The 15 Best Online Baking Courses 2024

Sometimes you just want to treat your family and friends to a tasty snack, and there are few better ways of doing that than making them some homemade cookies, cake, pastries, or other baked delights. However, you may wonder how to prepare your desired treats properly, especially if you don’t have much baking experience.

Well, worry no more! In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the best online baking courses available today, so you can get the instruction you need from the comfort of your kitchen. We’ll discuss what you should consider in a baking course, and then we’ll go over the best classes available online. Next, we’ll tell you what you need to know to do well in your chosen course, and end by answering some questions you may have about baking classes. Let’s get started!

What to Consider in an Online Baking Course

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like a well-made baked treat, so it’s no surprise that there are lots of online baking classes available today. That said, there are some factors you should consider when deciding which course(s) you want to take. We’ll discuss these factors in more depth during our reviews for each course, but for now, here’s a summary.

Skill Level/Target Audience

Some baking courses are great for beginners, while others are meant for more experienced bakers. If you’re a newcomer to the art, then starting with the easier courses and making a few batches of treats by yourself is a great way to get your feet wet before you move on to the advanced classes.

Cost

The courses discussed in this article come from Udemy, Skillshare, and MasterClass. Each site has its own pricing policy.

Udemy: allows you to buy access to individual courses, and the prices vary for each class. We note the specific price of each course within our product reviews.

Skillshare: lets you access some courses for free, but you’ll have to sit through ads while watching them. Other classes are locked behind their Premium membership, which has monthly or yearly payment options and lets you watch any course you choose. The Premium membership also eliminates ads from the courses. It costs $32/month or $168/year.

MasterClass: works like a hybrid of the previous two options. They let you purchase a yearly all-access pass for $180 or buy permanent access to a single class for $90.

Length

Most online baking courses vary in length from just over 15 minutes to several hours. Thankfully, they’re usually divided into installments of reasonable length, so they’re more digestible.

Curriculum

Baking courses vary from those that walk you through several recipes and provide a general overview of the craft to those that focus on preparing a single treat like pastries, cupcakes, or cinnamon rolls. The type of course you should get depends on whether you just want to improve your overall baking skills or you have a specific food in mind.

Now that we’ve covered what makes a good online baking course, let’s discuss the best ones available today!

Course Name	Platform	Length	Baked Goods Taught
Baking Basics – 6 Classic Bakes	Udemy	1h 36m	Victoria Sponge Cake, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Brownies, Butter Biscuits, French Meringues, Bonus Biscuit Recipe
Sourdough Bread Baking 101	Udemy	2h 16m	Sourdough Bread
Easy & Versatile Baking: The One Yeast Dough You Need to Know	Skillshare	28m	Yeast Dough, Raspberry Jam Buns
The Basics of Cake	Udemy	1h 47m	Vanilla Cake, Chocolate Cake, Fillings and Frostings (including Buttercream and Ganache)
Vegan and Gluten-Free Baking – Easy and Delicious	Udemy	2h 16m	Vegan and Gluten-Free Breads, Bread Rolls, Cakes, Muffins, Brownies and Cookies
Become a Great Baker – Cheesecake Extravaganza	Udemy	2h 27m	Cheesecake, Cream Cheese Filling, Graham Cracker Crust, Fruit-Flavored Sauces, Isomalt/Filo Decorations, Edible Fondant Flowers, Plated Desserts
Master Pie Making | Pie & Tart Pastry Baking Course	Udemy	3h 10m	Fruit Pies, Chicken Pot Pie, Cream Pies, Specialty Pies, Tarts, Pastry Dough
Dominique Ansel Teaches French Pastry Fundamentals	MasterClass	3h 37m	Strawberry Tart, Apple Tart, Chocolate Bonbon, Croissants, Chocolate Cake, Mini Madeleines
Baking Cupcakes	Udemy	3h 56m	Cupcakes, Icing, Fondant
Learn the Pastry Arts – The World of Cookies	Udemy	3h 54m	Cookies
Perfect French Macarons – Simple to Sensational	Udemy	3h 24m	French Macarons, Fillings, Plated Desserts
The Ultimate Guide to Baking with Chocolate	Skillshare	31m	Chocolate (in baking), Chocolate Cake recipe also demonstrated
Cookie Baking Basics – Mastering the Chocolate Chip Cookie	Skillshare	17m	Chocolate Chip Cookies
To Knead or Not to Knead: The Art of Baking Bread	Skillshare	34m	Several Bread Recipes, Gluten-Free Cheese Rolls
Bake The Perfect Cinnamon Rolls | Artisan Pastry Dessert	Skillshare	12m	Cinnamon Rolls

