Emily Dickinson Recipes: 15 Holiday Bakes From the Poet Who Lowered Gingerbread to Children in a Basket

Emily Dickinson Recipes begin with a basket of warm gingerbread lowered from a window to the neighborhood children waiting below. Before her poems were famous, she was the family baker in Amherst, and her loaf of Indian and rye bread took second prize at the 1856 Amherst Cattle Show. She mailed a rice cake to her sister-in-law Susan, sent chocolate caramels with a note that read ‘Love’s oven is warm,’ and drafted a poem on the back of a coconut cake recipe. You can read more about her kitchen life at the Emily Dickinson Museum. Her birthday falls on December 10, right in the heart of Christmas baking season. So here are 15 cozy bakes, some straight from her own stories and some old New England classics that belong beside them, each with a short shopping list and easy steps..

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Gingerbread for the Neighborhood Kids

Imagine children waiting under a window in Amherst while a basket of warm gingerbread drifts down on a rope. Emily Dickinson really did lower gingerbread to the neighborhood kids this way, and that sweet scene is the best place to start a list of Emily Dickinson Recipes. This old-fashioned version is soft, dark with molasses and warm with ginger. Bake it in a square pan and cut it into generous pieces, like the ones in her basket. For more spiced holiday baking, browse these gingerbread Christmas treats..

You will need: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup butter softened, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1 cup molasses, 1 cup hot water.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 inch square pan. 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt. 3. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and molasses. 4. Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water until smooth. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool and cut into squares.

Black Cake, Her Dark Christmas Fruitcake

Black cake was the poet’s dark, rich Christmas fruitcake, and Harvard’s Houghton Library even baked her version for its blog in December 2015. Old recipes soak the fruit for days, but this family-friendly take uses purple grape juice and molasses, so everyone at the table can enjoy a slice. Soak the fruit overnight so it plumps and turns glossy. Bake it low and slow, then wrap the cooled cake and let it rest a day before slicing. If your family loves holiday fruit cakes, see these fruitcake recipes that win over the haters.

You will need: 2 cups raisins, 1 cup currants, 1 cup chopped dates, 1 cup purple grape juice, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 cup butter softened, 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Soak raisins, currants and dates in grape juice and molasses overnight. 2. Heat oven to 300 F and line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment. 3. Cream butter and brown sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. 4. Stir in flour, baking soda, spices and salt, then fold in the fruit and liquid. 5. Bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours until a toothpick comes out clean. 6. Cool, wrap tightly and rest 1 day.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Coconut Cake With a Poem on the Back

One of the most charming Emily Dickinson Recipes is a coconut cake, because she drafted a poem right on the back of the recipe. That is the kind of kitchen where baking and writing shared the same table. This simple coconut loaf cake is moist, fragrant and easy to love. Toast a little extra coconut for the top, and keep an eye on it, because it goes from golden to dark fast. For layer cakes and more, try these favorite coconut cakes. What would you write on the back of your favorite recipe?

You will need: 1 cup butter softened, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, plus 1/2 cup coconut toasted for topping.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 325 F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. 2. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. 3. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk and vanilla. 4. Fold in coconut and spread in the pan. 5. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, cool, and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Indian and Rye Bread, the 1856 Prize Loaf

Before her poems were famous, her bread was. Her loaf of Indian and rye took second prize at the 1856 Amherst Cattle Show, and the museum says her father approved no bread except hers. Indian meal is simply cornmeal, and mixed with rye flour it makes a hearty, slightly sweet country loaf. Let the dough rise somewhere warm until truly doubled; rye is slow and rewards patience. It is the proudest of all Emily Dickinson Recipes. For more loaves to bake this winter, see these homemade bread recipes.

You will need: 1 cup warm water, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 2 tbsp molasses, 1 cup cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups rye flour, 1 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp butter melted.

How to make it: 1. Stir yeast and molasses into warm water and rest 5 minutes until foamy. 2. Mix in cornmeal, rye flour, bread flour, salt and butter to a firm dough. 3. Knead 8 minutes, then let rise covered 1 1/2 to 2 hours until doubled. 4. Shape a round loaf and rise 45 minutes. 5. Bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes until it sounds hollow when tapped.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Chocolate Caramels, ‘Love’s Oven Is Warm’

When she sent chocolate caramels as a gift, she added a note that read, ‘Love’s oven is warm.’ Homemade chocolate caramels are chewy, glossy and perfect for a holiday tin, and they are one of the sweetest Emily Dickinson Recipes to share. A candy thermometer is your best friend here: pull the pot off the heat at 245 F for a soft, chewy bite. Hot sugar burns, so keep kids at a safe distance while it cooks. For a full candy tray, add a few old-fashioned Christmas candies. What note would you tuck inside the tin?

