How to Impress a Boy by Baking

April 1, 2010

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Confession: I’m a baker because cookies make me friends. I’m a baker because cakes help me out of a jam from time to time. I’m a baker because brownies attract quality men.

Let’s talk about boys and baking. Boys like cookies and pies and coffee cake with lots of crumb topping. I know. I’ve done the research.

Here’s how to impress a boy with baking.

Note:  If your particular boy doesn’t like baked goods… I’m afraid I don’t understand. He’s weird. I’d question his motives.
If you happen to be interested in girls… well… that’s a whole other blog post… one that possibly includes more chocolate and how to hide a giant engagement ring in her favorite cupcake.

Boys. Baking.

Brownie with walnuts and chocolate chunks 

You know how boys… the good ones, at least… bring flowers to a first date? I think girls should bring brownies. Easy chocolate brownies with walnuts. Wrap them in wax paper and put them in a simple box. The next day when they’re trying to play it cool and not call you back? They’ll have a brownie and pick up the phone. Guarantee.

Lemon Cloud Tea Cookies 

Good boys have good friends. Don’t forget them. How about a ‘nice to meet you, friend of the boy I like’ offering? Yes. Lemon Cloud Cookies. Do this.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes 

What happens if you wake up with a boy in your bed?

Mom, I’ve never woken up with a boy in my bed. Never. Not even once. But if I had… well. Nevermind.

If you wake up with a boy in your bed you have several options. Pay close attention.

If you like the boy next to you, hop out of bed, make some coffee, whip up some pancake batter and leave it to rest on the counter. Hop back in bed, wake up cute boy then return to the kitchen to fry pancakes. The smell of coffee and cooking dough will eventually lure him out of bed. He’ll sit at the table. You’ll sit at the table. He’ll wonder how he got so dang lucky. You’ll wonder how you got so dang lucky. If he offers to help you do the dishes… marry him, immediately.

Now… if you do not like the boy in your bed… make. nothing. And never repeat those circumstances again. The whole pretending to be asleep until he finally leaves thing… awkward.

Oh!  Apple Crisp! 

Good boys have good moms. Good moms have hawk eyes. They notice everything. This Apple Crisp will buy you a bit of leniency. Maybe you dropped the s-bomb at the dinner table. Oops. Maybe she got a peek of one of your tattoos and thinks you’re some sort of wild hippie.

This Apple Crisp should mend all that. It’s the crumble topping. It heals all things. Even if you are a wild, foul-mouthed hippie… you’re a wild foul-mouthed hippie who can cook. Moms like girls who can cook.  Be a girl who can cook.  

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies 

Boys like bacon.

Southern Style Strawberry Cake 

Boys like pink things if they taste good.

Mocha Hazelnut Marble Cake 

Boys like when you pull out all the stops and doll yourself up for a date. Boys like when you pull out all the stops and make fancy cakes with expensive nuts.

Breakfast for me. 

But really… I think that boys like it best when you just throw on some tight jeans and a cute t-shirt.  No makeup. I’m also pretty sure that boys are happiest with a simple meal that involves steak, barbecue sauce, and warm chocolate chip cookies.

Now… it’s not that we need to impress boys.  Oh heck no.  It’s just that sometimes… we want to, and that’s not a crime. 

And that’s my two cents… put that in your brain hole to marinate.

Bookmark and Share

{ 357 comments… read them below or add one }

raggtop February 24, 2011 at 9:28 am

Adorable post! Yes, impressed a boy in high school with my ginger snap cookies and 31 year later he still asks for them. A way to a man’s (boys) heart is through his stomach…..silly girls who haven’t figured this out!

Reply

MissJean March 8, 2011 at 12:31 pm

It’s true! Thank you for this blogpost. I made a “Basket of Bacon Baked Goods” for my boy for Valentine’s Day. Inspired by the peanut butter bacon cookies. It was a huge hit. :) (It also included tomato-cheese-bacon muffins and bacon candy.)

Reply

Melissa April 27, 2011 at 10:58 am

I love this post. I’ve read it at least a dozen times and it always makes me smile. And I totally agree– baking for boys is the cool thing to do. I agree so whole heartedly…I have a whole blog about it! In my experience, boys really do love chocolate chip cookies, especially when you stuff them with an oreo. Now when I made those… I’m pretty sure I got proposed to twice that day by complete strangers. It was awesome.

Reply

Jen May 2, 2011 at 8:12 pm

Love this post! Am currently trying to impress a boy I like via my baking… and I think it is going pretty well so far. Brownies were a big hit and next on the list is carrot cake :)
Thanks for all your great recipes, love this blog!

Reply

Jenny May 14, 2011 at 7:24 pm

ahh, just read this post and think you are hysterical. In a good way! In a way that I don’t want to go to bed even though I’m really tired because I would rather read your very witty, very funny, very yummy posts! I know my hubby would love the peanut butter bacon cookies. Definitely going to surprise him with those tomorrow!

Reply

Tobias Andersen May 15, 2011 at 3:41 am

Ha ha ha, you are soooooo right. That´s it! More sweet girl with chocolate skills, please!

Reply

Marielle May 19, 2011 at 8:06 am

This is beautiful!! :) I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks they key to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

Reply

Naomi May 30, 2011 at 1:39 pm

I. Love. This. Post. And I quite enjoy your style. Lovely.

Reply

Seth May 31, 2011 at 4:18 pm

Hilarious post! It really made me laugh about how true most of it is. Now, you should make a post for us baking guys for impressing girls with baked goods ^^

Reply

Robyn June 6, 2011 at 7:03 pm

Seth,

It doesn’t matter: if you’re a boy who bakes, that’s impressive enough. But I *will* admit to a weakness for banana-nut bread myself.

Reply

Martin June 1, 2011 at 8:25 am

If only there were more women like you, hell if I asked a woman out and she presented me with some form of baked goods when I arrived to take her out I would more than likely want to marry her hahaha. Excellent post none the less, I hope you do one for us blokes too.

Reply

serod June 1, 2011 at 9:53 am

Oh no! They know our weakness! Awesome post, and i have to say that I do love it when i get baked goods.

Reply

Crafty Audiophile June 1, 2011 at 4:22 pm

I love everything about this post. I value my skills as a baker and truly believe that it has brought me some of my best relationships (well, that and my sparkling personality). My last crush didn’t like cookies. I truly could not wrap my head around it. Needless to say, it didn’t work out. No loss there – you can’t trust someone that doesn’t like baked goods.

Reply

Siggy June 1, 2011 at 9:57 pm

While I won’t say “skilled at baking” is the ONLY thing a man looks for, I can tell you for a fact that it certainly does help solidify any relationship.

Reply

Natalie June 5, 2011 at 11:02 am

I absolutely love this post. Very funny and completely true!

Reply

fajas colombianas June 6, 2011 at 9:00 am

This is so true. I way to a mans heart is baking or a simple home made cookie.

Reply

Phil June 9, 2011 at 5:26 pm

Well, I’m the baker in the relationship; she does meals (much, much better than me)

Although, if I ever DID want to impress the boys…

Reply

Paige June 11, 2011 at 9:07 pm

Does this work on lesbians???

Reply

joythebaker June 12, 2011 at 9:08 am

definitely.

Reply

kyra June 12, 2011 at 10:02 am

Once I dated a boy on a diet. It didn’t last.
Once I dated a boy who didn’t like “too much dessert”. It also didn’t last.
And the pancake thing works even better if you put an omelette with bacon next to them, and a smoothie.
Thank you for this post, I’m glad I’m not the only one who makes cookies because it makes me friends :)

Reply

joythebaker June 13, 2011 at 11:56 am

hahahahaaa! you have made me laugh. thank you!

Reply

Devin June 12, 2011 at 10:14 am

you have the world on lock down, kudos

Reply

Léo June 13, 2011 at 10:50 am

Joy,
this was beautiful.
I would definitely fall in love after a morning like this.
thanks for all.

Reply

Dominique June 14, 2011 at 2:29 pm

Joy, you’re completely wonderful. I discovered your website recently and I’m now a regular reader. You are just magnificent, a triumph of all things feminine and funny and delicious! Never stop doing what you do, that’s an order. X

Reply

Gillian July 12, 2011 at 1:07 pm

It definitely works with girls…I was helping some friends at uni out with some work and brought big slabs of coffee cake with me. I think there may have been proposals that day.

Also cute girls like to bake with you, so you can spend time with them and eat cakes/cookies/biscuits/pies/miscellaneous.

Also also, I am subscribin to this blog. Thought I never would for a recipe one (I just stumble usually, that gives me my fill) but your friendly and funny writing style has hooked me :)

Reply

mike July 24, 2011 at 9:07 pm

Couldn’t agree more. A delicious baked anything will win me over.

Reply

Amanda R November 5, 2011 at 2:55 pm

Dear Joy,
I read dozens of food blogs a day but yours is my all-time favorite. You are hilarious. Your words, your recipes and your pictures speak directly to me. I too have eaten a pot of sweet rice pudding directly over the stove with a spoon and not regretted it. I try to impress boys with my baking skills (which works every. single. time.). Everything you say is exactly how I feel. Thank you so much for taking the time to make my day brighter and reminding me why I love to bake.

Reply

Boy November 22, 2011 at 9:52 pm

fantastic, now to sneakily run this by my girl.

Reply

Leave a Comment

{ 14 trackbacks }

Previous post:

Next post: