Pesto Cheese Pinwheels

July 7, 2026July 6, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Puff pastry pinwheels filled with green pesto, grated Cheddar, Grana Padano and mozzarella. A tasty vegetarian appetiser or picnic food that’s flaky and full of flavour!

Puff pastry pinwheels are an easy appetiser, lunchbox filler and picnic-friendly savoury.

I recently had a jar of leftover pesto from another dish I made for dinner. I didn’t want the leftover pesto sitting in the fridge and me forgetting to use it up, so I decided to make a recipe inspired by these Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels.

I recommend homemade pesto over ready-made, so if you have more time, you can use homemade pesto. I have a wonderful Pesto alla Genovese (Fresh Basil Pesto) recipe you could use!

Pesto is fabulous in all sorts of savoury dishes. Drizzled over a focaccia, pizza or stirred through pasta. My Pesto Pasta Salad (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe) has been especially popular on the blog this year and great eaten in the summer heat!

My go-to homemade pesto recipe from June 2015

What I love most about recipes like this one is the ease, and it uses easily assessable ingredients too. They look super impressive for a bake so easy!

Ingredients To Make Pesto Cheese Pinwheels

Puff Pastry – I use a ready rolled puff pastry sheet weighing 320g. Leave the pastry sheet as instructed at room temperature for 10 minutes before removing from the packaging and unrolling.

Green Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese) – I’ve used a jar of ready-made green pesto. Red pesto will also work really well, so use whichever pesto you enjoy the most.

Cheese Blend – I used a grated Cheddar and mozzarella blend and I also added some grated Grana Padano.

Black Pepper – Before rolling, I season generously with black pepper. This is optional.

These pastry pinwheels are vegetarian and additional flavours/ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes or chopped olives can also be added. If you’re a meat eater, you can add a couple of slices of Parma ham or prosciutto.

Family, friends, and whoever you choose to share these with, will thoroughly enjoy them. You’ll definitely be asked for the recipe!

Pesto Cheese Pinwheels

Puff pastry pinwheels filled with green pesto, grated Cheddar, Grana Padano and mozzarella. A tasty vegetarian appetiser or picnic food that's flaky and filled with flavourful pesto and cheese!

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings 24

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

320 g pack ready rolled puff pastry
2-3 tablespoons pesto I use green pesto but red pesto also works
100 g Cheddar and mozzarella blend grated
25 g Grana Padano grated
black pepper to season

Instructions

Take your puff pastry from the fridge and allow it 10 minutes to sit at room temperature as the packet instructs. After 10 minutes, unroll the pastry. Spread the pesto evenly across the sheet of puff pastry, top with the grated cheese and season well with black pepper, if desired.
Starting at the long end of the pastry, tightly roll the pastry. Cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes - this makes slicing easier.
Once you're ready to bake the pinwheels, preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
Take a serrated knife, trim the edges and slice the pastry roll into 1cm pieces and distribute evenly between the baking trays. The recipe makes approx. 22-24 pinwheels. (At this point you can freeze the (unbaked) pinwheels for up to one month.)
Bake the pinwheels for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. They can be eaten both hot and cold, store the pinwheels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Pesto Pasta Salad (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe)

Pesto alla Genovese (Fresh Basil Pesto)

Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Vegan Sausage Rolls (Easy Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls)

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Chocolate · Cookies

Chocolate Oreo Cookies

June 12, 2026June 11, 2026 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

Chocolate cookie dough filled with milk and white chocolate chunks, along with Oreo cookies. If you’re a fan of Oreos, then this recipe will be right up your street!

Chunky Oreo Cookies! Rich cocoa cookies filled with chunks of milk + white chocolate and when these cookies are freshly baked they resemble a warm, fudgy brownie.

Cookie + brownie = dessert heaven.

Cookies and cream are the ultimate favourite flavour of mine. I’ve shared a few Oreo-inspired recipes over the years on my blog, including this No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream, Oreo Ice Cream Pie and one of my first ever recipes from 2013 was this No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake.