Top 15 Best Online Baking Courses 2024

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1. Best for Beginners: Baking Basics – 6 Classic Bakes

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Why we like it

If you don’t have any baking experience and want a course that’ll teach you the basics, then this course is for you. The instructor clearly

Some aspiring bakers just need a course to give them an overview of the craft and some recipe walkthroughs so they can begin making their own treats. This course does exactly that as it provides an introduction to baking terminology and shows you how to make six different foods.

The instructor does a great job explaining how to prepare the treats, which isn’t surprising since she has years of experience operating her own bakery. She also actively engages with her audience by replying to reviews, even addressing user criticism when necessary. Additionally, the course gives you downloadable PDFs with the recipes from each lesson as well as extra recipes you can try, so you get lots of value for your money.

This course’s only real caveat is that while it’s an excellent starting point for beginners, more experienced bakers might not get much out of it aside from some nice new recipes.

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2. Best for Sourdough: Sourdough Bread Baking 101

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Why we like it

This course is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to learn how to bake sourdough bread, whether they’re new to baking or have experience with baking other foods. The instructor has years of teaching experience and explains each step clearly.

If you’ve ever seen a loaf of sourdough bread in your local grocery store or bakery and wondered if you could prepare one at home, now you can! This course, which is the first in a four-part series, walks you through the steps for making this popular bread variety. If you’re a newcomer to baking or you’re an experienced baker who has never prepared sourdough bread, then this class is for you.

The instructor provides clear directions and divides the process into easy-to-follow steps that ensure a smooth learning experience. The teacher is well experienced, and for years she has run her own business dedicated to teaching people how to prepare sourdough at home. You can find the next three courses in her sourdough bread baking series here, here, and here. Keep in mind that there is a fee for all three additional courses.

Please note that this course might require you to buy some basic equipment if you don’t already have it. The full equipment list is provided in the course. Additionally, this class is for those who need help making their first-ever loaf of sourdough bread, so more practiced bakers might prefer a course more suited to their skill level. That said, this course can still work as a refresher for experienced sourdough bakers.

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3. Best for Yeast Dough: Easy & Versatile Baking: The One Yeast Dough You Need to Know

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Why we like it

This course gives new bakers the ability to make great yeast dough that they can use for any recipe which requires it. It’s short, and the instructor clearly explains what to do, making the lessons easy to follow.

Lots of baking recipes require you to first prepare the dough, so having a reliable method of dough-making can come in handy. That’s where this course comes in, providing a yeast dough preparation option that you can use for all kinds of baked treats, from cinnamon rolls to the instructor’s raspberry jam buns. The recipe for the latter is included in the course.

The instructor is a cookbook and food magazine writer, so she’s accustomed to explaining food preparation. Her instructions and demonstrations are easy to follow, so you’ll be making your own yeast dough in no time!

This course’s only notable downside is that the information it gives might not be as helpful for more experienced bakers, especially if they already have their own yeast dough preparation method. However, the course could still prove worthwhile for any experienced baker who just wants to learn another yeast dough-making technique.

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4. Best for Cakes: The Basics of Cake

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Why we like it

Some aspiring bakers have their sights set on learning to prepare excellent cakes, and this course meets that demand. It goes over every step of the cake-baking process so well that even experienced bakers could learn a thing or two.

If you want to learn how to make fantastic cakes that wow your friends and family, this is the course for you. It goes in-depth on every aspect of preparing a cake, including mixing, baking, preparing layers, making fillings and frostings, frosting the cake, and finally storing, transporting and serving it. Steps for preparing and assembling layer cakes are included as well.