You will need: 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup butter, 3 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8 inch square pan with buttered parchment. 2. Combine cream, sugar, corn syrup, butter, chocolate and salt in a heavy saucepan. 3. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches 245 F. 4. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour into the pan. 5. Cool 3 hours, cut into squares and wrap each in wax paper.

Steamed Pudding, Because ‘People Must Have Puddings’

She once told her friend Higginson, ‘People must have puddings,’ and a steamed pudding proves her right. It is a soft, spiced, old New England dessert cooked gently in a covered mold set in simmering water. This one is crowned with honey plums, a pretty holiday touch. Grease the mold well and leave room for the pudding to rise. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and top it up so the pot never runs dry. Love a warm, saucy dessert? Try this sticky toffee pudding too.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup butter melted, 1 large egg, 4 plums halved, 3 tbsp honey.

How to make it: 1. Grease a 6 cup pudding mold, add the honey and arrange the plums cut side down. 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt. 3. Stir in molasses, milk, butter and egg, then spoon over the plums. 4. Cover tightly with greased foil and set on a rack in a large pot with boiling water halfway up the mold. 5. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours until set, then turn out onto a plate.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Boston Brown Bread

Boston brown bread is a New England classic, steamed instead of baked and sweet with molasses. It belongs beside Emily Dickinson Recipes because it shares the same cornmeal and rye flavors as her prize loaf. Old cooks steamed it in tall cans, which is why the slices come out perfectly round. A greased loaf pan covered in foil works too. Keep the water at a steady simmer and check it now and then. Slice it warm with butter, or serve it the classic way with old-fashioned baked beans. Have you ever tasted bread made in a can?

You will need: 1/2 cup rye flour, 1/2 cup stone ground wheat flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup molasses, 1/2 cup raisins.

How to make it: 1. Grease a 1 quart heatproof mold or a clean tall can. 2. Whisk rye flour, wheat flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. 3. Stir in buttermilk and molasses, then fold in raisins. 4. Pour into the mold and cover tightly with greased foil. 5. Set on a rack in a pot with simmering water halfway up and steam 2 hours until firm.

Apple Pandowdy

Apple pandowdy is a cozy New England dessert where a pastry top is broken up partway through baking and pressed into the bubbling apples. That rustic step is the fun part, and it lets the juices soak into the crust. Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor. Let it rest fifteen minutes before serving so the juices thicken. It is a sweet, homey addition to any list of Emily Dickinson Recipes. Serve it warm with cream, then explore more old-fashioned apple desserts.

You will need: 6 apples peeled and sliced, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp butter, 1 homemade or store-bought pie crust.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 400 F. 2. Toss apples with brown sugar, molasses, spices and lemon juice in a 10 inch cast iron skillet and dot with butter. 3. Lay pie crust over the top and cut slits. 4. Bake 30 minutes, then cut the crust into pieces and press them into the juices. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more until golden and bubbling.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: New England Election Cake

Election cake is an old New England yeast cake, once baked in big batches for town gatherings. It is soft and lightly sweet, full of raisins and warm spice, more like a rich bread than a frosted cake. Give the dough the full rise time; yeast cakes get their tender crumb from patience. A thin vanilla glaze on top makes it holiday ready. It rounds out these Emily Dickinson Recipes with a taste of town life. If you love yeast baking, see these sweet yeast breads from around the world. Would you bake this for a crowd?

You will need: 1 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter softened, 2 large eggs, 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk for glaze.

How to make it: 1. Stir yeast and 1 tbsp sugar into warm milk and rest 5 minutes. 2. Beat in remaining sugar, butter, eggs, flour, salt and spices to a soft dough. 3. Fold in raisins, spread in a greased tube pan and rise 1 1/2 hours. 4. Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool and drizzle with powdered sugar mixed with milk.

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons are a simple joy: golden outside, chewy inside, and ready in about half an hour. Since coconut shows up in her famous cake recipe, these little cookies feel right at home among Emily Dickinson Recipes. Scoop them onto parchment and bake until the tips turn golden. Let them cool on the pan before moving them, because they firm up as they sit. Dip the bottoms in melted chocolate for a holiday finish, then pack them into one of these Christmas cookie boxes. Do you like yours plain or dipped?

You will need: 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut, 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 2 large egg whites, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, 4 oz semisweet chocolate melted (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 325 F and line a sheet with parchment. 2. Mix coconut, condensed milk and vanilla. 3. Beat egg whites with salt to stiff peaks and fold into the coconut. 4. Scoop 2 tbsp mounds onto the sheet. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden, cool, and dip in chocolate if you like.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Hot Milk Sponge Cake

Hot milk sponge cake is an old-fashioned favorite that bakes up light, golden and tender with only a few pantry staples. The trick is in the name: warm milk and melted butter go into well beaten eggs, which keeps the cake soft for days. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, a full five minutes. Do not open the oven early, or the cake may sink. Cut it into squares, dust with powdered sugar and serve with cream, just like a tea table in Amherst. For more plain and perfect cakes, see these vintage pound cakes.

You will need: 4 large eggs, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 inch pan. 2. Beat eggs and sugar 5 minutes until thick and pale. 3. Fold in flour, baking powder and salt. 4. Heat milk and butter until steaming, then stir in with vanilla. 5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden and springy, cool, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.

Soft Molasses Cookies

Molasses gives these cookies a deep, cozy flavor that tastes like an old New England kitchen in December. They are the cookie cousin of the gingerbread in her basket, and they bake up soft and cakey. Pull them from the oven while the centers still look a little soft; they keep baking on the hot pan and stay chewy for days. Store them in a tin with a slice of bread to keep them tender. Bake them with other Emily Dickinson Recipes for a spice cookie swap, or add them to a tray of old-fashioned desserts grandma made.

You will need: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup butter softened, 1 cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup molasses.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt. 3. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and molasses. 4. Mix in dry ingredients and drop rounded tablespoons onto a lined sheet, pressing them a little flat. 5. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until set at the edges.

Emily Dickinson Recipes: Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding

Bread pudding was how thrifty New England kitchens turned day old bread into something wonderful, and a household that baked as much bread as the Dickinsons surely had a few spare slices. Use a sturdy bread and let it soak in the custard for twenty minutes so every cube drinks it in. Bake until puffed and just set, with a gentle jiggle in the middle. A drizzle of warm vanilla sauce makes it feel like a holiday. For more cozy spoon desserts, see these baked puddings that feel like a warm hug.

You will need: 6 cups day old bread cubes, 3 cups milk, 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp butter melted, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup raisins.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 inch dish. 2. Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. 3. Toss with bread and raisins and soak 20 minutes. 4. Pour into the dish. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and set, then serve warm with vanilla sauce.

Twin Loaves of White Bread

The museum notes that her father approved no bread except hers, and a pair of golden white loaves is just the kind of everyday bake that earns that praise. This recipe makes two loaves, one for the table and one to share with a neighbor. Knead until the dough feels smooth and springs back when poked. Brush the tops with butter right out of the oven for a soft crust. It is a quiet classic among Emily Dickinson Recipes. Short on time? These bread machine recipes do the kneading for you.

You will need: 2 cups warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup butter melted, 2 tsp salt, 6 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp butter for brushing.

How to make it: 1. Stir yeast and sugar into warm milk and rest 5 minutes. 2. Add butter, salt and flour and knead 8 to 10 minutes. 3. Rise covered 1 hour until doubled. 4. Divide, shape into two loaves and rise in greased 9×5 inch pans 45 minutes. 5. Bake at 375 F for 30 to 35 minutes and brush with butter.

Anadama Bread, a Cornmeal and Molasses Loaf

Anadama bread is a Massachusetts loaf made with cornmeal and molasses, the same humble ingredients that went into her prize bread. It bakes up golden with a tender, slightly sweet crumb and a crust that toasts beautifully. Cook the cornmeal in hot water first so the bread stays moist. It makes the best breakfast toast with butter and jam. To finish these Emily Dickinson Recipes, pair it with more cozy dishes from New England kitchens. Which of her bakes will you try first?

You will need: 1/2 cup cornmeal, 2 cups boiling water, 1/2 cup molasses, 3 tbsp butter, 2 tsp salt, 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour.

How to make it: 1. Whisk cornmeal into boiling water and cook 5 minutes until thick; stir in molasses, butter and salt and cool to warm. 2. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the cornmeal. 3. Mix in flour to a soft dough and knead 8 minutes. 4. Rise 1 hour, shape two loaves in greased 9×5 inch pans and rise 45 minutes. 5. Bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes.