- Recipes
Justine Lee
Justine LeeRecipe Production Coordinator
Justine Lee is Kitchn's Recipe Production Coordinator and a food writer and recipe developer based in NYC. Her writing frequently appears in Food52, Bon Appetit, Food Network, The Infatuation, among others. She has also been featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In her past, Justine has worked in various professional kitchens and food companies. This, along with her Korean-American culinary identity and a lifelong passion for baking, often informs her work. You will find Justine drinking iced coffees year-round, even in a snowstorm with gloves on.
published Aug 3, 2023
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The zodiac sign of some of the world’s most prominent leaders happens to be Leo. Typical traits for these famous Leos include having tons of confidence and ambition, not to mention how they’re absolutely comfortable being — you can even say they were born to be — the center of attention. So it comes as no surprise that Martha Stewart, the queen of cooking and living (and Sports Illustrated cover star and BFF to Snoop Dogg), is a Leo, with her birthday falling on August 3. This year, Martha will be turning 82 years old!
Between the countless lifestyle hacks and all those amazing dishes Martha has gifted us over the years, it only feels right that we return the favor and show her some love. That’s why we chatted with 10 recipe developers, food writers, and smart home cooks about the Martha Stewart recipes they love the most.
From her most iconic dishes like the one-pan pasta and her macaroni and cheese, to a sleeper hit chocolate chip cookie recipe that made one person question if Martha was some kind of sorceress, here are the Martha Stewart recipes we simply cannot live without.
1. Easy Basic Pancakes
“At my house, we make pancakes every Sunday morning, and we always use Martha Stewart’s easy basic pancake recipe, which yields consistently fluffy pancakes with crispy edges. It’s one of the few recipes I’ve bothered to commit to memory. It’s simple, but that’s the beauty of it. We know we’ll get perfect pancakes every single time.” —Stephanie Ganz, contributor and freelance food writer
2. Stacked Eggplant Parmesan
“It took me all of one second to come up with my favorite Martha recipe: her stacked eggplant Parmesan. It’s both practical and playful, comes together quickly, and satisfies my cravings for classic eggplant Parm. The best part? Martha’s birthday falls during eggplant season, which means these stacks are the perfect way to celebrate. Happy birthday, Martha!” —Grace Elkus, contributor and former deputy food director of The Kitchn
3. Slow Cooker Cheesecake
“This is one of the first recipes I ever made when I got a slower cooker, and I’m happy to report it’s one of the only cheesecakes I go back to time and again. It’s nothing short of brilliant, but what more can you expect from Martha? The addition of yogurt takes the tanginess to 11, prep in the slow cooker prevents any possibility of cracks, and the final cheesecake filling is so silky and custardy.” —Justine Lee, recipe production coordinator
4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Hedgehog Truffles
“Calling all peanut butter and chocolate fans — this is a heavenly Martha Stewart recipe you don’t want to miss! It’s like a buckeye but also has cocoa nibs, which add crunch and a little touch of bitter to offset the sweetness. Now, I can’t have Christmas cookies without hedgehogs on the plate; my family wouldn’t allow it. The recipe makes a ton, so no one will complain.” —Laura Rege, contributor, food stylist, and recipe developer
5. Perfect Seven-Minute Frosting
“I used her frosting recipe for birthday cakes for years!” —Adriana Velez, SEO content director
Read more: Martha Stewart Just Taught Me the Secret to the Best-Ever Cinnamon Rolls
6. Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing
“This stuffing is a great combination of sweet, savory, and herby. The sausage provides saltiness, the cornbread delivers sweet butteriness, and the sage is really what makes it feel like a fall recipe. Plus, it isn’t too dry or too soft, as cornbread dressing sometimes is.” —Cory Fernandez, associate food editor
7. Martha Stewart’s Macaroni and Cheese
“This is one of the best mac and cheese recipes I’ve ever made. It has copious amounts of cheddar and Gruyère cheeses and a buttery breadcrumb topping.” —Patty Catalano, staff writer
“Of all of Martha Stewart’s iconic recipes, the one I find myself reaching for year after year is her baked macaroni and cheese. The recipe uses white cheddar, Gruyère, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. It has a crunchy topping of roughly torn croutons, whose rustic, uneven shapes lend incredible texture to the dish. She serves it with an ice-cold dollop of sour cream on top — ingenious! It has been on my table for everything from holiday feasts to potlucks to breakups. Martha’s recipe is timeless and classic, with a little something special, just like her.” —Paige Webster, contributor
8. One-Pan Pasta
“Sometimes a recipe comes along that completely changes the way you look at cooking. For me, this is the one. I worked in Martha Stewart’s kitchen when my colleague, Nora Singley, brought this recipe back from Italy and shared it with us. I will never forget everyone’s reactions watching her cook it and taking our first bites. It was the first we’d seen of a pasta recipe like this, and I think the first published one-pan pasta recipe out there. To me it is the holy grail of all the one-pan pasta recipes we enjoy.” —Laura Rege
9. Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
“I was 16 when I first asked a party host for the recipe of a dish she had served — the best chocolate chip cookies my young tastebuds had ever experienced. She said it was Martha’s recipe. “Who is this witch?” I wondered, and immediately joined her coven of devotees.” —Perry Santanachote, contributor, food stylist, photographer, and recipe developer
10. Basic Pierogi
“My mother got most of her famous homemade pierogi recipe from her mother, but needed more info after she passed away. So, of course, she went to Martha.” —Vicky Wasik, studio director
Filed in:
Martha Stewart
Recipe Roundup