You’ll also find in the blog archives, 3 Ingredient Oreo Truffles, 3 Ingredient Oreo Fudge, Oreo Cookies ‘n’ Cream Chocolate Tart and also Vegan Oreo Cheesecake.

I’m pleased to have an Oreo cookie recipe for you today and these double chocolate Oreo cookies are a fun twist on a classic chocolate cookie.

I love a good homemade cookie. These cookies are thick, have a delectable soft texture and are packed with cookies and cream flavour. The cookie dough takes a matter of minutes to make and doesn’t need to be chilled prior to baking.

I used this Triple Chocolate Cookies recipe. It’s a recipe I’ve been baking for a long time, and it makes the perfect chocolate cookie every single time.

These cookies are every bit as indulgent as they look.

And for anyone who’s a self-confessed Oreo lover, these cookies are a must bake.

Chocolate Oreo Cookies

Chocolate cookie dough filled with milk and white chocolate chunks, along with Oreo cookies. If you're a fan of Oreos, then this recipe will be right up your street!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings 10

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

110 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
200 g dark or light brown sugar
1 egg
Couple of drops of vanilla extract
165 g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
30 g cocoa powder
100 g milk chocolate
100 g white chocolate
10 Oreo cookies broken into small pieces

Instructions

Preheat your to 190°C / 170°C Fan / 375°F / Gas Mark 5. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until just combined – it doesn’t need to be light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
Next, add the flour, a pinch of salt (only is using unsalted butter), baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder and mix until a dough comes together.
Finally, fold through the chocolate chunks and the Oreos and mix to combine into the dough.
At this point you can chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to roll or you can bake the cookies straight away. Divide the mixture into 8-10 balls. Spread out evenly on the baking trays. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Don’t over bake - once baking time is over, the cookies will appear very soft, but they’ll carry on cooking whilst they cool. Whilst the cookies are cooling I pressed a few chocolate chips/chunks and Oreo pieces into the tops just for decoration purpose.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes. In this time they will harden and will become more easily transferable. Finish cooling on a wire rack. The cookies will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

If you’re looking for more easy cookie recipes, try these next!

Easy Oat Biscuits (Homemade Hobnobs)

Kinder Cookies

Butter Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Biscuits and Cookies · Cakes · Curd and Jam

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

May 10, 2026May 9, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next5 Comments

Deliciously moreish Bakewell bars. A layer of buttery, cake-like shortbread, topped with strawberry jam, frangipane and flaked almonds. Baked until golden and dusted with icing sugar. Watch these vanish before your eyes!

It’s a bold statement to make, but these Bakewell shortbread bars are quite possibly the BEST bake I’ve ever made.

My taste testers and I simply couldn’t get enough of these. I found the recipe on the wonderful Feasting Is Fun blog, and my gosh, Sammie, you’ve created a stunning recipe!

A lot of my culinary discoveries happen when I’m travelling. Bakewell Tart is a classic British dessert hailing from Bakewell in Derbyshire. This time last year, I visited the beautiful Peak District and enjoyed a short break filled with countryside walks and lots of authentic Bakewell Tarts. The Peak District is one of the many beautiful areas of the UK, and well worth a visit if you’re ever here in the UK.

Furthermore, what inspired this recipe was a recent trip a few weeks ago, during a weekend away in Yorkshire. We visited RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate, and after a walk around the incredible gardens, we popped into one of the many food spots for some lunch. We enjoyed some savoury bits for the main part of our lunch, but there’s always room for a little sweet treat afterwards.

We ordered a huge square of homemade salted caramel millionaire’s shortbread, and we also couldn’t resist picking the Strawberry Bakewell bar. One bite of the shortbread bar, and I knew I had to recreate it for the blog. So as soon as I got home, I set about doing just that!

I love the ease of this recipe compared to the classic Bakewell tart. Normally you have to roll a sweet shortcrust pastry out, but with this recipe we’re pressing the shortbread dough straight into a cake tin.

