Anyone active on social media has probably seen the videos of creators baking delicious treats, with their final dessert always looking mouthwatering. How good are these desserts and are they really worth the effort?

With the fall season beginning, pumpkin loaf recipes are hard to avoid. The recipe I found was listed in the description of an Instagram Reel, making it easy to follow.

The loaf and glaze were easy to make and didn’t leave too much mess. One of my biggest concerns when making a loaf is the baking time and ensuring it is fully cooked. The loaf took a long and suspenseful 65 minute baking time, but was fully cooked through and worth the wait.  If you are looking for something with a shorter bake time, making muffins is equally delicious and a lot quicker!

While some desserts can lack the pumpkin flavor, this dessert provided a perfect balance without making the loaf overpowering. The maple glaze added so much flavor and cut through some of the pumpkin from the loaf. This recipe was my favorite out of the ones I made because of its fall flavors and simplicity. Overall I would rate it a 9/10!

Another recipe I made was Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. The recipe was from an Instagram Reel, making it more difficult to follow because there weren’t any written instructions.

The baking process was relatively easy, but browning the butter was time consuming. Unfortunately, I added too much flour to the cookie dough, completely changing the results, but I have made a similar recipe before and it was so delicious.

Due to my mistake with the flour, the cookies didn’t spread, meaning they were smaller and thicker. The cookies were a bit more crumbly and dry compared to the other times I have made this type of dessert. They were still a good treat even if they weren’t exactly what they should be. The cookie dough also tasted amazing, but eat at your own risk!

The last recipe I made was a little bit different  because it was gluten free, dairy free, and contained no refined sugars. This recipe was a brookie, meaning it was a cookie layered on top of brownie. The recipe utilized almond butter, almond flour, and maple syrup as alternatives to the ingredients found in most desert recipes. 

The process was relatively easy, but this recipe does require more clean up because it contains two parts. 

When I took the brownie batter out of the oven after baking it I tried to spread the cookie dough on top, but the cookie dough sank into the brownies, making it impossible to evenly distribute.

The brookie had a good texture, but it had a strong almond butter taste. Although they didn’t taste as good as a regular brookie, I was surprised with how much I liked the results, making this a great alternative for people who can’t have traditional brookies. I would give this recipe a 6.5/10. 

Overall these recipes were great and definitely worth a try!