Beatrice Lang
Baking without an electric mixer is possible and can be a fun, family activity. There are many recipes that don't require an electric mixer, such as cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, and more. For example, a pudding cake is a quick cake that doesn't require electricity, while a simple brownie recipe can be made with just a bowl and a spoon. If you're creaming butter and sugar by hand, you'll need some patience and upper body strength, but it's a great workout that culminates in a sweet reward. So, if you're missing an electric mixer or just want to get the whole family involved in baking, there are plenty of options to choose from.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recipes | Fruit pies, granola, cookies, brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, bread, muffins, bars, crepes, buckeyes, pies, banana cream pie, peach cobbler, dump cake, chocolate lava cake, coffee cake, devil's food cake, olive oil cake, lemon cake, brownies |
| Tools | Bowl, spoon, whisk, fork, wooden spoon, silicone spatula, plastic mixing spoon, food processor, hand mixer |
| Ingredients | Butter, sugar, flour, eggs, oil, chocolate, peanut butter, fruit, nuts, cream, coffee, brown sugar, cocoa powder, honey, maple syrup, bourbon, graham crackers, frosting, sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, Nutella |
| Techniques | Stirring, creaming butter, whipping, melting butter, dicing butter, grating butter, mashing, beating, whisking |
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What You'll Learn
How to cream butter and sugar by hand
Firstly, make sure your butter is at room temperature and soft. If you've forgotten to take it out of the fridge, you can speed up the softening process by dicing the butter into small cubes and scattering them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet in a warm spot. If you're really pressed for time, you can also grate the butter using the largest box grater and pile the flakes into your mixing bowl.
Once your butter is soft, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mash the ingredients against one another. If your butter isn't perfectly soft, you can use your hands to work the sugar into the butter, which will help it soften and combine.
When the ingredients are incorporated, switch to a fork or whisk and start mashing them together. If you don't have a fork, you can use the back of a spoon. Keep going until the mixture becomes creamy.
Finally, switch back to a wooden spoon and stir vigorously. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically, and keep on beating until the butter is fluffy and lighter in colour. This may take five minutes or more. If your arm gets tired, take breaks or ask a friend to help!
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Baking cakes without a mixer
Baking cakes without an electric mixer is not only possible, but it can also be a fun activity for the whole family. All you need is a bowl, a spoon, and a bit of elbow grease. Here are some tips and recipes to help you get started:
Tips for Baking Cakes Without a Mixer:
- Look for recipes that use oil instead of butter or have melted butter. These recipes often skip the step of creaming butter and sugar together, which is where a mixer is typically needed.
- If your recipe calls for creaming butter and sugar, make sure the butter is extra soft, but not melted. You can speed up the softening process by dicing the butter into small cubes and spreading them out on a plate or baking sheet in a warm spot.
- Once you've combined the butter and sugar, switch to a wooden spoon and stir vigorously. This step may take a while, so don't be afraid to take breaks or pass the bowl to a friend.
Cake Recipes That Don't Require a Mixer:
- Pudding cake: This old-fashioned recipe requires no creaming of butter, no whipping of egg whites, and no exotic ingredients. Simply stir together the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients (including melted butter), combine them, and pour boiling sugar water on top. The hot syrup helps the cake separate into layers as it bakes.
- One-bowl cakes: Some cakes, like chocolate cake, can be made in one bowl without a mixer. Just stir everything together, and the acidic ingredients like coffee and brown sugar will activate the baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Olive oil cake: This cake comes together quickly and can be paired with fresh fruit, ice cream, or toasted nuts. It uses olive oil, brown sugar, Dutch cocoa powder, and black coffee for a rich, intense flavor.
- Dump cake: For an easy option, try a dump cake. Just dump all the ingredients, such as cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, yellow cake mix, walnuts, and butter, into a baking dish and let the oven do the work.
- Brownie mix: Make your own brownie mix by grinding powdered sugar, dark chocolate, flour, cocoa powder, and other dry ingredients. When you're ready to bake, just add water, eggs, and vanilla extract.
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Making desserts with a food processor
Baking without an electric mixer is possible, and there are many recipes that can be made without one. For example, brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, and bread can all be made without a stand mixer.
A food processor is a great alternative to an electric mixer, and can be used to make a variety of desserts. Food processors are particularly useful for grinding chunky ingredients into a fine powder, working stiff dough, keeping fats cold as they are worked into flour, and blending toasted nuts into creamy butter.
- Lemon tart: The food processor can be used to make the pastry crust for this dessert.
- Buttermilk biscuits: A food processor can be used to combine the butter and flour for these melt-in-your-mouth treats.
- Tropical fruit pastry: This dessert features a flaky, buttery pastry with a filling of fruit, walnuts, coconut, and cinnamon.
