Starting to learn baking through America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) recipes has been one of the best experiences of my life. ATK publishes the famous American cooking magazine Cook’s Illustrated, which you can easily find in the cookbook section of most bookstores or libraries.
We make the mistakes in the kitchen so you don’t have to
ATK’s motto, “We make the mistakes in the kitchen so you don’t have to,” is well reflected in their recipe development process. They select reliable recipes from existing, well-known ones, compare the differences, and have dozens of staff members test each recipe up to 100 times to create versions that are reliable and easy for home cooks to follow.
It is said that this process costs an average of $11,000 to develop just one recipe. This cannot be compared to something someone successfully posts online after trying it just once on a blog or YouTube.
✨ Clear and Detailed Recipes
ATK recipes can sometimes seem intimidating because of their detailed instructions — even down to specifying the size of the frying pan. But this level of precision isn’t meant to make things complicated; it’s to ensure that anyone can reproduce the same results.
As you continue to follow ATK recipes, what first feels overly meticulous becomes second nature, and you gain the rewarding experience of consistent success.
Here are a few key features that make following ATK recipes easier:
1. Why This Recipe Works
Every ATK recipe begins with a section called “Why This Recipe Works.” This section explains the reasoning and science behind the recipe, helping readers understand why each step matters.
If you want to study more, check out The Science of Good Cooking, which teaches 50 essential scientific principles behind great cooking and baking 🔬
By grouping related recipes with each topic, it provides a richer knowledge base.
2. Taste Tests
Choosing baking ingredients can be confusing with so many brands available. ATK compares and analyzes different ingredients and shares the results in their Taste Tests.
For example, on the page Which All-Purpose Flour Is Best?, you can find out which flour performs best.
These tests not only help readers make informed decisions, but also ensure that by using the same products ATK used during recipe development, you can more accurately reproduce the intended flavor and texture.
Viewing these Taste Test results requires a paid membership, but they occasionally upload sample videos to YouTube. The video below is an example — a test comparing different olive oils.
3. Equipment Review
ATK also provides in-depth reviews of cooking tools and appliances, comparing the pros and cons of each so consumers can make smart choices that fit their budget.
Even if a product doesn’t receive the highest rating, they explain its shortcomings, allowing you to make an informed decision. For example, I’ve been using the Best Mid-Priced Mixer they recommended for over 10 years, and it still works perfectly.
Just as ATK’s recommended ingredients make recipes easier to follow, using their recommended tools can also help. For instance, when a recipe says “Pulse the flour and butter 10 times in a food processor,” the efficiency will naturally differ between products.
You can check out differences in their YouTube equipment review videos below 👇
4. TV Show
The ATK TV Show vividly demonstrates the process of following a recipe. It visually explains parts that are difficult to describe in writing, helping even beginner bakers follow along easily.
For example, when the recipe says “Whisk until the yolks lighten in color and triple in volume,” it’s much clearer once you actually see it 👀
You can also watch and learn very basic skills that are too fundamental to write down in a recipe, such as a skillful way to slice an onion 🔪
Similarly, these are available to paid members, but some content is released for free on YouTube. This video is one of the recipes I recommend for those new to baking.
5. Annual Membership
The videos shown so far are free samples, and the rest are available after signing up for a paid membership. With over 2,000 recipes accumulated from more than 30 years of magazines, books, and TV broadcasts.
There is almost no recipe I’ve wanted to make in the past 10 years that hasn’t shown up in a search. Here’s how to search for the three types of content introduced above 🔍
First, select the search filter options 👇
Then choose the desired Category from the expanded options.
- Ingredients → 2. Taste Tests
- Equipment → 3. Equipment Review
- Shows → 4. TV Show
If you can find a proven recipe for every dish you can think of, choose the ingredients and tools you need to make it, and then follow the process by watching a video, the membership fee is definitely worthwhile.
However, the annual fee can be a burden to pay every year. While I considered it a tuition fee when I was passionate about baking, this is especially true now that I often repeat existing recipes rather than trying new ones. Here are a few ways to save on the annual fee. 👇
📁 Save as PDF
Every recipe has a print button 🖨️
Instead of printing on paper, I save them as PDF files and store them in the cloud so I can easily access them anytime.
📘 Buy the Books
Every year, ATK compiles and publishes the recipes released over more than 20 years into a single volume. Most recipes available on the website can also be found in these books. If you’re revisiting familiar recipes, referring to the book is sufficient 👍
📚 Read the Magazines at Libraries or Bookstores
Since the magazine is so famous, it is commonly found in libraries and bookstores 🏛️
Look for the magazine that looks like this to see newly released recipes.
💬 If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment!
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