The shortbread has an added egg yolk, which creates a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s more cake-like and softer in texture than classic shortbread. It still holds together without being too hard.

Jam choice is totally down to your preferred flavour. I went for strawberry jam, but equally apricot, cherry or raspberry will work. Raspberry, however, is traditional.

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 10

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Shortbread Layer

225 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
150 g caster or granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
275 g plain flour

Frangipane Layer

175 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
175 g caster or granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
100 g ground almonds
50 g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Jam / Decorating Layer

175 g jam of choice I use strawberry but raspberry is traditional
50 g flaked almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Line a 28cm x 20cm x 5cm (12-inch x 8-inch x 2-inch) tin with baking paper and set aside for later.
Make the shortbread layer by adding the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Cream until lightened in colour and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the egg yolk and mix again until combined fully.
Add the flour and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter. Continue to mix until a soft shortbread dough forms. At this point you can chill the dough for 30 minutes, but I spread mine out in the tin straight away - it was a little sticky but didn't take too long to do. Once the shortbread layer is even, dock it with a fork all over.
Bake the shortbread layer for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Now spread the jam over the part cooked shortbread layer.
To make the frangipane cake layer. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and the almond extract, followed by the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once mixed well, add the flour, baking powder and the ground almonds. Fold gently until incorporated.
Spread the frangipane mixture over the jam coated shortbread layer. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool completely before slicing into 12 bars. Cut down the middle length of the bar, then cut across the width in the middle. Cut each quarter into 3 bars. Before serving dust with icing sugar.
The bars will keep for up to 5 days, covered and stored at room temperature.

These bars are divine served on their own, or with warm custard, a scoop of ice cream, or cream. Writing this blog post up is making me seriously crave these shortbread bars again. The recipe has already been requested again by my taste testers!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Cakes

St Clements Drizzle Cake

April 27, 2026April 25, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Drizzle cake with a St Clements twist! Orange and lemon combine in this gorgeous, buttery and moist loaf cake.

I’m here to brighten your Monday with a cake recipe my lovely mum has created and baked for the blog. It’s the softest, most buttery and beautiful drizzle loaf cake. A cake for spring and summer, bursting with delectable citrus flavour.

This cake is homage to the famous bells of St Clements. It’s a famous British cake combining orange and lemon, inspired by the “Oranges and Lemons” nursery rhyme.

Enjoy a slice of this stunning loaf cake on a spring or summer’s day in the garden. It’s a simple and easy cake recipe, and a real crowd pleaser.

The cake, once baked, has an orange and lemon drizzle poured over. It’s important to pour the drizzle over while the cake is still warm, as this ensures the citrus sugar syrup mixture soaks in, and it also keeps the cake amazingly moist. The texture of this cake reminded us of Greek-style cakes/desserts we adore, like this Honey Walnut Cake.

This wonderful cake is brilliant for picnics, as it’s easily transported. Great served as a tasty dessert paired with clotted or pouring/whipped cream and berries.

St Clements Drizzle Cake

Drizzle cake with a St Clements twist! Orange and lemon combine in this gorgeous, buttery and moist loaf cake.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings 10

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

225 g caster or granulated sugar
1 orange zested
2 lemons zested
225 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
4 eggs
225 g self-raising flour

Lemon Orange Sugar Syrup

1 orange juiced
1 lemon juiced
100 g caster or granulated sugar

Drizzle Icing

75 g icing sugar
fresh lemon or orange juice enough to produce an icing that can be drizzled over the cake

