Simple Sugar: Comforting Baking Recipes with Midwestern Heart

Satisfy your sweet tooth with 95 easy recipes for crowd-pleasing, Midwest-inspired baked goods like brownies, loaf cakes, cookies, and pies, from the creator of Butternut Bakery—plus simple swaps to make every recipe gluten-free or dairy-free.

“There’s something incredibly special about a baker who not only creates beautiful desserts but truly wants everyone at the table to enjoy them. That’s exactly what Jenna does in Simple Sugar.”—Sally McKenney, New York Times bestselling author of Sally’s Baking 101

Jenna Barnard is known for her comforting, down-to-earth, and delightfully simple baking recipes. Raised in the Midwest, Jenna grew up enjoying humble yet heavenly desserts like strawberry cake and chocolate pudding fudge pops—easy recipes made with love and often passed down on stained, handwritten notecards. She started her blog, Butternut Bakery, to capture the spirit of that delicious simplicity—no-fuss, nostalgic baking that is so beautifully unassuming, you can’t help but fall for it. Now, in her debut cookbook, Jenna proves that baking trends may come and go, but fudgy brownies, pillowy sugar cookies, and gooey cinnamon rolls will always reign supreme.

In Simple Sugar, you’ll find 95 irresistible and effortless desserts for every occasion, including:

• Baked Bars: Cinnamon Sugar Butter Bars; Cookies & Cream Brownie Bark; Key Lime Graham Cracker Shortbread
• Party & Snack Cakes: Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake; Confetti Crunch Cupcakes; Gooey Lemon Butter Cake
• Pies & Skillet Bakes: Malted Milk Skillet Cookie; Easy Peasy Peach Cobbler; Vanilla Maple Pumpkin Pie
• Breakfast & Brunch: Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins; Shine's Berry Scones; Sticky Maple Pecan Monkey Bread

The best part is, Jenna’s bakes are accessible to everyone, including those with allergies or dietary restrictions—every single recipe includes optional swaps to easily make it gluten-free, dairy-free, or both, without sacrificing flavor.

Simple Sugar hits the sweet spot for all your baking needs: the ingredients are easy to find, the techniques take minutes instead of hours, and taste rules over everything.