh my goodness! This is so awesome that I baked it about four times in the past two weeks. I never had a 100% whole wheat bread recipe that gave me light, fluffy, great tasting bread. I am still using some of my old whole wheat loaves as door stoppers... Not this one!!! Gone in a day. So easy to prepare, and letting it sit for 20 to 30 minutes to let the bran absorb some water is absolutely BRILLIANT and makes a world of difference. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" Michaela – St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
2. Rustic Sourdough Bread
★★★★½ (237)
Reader rave: "Got your starter and and made this bread. My first sourdough loaf and it was delicious! I have to say that I was in a rush and didn't do everything perfectly and yet it turned out great - which is the sign of a great recipe if you ask me! My family just loved it and I had two pieces left over for breakfast. Thank you for this great recipe. It's a gateway recipe to making other sourdough breads!" Mary – Salt Lake City, UT
3. No-Knead Crusty White Bread
★★★★★ (318)
Reader rave: "Easy! Fun to make! Yummy! I typically make various breads with more complex flavors, whole grains, and often use sourdough, which I do love... I never really had the desire to make such a basic, simple bread, thinking it wouldn't be very interesting... Turns out it was a big success. The loaves were really beautiful. The dough was a pleasure to make and work with. The dough rose and rose and ROSE! ...I will definitely make this again." bkramer – KAF Community
4. Pizza Crust
★★★★★ (153)
Reader rave: "Perfect pizza crust recipe! I used this recipe to make Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza and the crust was perfectly crispy, yet had a chew and exceptional flavor. No more takeout pizza for us! Thanks so much KAF for wonderful recipes I can depend on time and time again." Laurie – Rowlett, TX
5. Beautiful Burger Buns
★★★★★ (436)
Reader rave: "I have reviewed this before but just wanted to give it another 5 stars. My husband surprised me today by making the Beautiful Burger Buns... Results... PERFECT, he followed the directions exactly, and to tell you the truth, they came out just as good as mine. He is not a baker either, he can find his way around the kitchen but that is about it. I was so impressed. Thanks King Arthur for making my husbands effort's more than worth it." Cassoday – KAF Community
6. Bread Machine Bread - Easy As Can Be
★★★★★ (156)
Reader rave: "This is by far the easiest and most consistent basic white bread recipe I have ever used in my bread machine. Perfect loaf every time, always good flavor and stays moist longer than others I have tried. It's now my go to for sandwich bread and toast." WestR – KAF Community
7. Flourless Chocolate Cake
★★★★★ (94)
Reader rave: "This flourless chocolate cake is absolutely fantastic!! Baking is not one of my strengths, I'm a very good cook, not a 'baker,' but this cake was so easy! I made it for a dinner party and it was a huge hit, a perfect ending to a wonderful evening! I highly recommend this recipe. I will definitely make this again!!" Sunny – Lakeland, FL
8. Easy Self-Rising Biscuits
★★★★★ (47)
Reader rave: "Today was the first day I used KA self-rising flour. It is just now in my grocery store. The biscuits were PERFECT. I did use a larger cutter because here in the south we like our biscuits big. As soon as they came out of the oven I brushed the tops with a little salted butter. Next time I will double the recipe. My small herd wanted more : )" Michele – Georgia
9. Flourless Fudge Cookies
★★★★ (156)
Reader rave: "Perfect in every way – no one detected they are gluten-free. And my GF testers said 'Yes, yes, yes.' This is staying on the top of my cookie list... OMG – decadent, chewy brownie!" Jazzbee – Oakhurst, CA
10. Extra-Tangy Sourdough Bread
★★★★½ (185)
Reader rave: "I've made this three times now, each better than the last. The latest attempt used a proofing basket for a rise and a Dutch oven for the bake. Wonderful oven spring, open texture, and great crust. Amazing what you can do with pretty much just flour and water!" Arun H. – Milwaukee, WI
Have you baked any of these top recipes yet? Do you have a favorite? Let us know in the comments, below!