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper and set aside.
To make the cake, place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl. In another small bowl, add the sugar along with the orange zest and lemon zest. Using your fingertips, rub the sugar and zest together until combined.
Add the sugar/zest mixture to the bowl containing the butter. Cream for a couple of minutes, until light and fluffy. Now add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Don't worry if the mixture looks slightly curdled at this point, as once the flour is added it'll be fine.
Now sift in the flour and gently fold in until completely incorporated. Transfer the cake batter to the loaf tin and spread out until evenly distributed.
Bake the cake for 55-60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
Now prepare the sugar syrup mixture. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the orange and lemon juice. Stir together until the sugar has dissolved. Pour this syrup all over the cake - it will soak into the cake as it cools.
Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin and place on your chosen serving dish/plate. Make the icing by whisking the icing sugar and enough orange/lemon juice until you have the drizzle consistency you desire.
Drizzle the icing over the cake and down the sides and decorate further with extra orange and lemon zest. The cake will keep, covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you’re a drizzle cake fan, then try my Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Poppyseed Drizzle Cakes

Pistachio Lemon Drizzle Cake

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Biscuits and Cookies · Chocolate

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

April 11, 2026April 10, 2026 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

Soft and gooey cookies filled with white chocolate and a mix of frozen and freeze-dried raspberries. A divine cookie recipe with melted white chocolate and jammy raspberries in each bite!

Raspberry + white chocolate has always been a sensational combination. Creamy white chocolate mixed with tart raspberries, both flavours are a marriage in flavour heaven.

My cookie recipe repertoire is forever growing and the latest cookie bake I’m sharing is these divine Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies. This wonderful recipe is from the talented Sarah over at Broma Bakery.

I’ve mentioned before, that I’m a huge fan of Marks and Spencer cookies. As soon as M&S releases a new cookie, everybody goes wild and heads out to grab themselves a pack before they’re all sold out. I love recreating the Marks and Spencer cookies in my kitchen, and with all the recipes I recreate, I aim to achieve a tastier end result.

These cookies are amazing. There are lots of chunky pieces of white chocolate and the frozen raspberries are rippled throughout each bite. I added a couple of tablespoons of freeze-dried raspberries. This is optional, but will add even more raspberry flavour.

These cookies are perfect for berry season. The ultimate treat paired with a cold glass of milk, or even a scoop of your favourite ice cream flavour. Happy Baking!

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

Soft and gooey cookies filled with white chocolate and a mix of frozen and freeze-dried raspberries. A divine cookie recipe with melted white chocolate and jammy raspberries in each bite!

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 14

Chilling Time 30

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

170 g butter (salted or unsalted) melted
200 g light brown sugar
50 g caster or granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
250 g plain flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
225 g white chocolate I use a chocolate bar and chop into small chunks - chocolate chips are a good substitute
2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries optional
65 g frozen raspberries

Instructions

To make the cookie dough, grab a large mixing bowl and add the melted butter, and both types of sugars. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Now add the egg and egg yolk, along with the vanilla extract and whisk again until incorporated.
Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, along with a pinch of salt (only add if using unsalted butter). Gently fold the dry ingredients in, mixing until there's no streaks of flour visible. Fold through the white chocolate - be careful not to over mix.
Finally, very gently fold through the frozen raspberries until evenly distributed. at this point you can also add the freeze-dried raspberries, if desired.
Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Line 2-3 large baking trays with baking paper.
Roll the cookie dough into 80g portions. When rolling the cookie dough the raspberries will burst and release juices - this expected, so just roll the cookie dough as quickly as you can.
Spread the cookies out evenly, leaving enough space as they will spread during baking. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until just lightly browned, with a soft centre still visible.
If the cookies spread when baking, take a teaspoon and gently press the cookie back into a uniform shape. Press any additional chocolate or freeze-dried raspberries on the top of the cookies. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes, then transport to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. The cookies will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Broma Bakery

Take the classic chocolate chip cookie to the next level with these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you love the raspberry white chocolate combo, then try my Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins next!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Biscuits and Cookies · Candy and Sweets · Chocolate

Mini Egg Shortbread

March 31, 2026March 30, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Mini Egg Shortbread – classic semolina shortbread recipe filled with chopped Cadbury Mini Eggs and chocolate chunks.

This time last year I baked this Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe). Since then, it’s become one of the most popular recipes I’ve posted on my blog. So at it’s very nearly Easter and Mini Eggs are back on our shelves, I thought it would be a fun idea to incorporate them in a batch of shortbread.

