Topless Baker No fuss. No filters. Just damn good food.

Topless Baker

No fuss. No filters. Just damn good food.

Latest Articles

Thanksgiving Pie Power Rankings: The Honest List Nobody Asked For But Everyone Needs
Baking Tips & Techniques

Thanksgiving Pie Power Rankings: The Honest List Nobody Asked For But Everyone Needs

Every November, Americans collectively pretend pumpkin pie is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dessert table when everyone knows the real conversations are happening around the pecan. Here's a completely honest, slightly ruthless ranking of Thanksgiving pies — plus the truth about which ones you can make three days ahead and which ones will betray you if you try.
The Sad Cookie Autopsy: What's Actually Killing Your Chocolate Chip Game
Baking Tips & Techniques

The Sad Cookie Autopsy: What's Actually Killing Your Chocolate Chip Game

If your chocolate chip cookies taste like something grabbed off a gas station spinning rack at 11pm, we need to talk. The gap between forgettable and genuinely great cookies isn't about fancy equipment or exotic ingredients — it's about a handful of dumb little mistakes you're probably making right now.
Croissants Are Hard. They're Also Not That Hard. Let's Sort This Out.
Baking Troubleshooting

Croissants Are Hard. They're Also Not That Hard. Let's Sort This Out.

The internet has convinced you that making croissants at home requires the patience of a monk, the precision of a surgeon, and approximately three days of uninterrupted focus. That's mostly nonsense. Here's what the lamination obsession is actually costing you — and what to do instead.
Cast Iron Doesn't Lie: The Real Reason Your Cornbread Keeps Coming Out Sad
Baking Tips & Techniques

Cast Iron Doesn't Lie: The Real Reason Your Cornbread Keeps Coming Out Sad

Your grandma didn't have a convection oven, a silicone baking mat, or a subscription to a meal kit service — and her cornbread still destroyed yours. Turns out, that crusty black skillet sitting in the back of her cabinet wasn't just a family heirloom. It was science.
America, We Need to Talk About How Much Frosting You're Putting on That Cake
Baking Troubleshooting

America, We Need to Talk About How Much Frosting You're Putting on That Cake

American frosting culture has gone completely off the rails, and someone has to say it. We're talking inch-thick buttercream walls, sugar-to-cake ratios that would make a dentist cry, and a general disregard for the actual flavor of the cake underneath. Here's how to fix it — or lean into it properly, if that's your thing.
Put Down the KitchenAid: Your $500 Stand Mixer Is Quietly Destroying Your Cookies
Baking Tips & Techniques

Put Down the KitchenAid: Your $500 Stand Mixer Is Quietly Destroying Your Cookies

Turns out, the most expensive piece of equipment in your kitchen might be the reason your cookies taste like hockey pucks. We tested it. The results were humbling. Your grandma was right — again.
7 Professional Baking Tricks They're Not Teaching You (But Should Be)
Baking Tips & Techniques

7 Professional Baking Tricks They're Not Teaching You (But Should Be)

Professional bakers have a whole bag of tricks they use every single day — and almost none of it requires fancy equipment or culinary school tuition. We're pulling back the curtain on seven techniques that will make everything you bake taste like it came from a serious kitchen. You're welcome.
Your Sourdough Starter Smells Like a Locker Room — Here's What You Did Wrong
Baking Troubleshooting

Your Sourdough Starter Smells Like a Locker Room — Here's What You Did Wrong

If your sourdough starter smells like something died in a gym bag, congratulations — you've joined a very large club of frustrated home bakers. The good news? It's almost always fixable. Here's the no-BS breakdown of exactly what went sideways and how to drag your starter back from the funk.