- White chocolate cranberry tart: This dessert features a sweet white chocolate drizzle that balances the tangy cranberries.
- Hazelnut cookies: A food processor can be used to make homemade Nutella, which can then be used in these cookies.
- Chocolate chip cookies: A food processor can cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light for these classic cookies.
- Strawberry layer cake: A food processor can be used to grind freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder for this cake.
- Fig Newtons: A food processor can be used to puree dried fruit for these cookies.
- Pumpkin pie: A food processor can be used to puree fibrous winter squash for a silky-smooth pie filling.
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Baking cookies without a mixer
Baking cookies without an electric mixer is easy and convenient. Here are some tips and recipes to help you get started:
Tips for Mixing Cookie Dough by Hand:
- Use a wooden spoon or a sturdy silicone spatula for mixing thick cookie dough. You can also use a fork, but a whisk is generally not recommended.
- Be prepared to put in some arm muscle! It's okay to take breaks or switch hands if your arm gets tired.
- Make sure your butter is softened to an extra soft, room temperature consistency before mixing. You can speed up the process by dicing the butter into small cubes and spreading them out on a plate in a warm spot.
- Combine the sugar with the softened butter in a mixing bowl and mash them together with the back of a fork.
Cookie Recipes that Can Be Made Without a Mixer:
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies: These cookies are made with crunchy or smooth peanut butter, vegan chocolate chips, and toasted coconut. They harden as they cool, so be sure to wait before enjoying them.
- Apple-Oatmeal Cookies: These healthy cookies are made with oats, shredded apples, and brown sugar.
- Almond Cloud Cookies: These French cookies are light and airy, with a crisp meringue exterior and a chewy, moist almond interior.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: A gluten-free, flourless version of the classic that's soft, chewy, and easy to make.
- Oatmeal Cookies: Classic oatmeal cookies can be made without a mixer. Try adding coconut, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries for a unique twist.
- Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies: These cookies get their sweetness from brown sugar and raisins, with a slightly nutty flavour from almond butter.
- Lemon Cookies: Try baking lemon sugar cookies or crinkly lemon cookies without a mixer. You can even fill them with cream cheese frosting for an extra special treat.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: You can make delicious, buttery and crispy chocolate chip cookies without a mixer. Just be sure to use a sturdy utensil for mixing the thick dough.
- Stovetop Cookies: These unique cookies are made on the stovetop without using any eggs. Simply melt together almond butter and coconut oil, and add your favourite nut butter for extra flavour.
- Brown Sugar Honey Shortbread Cookies: A classic, crisp, and buttery shortbread cookie that comes together quickly with just one bowl and no mixer.
So, don't let the lack of an electric mixer stop you from baking delicious cookies. With a little elbow grease and some tasty recipes, you'll be well on your way to cookie bliss!
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Baking brownies without a mixer
Baking brownies is a simple process that does not require an electric mixer. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to bake brownies without one:
Ingredients
Firstly, gather your ingredients. The ingredients you will need are: eggs, sugar, butter, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and any additional flavourings of your choice. You can adjust the sugar or use different types, and you can also customise your brownie by using different chocolates or a mix of chocolates.
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 160C (320F) or 350°. Line a baking tray or tin with non-stick paper. A 20cm x 25cm x 5.5cm (8in x 10in x 2.25in) baking tray is a good size, but you can also use a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 baking pan.
Mixing
In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. You can use a fork or a whisk to mix these ingredients together. If your butter is softened, you can add it to this mixture now, along with any additional flavourings such as vanilla extract or peanut butter. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix these ingredients well, ensuring there are no lumps.
Baking
Pour the batter into your prepared baking tray or tin. Whack it against the table a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for approximately 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. The brownie should no longer wobble in the middle when it is ready.
Cooling and Storage
Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack or cutting them. Cutting them when they are cold will result in neater pieces. You can store the brownies at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be frozen and thawed in the fridge overnight.
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Frequently asked questions
There are plenty of desserts that can be made without an electric mixer, such as cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, and crepes.
To cream butter and sugar by hand, you will need to ensure the butter is extra soft. Dice the butter into small cubes and leave them on a plate or baking sheet in a warm place. When soft, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and mash them together with a fork. Then, switch to a wooden spoon and stir vigorously.
Some easy cakes to bake without an electric mixer include a simple chocolate pudding cake, a one-bowl chocolate cake, an olive oil cake, and a lemon cake.
Some no-bake desserts include buckeyes, which are peanut butter balls coated in chocolate, and lemon meltaways, which are chewy, creamy cookies.
Look for recipes that use melted butter or oil instead of butter, as this will skip the step of creaming butter and sugar together, which is where a mixer is crucial. You can also get cheap electric hand mixers for mixing meringues and whipped cream.