All good shortbread recipes start with butter. I tend to go for salted butter, and this needs to be softened. Cream softened butter with sugar until fluffy, then add plain flour and semolina. Semolina is my secret ingredient for the traditional Scottish shortbread taste!

Finally, lots of chopped chocolate and Cadbury Mini Eggs are mixed throughout the shortbread dough.

Once baked, the shortbread is sprinkled with a little extra sugar, and it’s ready to be devoured and enjoyed.

There’s lots of Easter baking inspiration on the blog already. Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Carrot Cake Traybake, Easter Chocolate Nest Cakes, Mini Egg Cheesecake and these incredible Mini Egg NYC Cookies all make a delicious addition to an Easter meal.

I recommend the same thing with every shortbread recipe, and that’s to serve the shortbread while it’s still warm from the oven. The texture is softer and simply divine.

Mini Egg Shortbread is the ultimate, easy, no-fuss Easter baking recipe. This shortbread really does taste as good as it looks!

Mini Egg Shortbread

Mini Egg Shortbread - classic semolina shortbread recipe filled with chopped Cadbury Mini Eggs and chocolate chunks.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

200 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
100 caster or granulated sugar
300 g plain flour
50 g semolina
200 g dark or milk chocolate roughly chopped
150 g Cadbury Mini Eggs chopped in half

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm / 8-inch square cake tin with parchment paper and set aside.
Start by preparing the shortbread dough - cream the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Now add the flour and the semolina, mix until a crumbly dough forms. Be careful not to overwork the dough at this point, only mix until it comes together. Now fold through the chopped chocolate and halved Mini Eggs.
Transfer shortbread dough to a 20cm / 8-inch square cake tin and press down gently. Carefully score 12 squares from the dough, making sure not to cut all the way through. Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden in colour. Leave the shortbread to cool for 5 minutes, then using a sharp knife, slice all the way through where you scored the shortbread before baking.
Finally, sprinkle with a small amount of extra sugar before devouring! The shortbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

I have your Easter recipes covered!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Mini Egg Cheesecake

Easter Chocolate Nest Cakes

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Cheesecake

Nigella’s London Cheesecake

March 14, 2026March 30, 2026 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

Nigella Lawson’s London Cheesecake recipe. Classic baked cheesecake with hints of lemon and vanilla, and a delicious sour cream topping. A make-ahead friendly dessert, great for all kinds of gatherings.

I have a divine cheesecake from Nigella Lawson’s ‘How To Be A Domestic Goddess’ cookbook.

The cheesecake itself is light, creamy and has the perfect balance between tartness and sweetness. I served mine with fresh berries and a homemade strawberry topping.

Making a baked cheesecake can seem daunting, but it’s super easy to make and using a water bath ensures your cheesecake bakes evenly and minimises the risk of it cracking too.

You can serve your cheesecake however you like. A little bit of grated chocolate works fabulously, or add a touch extra decadence and drizzle over some caramel sauce. Or you can serve it with strawberry topping, like we did. The strawberry topping I make is made with just strawberries and sugar, and it’s cooked until the strawberries are softened and the sauce slightly thickened.

I love how the sauce runs down the sides of the cheesecake!

I’ve only slightly adapted this recipe from Nigella’s book/website. We love a good amount of biscuit base on our cheesecakes, so I upped the amount of biscuits to give this cheesecake a bigger base!

I also baked my cheesecake in a 23cm/9-inch springform tin. The recipe asks for a 20cm/8-inch tin, but I didn’t have a springform tin in that size, but the cheesecake worked out well using a bigger tin.