Each module has recipes and handouts, which include pictures and descriptions for all steps. These extra materials can be downloaded or printed out so you can refer to them as needed while you’re working on your next masterpiece.

The instructor takes a detail-oriented approach to teaching the course, and she clearly demonstrates and explains each step. Given the depth and breadth of the course, even experienced bakers might learn something new about preparing cakes.

Keep in mind that since this course covers every step of cake preparation, it has a fairly long equipment list. Be sure to check out the course’s first video before you buy the whole class. This video is free to watch and lists all the equipment you’ll need.

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5. Best for Vegans: Vegan and Gluten-Free Baking – Easy and Delicious

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Why we like it

This course proves that going vegan and/or gluten-free doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious baked goods anymore. It doesn’t just give you recipes that work. It also gives you the knowledge you need to make your own recipes.

Some people associate veganism and gluten-free lifestyles with restrictive diets and bland foods, but this perspective is inaccurate. You can go vegan or gluten-free and still enjoy baked desserts; you just need to know how to make them. This course gives you recipes for bread, cake, muffins, brownies, and cookies that fit into your new lifestyle. Plus, it shows you how you can experiment to make your own recipes, too!

The course comes with plenty of video lessons as well as a PDF book you can use for reference. Between them, you’ll have plenty of easy, tasty recipes and general information on vegan and gluten-free baking.

Regarding gluten-free flours, however, the course doesn’t provide as much information as it could. The class misses the opportunity to compare these flours to each other and talk about substituting or mixing them. This flaw is notable since the instructor otherwise makes an admirable effort to discuss vegan and gluten-free ingredients in detail.

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6. Best for Cheesecake: Become a Great Baker – Cheesecake Extravaganza

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Why we like it

If this course isn’t the definitive how-to guide on cheesecake baking and decoration, it sure comes close. The instructor has decades of baking experience and cheerfully covers each step in detail, so the course works for newcomers and professionals alike.

Making cheesecake can be intimidating for novice bakers, but this course proves that doesn’t have to be the case. It teaches you not only how to make cheesecake, but also how to decorate and plate it so that it looks artistic and professional. It even covers recipes that complement cheesecake, like cream cheese filling, graham cracker crust, and fruit-flavored sauces.

The instructor has worked in the baking and pastry field for decades, and in addition to showing great enthusiasm for what she teaches, she does a great job explaining every step in detail. If you’re just starting to bake on your own treats, you’ll have an easy time following along. If you’re an experienced cheesecake baker, you still might get some useful tips from the course.

However, while the sections on decorating and plating cheesecakes might appeal to those who love to spend time perfecting their creations, they may not do much for anyone who only wants to make and eat a cheesecake. These sections do compose over half of the course’s video runtime, so if they’re not your cup of tea, you’ll need to skip a lot.

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7. Best for Pies: Master Pie Making | Pie & Tart Pastry Baking Course

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Why we like it

This course is for anybody who loves pies and/or tarts and wants to learn how to make lots of varieties of both treats. By the end, you’ll know how to prepare pastry dough, pie crusts, and pie fillings from scratch.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like a good pie, and if making them better is your goal, then this is the baking course for you. It walks you through how to make several varieties of crumb, double-crusted, specialty, cream, and chicken pot pies for a total of 15 different pies. Additionally, it covers several tart recipes as well.

The instructor ran her own pie/tart shop for years, so she’s good at clearly explaining and demonstrating each recipe, and you can easily follow along. If you’re new to baking pies, this course can get you started on the right foot. If you’re an experienced pie maker, you can still pick up some nice tips and new recipes.

However, while the videos are well-made and informative, the instructor never shows her face. Instead, you just see her hands preparing the pie/tart. She also covers some steps several times over the course of the lessons. For instance, she may show you how to prepare the crust for the pie she’s making, even if she already taught you that crust for another recipe. While some viewers may appreciate how this repetition helps them remember the process more easily, others might find it inconvenient.

