There are five varieties of the new cupcake mix: vanilla bean, coconut, chocolate, meyer lemon, and red velvet ($14.95/mix). There are also four premade frostings: vanilla bean, meyer lemon, coconut, and chocolate ($19.95/24-ounce jar). I decided to try one standard mix (vanilla bean) and one of what I will call the "special flavors" (red velvet) as well as the frosting that could go on any of the cupcakes: vanilla bean. More

From common courtesy if nothing else, I knew I had to make the mix. So I rolled up my sleeves and quieted my fears that these scones would be of the same ilk as the lame, confused, meaty-sweet treats that gave the bacon trend its death knell. More

I used to baby sit. A lot. While most moms were more than happy to let me destroy their kitchen in the name of homemade, organic baked goods, some didn't have the requisite supplies (not even flour) and they didn't really want me to have to go out and buy them. To compensate, they'd give me a box or two of cake/cookie/muffin mix and a sixer of eggs. More

One thing I've never understood: cummerbunds. Another thing I've never understood: pancake mix. As you can see, I thought I easily had my plate full with life's mysteries. Then during a routine purchase of one slotted spoon at Crate and Barrel, I spotted a canister of The Barefoot Contessa's French Crepe Mix, and everything unraveled again. More

Christina Tosi's ingenious desserts, like crack pie and cereal milk ice cream, have earned her fame and fortune, and have catapulted Momofuku Milk Bar to the top of the bakery It List (move over, Magnolia). So when we heard she was teaming up with Williams-Sonoma to create a line of cookie mixes based on Milk Bar's top sellers, we couldn't wait to try them. How would the at-home versions compare to the real thing? More

Chocolate and peppermint are a classic holiday flavor combination, and what could be more indulgent than rich, fudgy brownies topped with a layer of white chocolate peppermint bark? But as festive as the Stonewall Kitchen Peppermint Bark Brownie Mix was, at $15.95 it also seemed exorbitantly expensive. Could it really be worth the cost? More

People tend to give me a lot of baking mixes because I write this column. When they see a mix, they think of me. Every year on my birthday and for the holidays, I can count on getting at least one—for pancakes, cookies, cupcakes, and once even for huevos rancheros. Some I use immediately, while others languish on the shelf. It got me thinking: what makes a mix good for giving? More

Chocolate mousse is a deceptively heavy dessert. It tastes all fluffy and light, but in reality it is laden with cream, butter, and eggs. For this reason, I save it for special occasions. But Jell-O recently introduced Temptations Chocolate Mousse Decadence Mix with only 110 calories per serving. I was curious—could it satisfy my craving for a creamy, airy, chocolaty dessert? More

The best Thanksgiving bread baskets are a mélange of flavors and textures: tender Parker House rolls, crumbly cornbread, cakey pumpkin bread, and flaky biscuits. But who has time to bake all that in addition to making the turkey, sides, and pies? Fortunately, there are a number of top-notch baking mixes out there that would be a welcome addition to any holiday feast. More

I'm a sucker for granola bars that taste more like candy than anything healthy. You know the type—loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips. So I was enticed by the notion of a granola cookie bar, described on the box as "part rich, chewy granola bar, part fresh-baked oatmeal cookie." More