Nigella's London Cheesecake

Nigella Lawson's London Cheesecake recipe. Classic baked cheesecake with hints of lemon and vanilla, and a delicious sour cream topping. A make-ahead friendly dessert, great for all kinds of gatherings.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Chilling Time 1

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Biscuit Base

300 g digestive biscuits crushed
140 g butter (salted or unsalted) melted

Cheesecake Filling

600 g full-fat cream cheese left out at room temperature for one hour to soften
150 g caster sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 and 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Sour Cream Topping

150 g full-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. In a mixing bowl, combine the biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Mix well until the biscuit crumbs are moistened. Tip this mix into a 23cm/9-inch springform tin and press the biscuit crumbs into an even layer - smooth over with the back of a spoon. Set aside for the moment.
Beat the cream cheese gently until it's smooth and then add the sugar. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, then finally the vanilla and lemon juice. Put the kettle on.
Line the outside of the springform tin with strong foil so that it covers the bottom and sides in one large piece, and then do the same again and put it into a roasting dish. This will protect the cheesecake from the water as it is cooked in its water bath.
Pour the cream cheese filling on top of the chilled biscuit base, and then pour hot water from the recently boiled kettle into the roasting tin around the cheesecake. It should come about halfway up. Don't overfill as it will be difficult to lift up the tin. Put it into the oven and cook for 50 minutes until set on the top.
Whisk together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla for the topping and pour over the cheesecake. Put it back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Take the roasting tin out of the oven and leave to cool at room temperature. When it's cooled down completely, put the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight for best results. Allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving and slicing.
The cheesecake will keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Mini Cheesecakes

Raspberry Swirl Lemon Cheesecake Bars

New York Cheesecake with Mixed Berry Coulis

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Buttercream and Frosting · Cakes

Red Velvet Cake

January 26, 2026January 25, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next3 Comments

Moist, homemade red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. The vibrant red colour of this cake makes it perfect for occasions like Valentine’s Day, Christmas or birthdays.

Classic Red Velvet Cake is a gorgeously fluffy, moist cake with hints of vanilla and cocoa, and a lovely tanginess from buttermilk.

This red velvet cake is decorated with homemade cream cheese frosting.

In my opinion, the only frosting for red velvet cake is a cream cheese frosting. The tangy frosting works wonderfully and compliments the cake exactly how it should.

Like the Best Chocolate Cake recipe I’ve shared with you, red velvet cake is also one of the cakes I baked for customers. So this was another layer cake recipe I’ve been passionate about sharing with you.

Growing up in the UK, red velvet cake is something I wasn’t familiar with, but it has become one of my favourites! Top tip: for UK readers, you’ll need to get some red gel food colouring. Only gel food colouring will work and achieve that vivid ruby-red coloured cake.

As the name indicates, this cake is velvety and simply melts in the mouth. My favourite part of each slice is the very centre!

Just like many cake recipes, this one is hard to stop eating just one slice. I found myself dreaming of this all day and eating more than one slice a day!

Decoration is really easy for this cake. Slather or pipe roughly half the cream cheese frosting in the centre and then the remaining frosting on the top of the cake. Take any excess crumbs that naturally fall off the cake and use those to sprinkle over the top.

Red Velvet Cake

Moist, homemade red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. The vibrant red colour of this cake makes it perfect for occasions like Valentine's Day, Christmas or birthdays.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Servings 16

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

400 g plain flour
10 g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Wet Ingredients

115 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
330 g caster or granulated sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
250 ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
250 ml buttermilk at room temperature
2 and 1/2 tablespoons red gel food colouring I used a whole 25g bottle