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8. Best for Pastries: Dominique Ansel Teaches French Pastry Fundamentals

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Why we like it

Pastries are beloved at bakeries everywhere, and this course demonstrates how to improve your pastry-making skills regardless of your initial skill level. Taught by acclaimed pastry chef Dominique Ansel, it’s for those who want to make professional-quality pastries at home.

If you’ve got a hankering for a nice croissant, fruit tart, or bonbon, then this is the course that’ll teach you how to take your pastry game to the next level. You’ll receive in-depth demonstrations of the aforementioned treats, as well as chocolate cake from Dominique Ansel, a renowned pastry chef who teaches each lesson with obvious enthusiasm.

The best part about this course is its broad appeal. Beginners will be able to easily follow Chef Dominique’s instructions, and more advanced pastry bakers will still find plenty of new tips and tricks they can apply. As part of the course, you’ll receive copies of the demonstrated recipes.

However, there are occasionally discrepancies between what Chef Dominique does in the videos and the instructions on the recipe PDFs. He also doesn’t answer audience questions in the comments sections of his lessons. Lastly, he uses lots of niche baking equipment in his demonstrations, which may be hard to find.

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9. Best for Cupcakes: Baking Cupcakes

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Why we like it

If you don’t have much baking experience, but you really want a nice plate of cupcakes, then this is your course! You’ll learn to make several types of cupcakes and top them off with fondant, a decorative icing.

Cupcakes are almost always a welcome sight at any party or social gathering, and this course will allow you to add them to your baking repertoire. It teaches you to prepare several types of cupcakes from scratch, make fondant and decorate your treats when you’re done.

Thankfully, the videos are easy to follow and pack lots of information into their runtime. You don’t need any baking experience to take this course since it covers how to use the relevant equipment and discusses baking terminology and kitchen safety.

The course’s only significant drawback is that the cameras are sometimes placed in awkward locations in the videos, which can make it hard to see what’s going on.

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10. Best for Cookies: Learn the Pastry Arts – The World of Cookies

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Why we like it

If you want to learn to make fantastic cookies, this is your course. The instructor has decades of baking experience, and he shows you how to make all kinds of cookies. Plus, all demonstrated recipes are available as PDF downloads.

For many people, cookies are one of the first treats that spring to mind when they think of baking. If that sounds like you and you want to learn how to make more than a dozen different cookie varieties, look no further. This class will work for you whether you’re new to baking or have been making cookies for a while.

The instructor is a professional chef with decades of pastry and cookie experience, and he clearly explains and demonstrates every recipe. You can even download PDFs of any recipe to use as a reference, in addition to the provided video lessons.

However, this course requires lots of kitchen equipment, so make sure that you have everything you need before purchasing the course. The course webpage has a free preview in which the instructor lists the needed equipment, discusses why each item is important for baking, and gives advice on alternative options for some of them.

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11. Best for Macarons: Perfect French Macarons – Simple to Sensational

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Why we like it

Whether you simply love the taste of French macarons or you’re a professional baker looking for new treats for your menu, this course has you covered. It discusses how to make macarons, macaron towers, edible displays, and plated desserts.

Were you lucky enough to try French macarons at a special event and now you want to learn to make your own? Or perhaps you’re a talented baker who just can’t seem to get them quite right? Either way, this is your course.

By the end, you’ll know how to make great macarons of any flavor, color, or size you want. If you want to go the extra mile, you can learn to make large, plated desserts with treats placed between the macaron shells. Better yet, you’ll learn how to turn your macarons into real works of art and make a large display of them that can add magnificent decor to a special event or impress newcomers to your bakery. Finally, you can prepare gift boxes of macarons so you can surprise a friend.

This course is suitable for beginners and practiced bakers alike, especially since the instructor clearly explains every step and gives lots of useful tips. The only drawback is that the section on displays and gift boxes might not provide much value to learners who aren’t bakery owners or professional chefs. It’s mostly for those who make a living in the baking profession.

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12. Best for Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Baking With Chocolate

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Why we like it

This course takes an in-depth look at everything chocolate-related from types of cocoa powder to different chocolate varieties. With this knowledge, you can start using this delicious ingredient in your recipes to maximum effect. Chocolate fans, this one’s for you!

For many people, chocolate and baking go hand in hand. However, not everyone understands the nuances inherent in baking with chocolate, which is where this course comes in. It gives you a comprehensive understanding of this beloved food, including a discussion of the types of cocoa powder and how they’re made. It also covers different chocolate varieties, how they react with other ingredients, and when to use each one in your baking.

The course discusses other baking fundamentals as well, such as the differences between baking powder and baking soda. Considering its short length, it’s remarkable how much information it provides. The instructor obviously knows how to effectively use chocolate in baking, and she teaches her lessons clearly. She also provides her email address so you can ask her any questions if you encounter problems.

Obviously, this course is tailor-made for chocolate lovers, so if you don’t count yourself in that group, this course is one you should skip.

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13. Best for Choc-Chip: Cookie Baking Basics – Mastering the Chocolate Chip Cookie

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Why we like it

The title says it all. Who doesn’t like fresh, hot chocolate chip cookies? This course tells you everything you need to know to get this classic baked treat just right.

Chocolate chip cookies have been a beloved classic among baked goods for many years, and if you’ve always wanted to learn how to make them but could never get it quite right, this is the course for you.

The instructor tells you the equipment and ingredients you’ll need to make the cookies before showing you step-by-step how to do it. In addition to giving advice on how to make the cookies turn out well, she provides pointers on add-ins you can use to ensure your cookies fit your tastes and what to do if you encounter problems. If you have any questions, you can leave a comment under the “Discussions” tab on the course’s Skillshare page, as the instructor usually replies to students.

Given the course’s short length, it offers lots of value. That said, it only focuses on how to make a single cookie variety—albeit a popular one. If you don’t like chocolate chip cookies, this course isn’t for you. You might pick up some general cookie baking tips from this, but that’s about it.

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14. Best for Bread: To Knead or Not to Knead: The Art of Baking Bread

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Why we like it

If you’ve ever wanted to make your own bread at home but didn’t know where to begin, worry no more. This course requires no prior experience and shows you how to make several types of bread.

No list of baking courses would be complete without a great bread-making class. If you’re just getting started learning baking, and you want to learn how to prepare your own bread, then this course is for you. It starts from the very beginning, covering which ingredients and equipment you’ll need before moving on to the science of how it’s made and finally demonstrating four bread recipes. Gluten-free flours and bread are briefly discussed, and you’ll learn how to make gluten-free cheese bread, too.

The lessons are concise and full of information on many aspects of baking bread, including some great tips for beginners. It never gets boring since the instructor provides the information in an entertaining way.

The only shortcoming which prevents this course from being a more complete walkthrough of bread-making is its relative lack of information on gluten-free and vegan options. While gluten-free options are mentioned, and one such recipe is demonstrated, you’ll find more information on this topic in other courses, like the Vegan and Gluten-Free Baking course. The same goes for vegan breads, which aren’t covered in this course at all.

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15. Best for Cinnamon Rolls: Bake the Perfect Cinnamon Rolls | Artisan Pastry Dessert

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Why we like it

Have you ever tasted a fresh, warm cinnamon roll at a bakery or a friend’s house and wished you could make your own from scratch? Well this course shows you how to do just that! No previous experience is needed.

Cinnamon rolls are yet another bakery classic, and at first glance they can seem intimidating, especially if you’re new to baking. However, this course demonstrates that these fears are unfounded. It shows you how to make delicious cinnamon rolls from scratch with beginner-friendly step-by-step directions.

When making the rolls, you can decide between using yeast or sourdough. The instructor has another course on making a sourdough starter if you choose the latter option, or you could take the sourdough bread course that we recommend.

The course also has a free PDF guide with the recipe that you can use as a cheat sheet while you work. It’s impressive that a course as short as this one can teach such a valuable skill.

On the other hand, if cinnamon rolls don’t appeal to you, then there’s no reason to take this course.

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FAQs

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