Cream Cheese Frosting

60 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
200 g icing sugar sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
400 g full fat cream cheese at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line 2 x 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with baking/parchment paper and set aside.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, whisk together until combined.
In another large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until just combined - this should only take a minute or so. Now add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and the food colouring and mix again until fully incorporated.
Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk again until combined and no lumps of flour remain. Be careful not to over mix.
Divide the cake batter between the two lined cake tins. Bake for 30-40 minutes - my cakes took nearer to 40 minutes. Test the cakes are ready by inserting a cake tester/toothpick directly in the centre. If no uncooked batter is attached, then they're ready. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the tins and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Once the cakes are cool, you can prepare the cream cheese frosting. Cream the softened butter in a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes to soften. Now add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla and starting on a low speed mix to combine. Continue to beat for 5 minutes or until really pale in colour - stop the mixer halfway through to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Once creamed add the softened cream cheese. Turn the mixer up and whisk on high speed for approximately 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is creamy, thick and smooth. You need to use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the a whisk attachment to make sure the frosting reaches the correct consistency.
When ready to assemble, take a little bit of the cream cheese frosting and spread that on the base of your serving plate or cake stand. Take one cake layer and place on your serving plate/cake stand. Spread or pipe roughly half the frosting on this first layer. Place the second cake layer directly on top. Decorate the top as you did the other cake layer. Sprinkle over any additional red velvet cake crumbs or sprinkles of your choice.
Serve slices of the cake. The cake will keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Recipe Tin Eats, cream cheese frosting recipe from What Jessica Baked Next

More delightful treats to bake next!

Chocolate Brownie Heart

Carrot Cake Traybake

Valentine’s Shortbread Hearts

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Chocolate · Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

January 17, 2026January 16, 2026 What Jessica Baked Next1 Comment

Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies with the addition of nutty brown butter. Don’t forget a sprinkle of sea salt for the ultimate amazing cookie experience! An easy cookie recipe with no mixer required.

We’re kickstarting 2026 and a new year of baking on WJBN blog with a fabulous cookie recipe I recently baked.

Say hello to my latest cookie obsession.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Adding brown butter to your next batch of cookie dough is the ultimate flavour upgrade. A classic chocolate chip cookie is pretty good, but adding brown butter elevates a regular chocolate chip cookie to something outstanding.

My winning cookie recipe is made with browned butter and huge chunks of chocolate. The cookies taste great served fresh from the oven and even a couple of days after first baking.

The edges are crisp, slightly crunchy and the inside of the cookie is gorgeously soft. The chocolate mixed with an added sprinkle of flaky sea salt is a divine combination.

Top Tips For The BEST Cookies:

Use salted butter and brown the butter. Browned butter adds a delicate caramel undertone to the cookie dough. Take your time when browning butter. Brown butter is a game changer and I highly recommend it!
Use a mixture of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks in your cookie dough. I love the ease of adding a bag of chocolate chips to my cookie dough, but chopping up chocolate makes sure you get those huge chunks of melted chocolate in your cookies! I use supermarket own brand chocolate, you can use expensive chocolate but I don’t think it’s necessary.
Add cornflour (cornstarch) to your cookie dough. This creates a softer baked cookie and your baked cookie will be slightly thicker, and not spread as much.
Add a generous amount of vanilla extract to your cookie dough. Vanilla and chocolate = delicious flavour combo!
Always chill your cookie dough. This not only prevents spreading, but it lets the flavours develop further, leading to a tastier finished product!

I’ve baked a lot of cookie recipes for my blog, but this recipe is by far the best one yet.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies with the addition of nutty brown butter. Don't forget a sprinkle of sea salt for the ultimate amazing cookie experience! An easy cookie recipe with no mixer required.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 14

Chilling Time 2

Total Time 2 34

Servings 18

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

170 g butter (salted or unsalted) cut into small chunks
280 g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornflour
150 g dark or light brown sugar
100 g caster or granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300 g chocolate I use 1 x 200g bar of milk chocolate and 1 x 100g bar of dark chocolate, both chopped into medium sized chunks
dark chocolate chips I added a couple of handfuls and used the remaining to decorate the cookies

Instructions

Start by browning the butter. In a small pan, place the chopped butter. Gently melt on a medium heat. Stirring constantly, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle slightly around the edges. In approx 5-8 minutes from when you started, the butter will start to turn golden brown. Some foam will subside and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be toasty brown. The butter in the pan will smell intensely buttery and nutty.
Now remove the pan from the heat and carefully transfer the brown butter to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
In another mixing bowl, add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the cornflour. Whisk together to combine fully.
In the bowl with the melted butter, add both types of sugar, and whisk until incorporated. Now add the whole egg and egg yolk, along with the vanilla extract. Whisking again until combined.
Now fold through the dry ingredients until a soft dough begins to form. Finally, stir through the chopped chocolate. Cover the bowl containing the cookie dough and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. I usually chill mine overnight. After overnight chilling, I leave my cookie dough at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
When ready to bake, divide the cookie dough and roll into 60g portions. Preheat oven to 170°C / 150°C Fan / 325°/ Gas Mark 3. Line a couple of baking trays with parchment paper and place the cookies about 3-inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes until crisp and lightly golden around the edges, but still soft in the centre. Place any additional chocolate chips/chunks on the tops of cookies if desired. I also like to sprinkle the tops with some flaky sea salt.
Cool the cookies on the baking trays for 10 minutes, before enjoying. The cookies will keep stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction

More of my favourite recipes!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pistachio Tiramisu (No-Bake, Eggless Recipe)

Best Chocolate Cake

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Chocolate · Christmas · Cookies

Gingerbread White Chocolate Cookies (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe)

November 17, 2025November 14, 2025 What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Copycat version of the viral M&S Gingerbread & White Chocolate Cookies. All the festive feels with these incredibly delicious homemade cookies!

It’s time! My first festive recipe of the 2025 Christmas season is here.

I’m so excited when it gets to this time of the year and I can share all the festive-inspired recipes.

We’re starting with a homemade version of the famous Marks and Spencer Gingerbread White Chocolate Cookies. Earlier in the year, I shared my Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe). This recipe has now become one of my most viewed (getting thousands of views each week). I’m receiving messages from readers who have baked them – which always puts a smile on my face!

I simply cannot go into my local Marks and Spencers Foodhall without being able to walk past these cookies. Once they were in the bakery section, I grabbed two packs within a week. They are absolutely addictive and amazing cookies.

A recreation of these stunning cookies was bound to happen…

I’ve made my cookie dough as similar to the M&S one. This cookie has black treacle added, pieces of chopped fudge and lots of white chocolate chunks. I also love adding even more chopped white chocolate to the tops of each cookie once baked.

We highly recommend using a block of white chocolate and chopping that up, as opposed to using white chocolate chips. It’s the best when you get a piece of cookie with a huge chunk of chocolate!

I would quite happily bake and eat these cookies all year round.

The warmth of the ginger is just lovely and pairs wonderfully well with creamy white chocolate. The secret is to underbake the cookies ever so slightly. This way they have an irresistibly fudgy centre.

I’ve loved baking Gingerbread Men, but these cookies are definitely my favourite if I had to pick one!

Get your favourite Christmas tunes on playing, head to the kitchen and be ready to bake the BEST christmassy cookies.

Gingerbread White Chocolate Cookies

Copycat version of the viral M&S Gingerbread & White Chocolate Cookies. All the festive feels with these incredibly delicious homemade cookies!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Chilling Time 1

Servings 10

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

120 g butter (salted or unsalted)
80 g caster or granulated sugar
80 g dark or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black treacle optional
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
220 g plain flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
150 g white chocolate chopped into medium-sized chunks
100 g fudge chopped into small chunks

Instructions

Start by melting the butter. Add the melted butter to a large mixing bowl, along with the caster and brown sugar. Whisk this together until combined. Now add the black treacle (if using), the egg and vanilla extract. Whisk again and mix until incorporated.
Now add the plain flour, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Using a spatula, gently fold together the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until mostly combined.
Fold through the chopped white chocolate and fudge. Mix again until combined - be careful not to over mix. Cover the cookie dough and chill for one hour.
Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Divide the cookie dough into 8-10 portions - each piece of cookie dough should weigh just over 80g.
Line 2-3 large baking trays with baking paper. Spread the cookies out evenly, leaving enough space as they will spread during baking. Bake for 12 minutes, until just lightly browned, with a soft centre still visible.
When the cookies are baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack and leaving to cool completely. Press some additional chopped chocolate or chocolate chips on the top of each cookie, if desired.
The cookies will keep stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Lord Lucy

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext