Food & Cooking Food News & Trends Our 20 Most Popular Recipes of 2022, According to Instagram These are the Martha-level desserts, appetizers, drinks, dinners, and more that you double-tapped, commented on, and engaged with the most this year. By Lynn Andriani Lynn Andriani Lynn is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on December 28, 2022 Photo: Photographer Bryan Gardner; Food Stylist Laura Rege; Prop Stylist Paige Hicks At the end of the year, it's natural to look back and reflect on the last 365 days' highlights. For us, that involves taking stock of our recipes, especially the ones that you really loved. To identify our most popular recipes of 2022, we headed over to our Instagram feed. If there's a common thread running through this collection of our most double-tapped, commented on, and shared recipes, it's that they all have the one-two punch of great looks and equally great taste. Our followers have also spoken—and they clearly love dessert! Over half of the recipes on this list fall under the sweets category. Our round-up is full of familiar classics, too, from mashed potatoes and egg sandwiches to apple pie and banana cream pudding (see what you mean about dessert?). Fun twists and little tricks take the usuals from good to great—think fried squares of macaroni and cheese or a traditional toaster pastry, supersized and made with homemade jam. And while all of these dishes do look stunning, you can rest assured that most of them eschew special techniques or advanced culinary knowledge. In fact, the majority are simple and straightforward, so you can have your own Instagram-worthy dish without breaking a sweat. Below, discover our countdown to our most-loved recipe—we have a feeling the dish that holds the number-one slot will surprise you. Our Most Popular Dessert Recipes Ever 01 of 20 New York-Style Cheesecake Our top 20 countdown starts with this cheesecake, which is a great example of a dessert that tastes better after a day in the fridge. The flavors have time to develop and the result is a wonderfully rich dessert that cheesecake lovers will adore. View Recipe 02 of 20 Spinach Manicotti in Creamy Tomato Sauce Coming in at number 19 is this clever recipe that features a fuss-free method for stuffing pasta shells—and turns this classic Italian dish into a regular weeknight option. A large zip-top plastic bag is the only equipment you need to fill the pasta shells. Then, bake until bubbling and browned. View Recipe 03 of 20 Vanilla Heart-Shaped Cake with Raspberry-and-Custard-Filling Johnny Miller This beautiful Valentine's Day layer cake got so much love from our Instagram followers, that it made number 18 on our list. To make it, sandwich homemade vanilla pastry cream and fresh raspberries between the layers, then artfully decorate the creation with more of both—along with ethereal shredded coconut, of course. View Recipe 04 of 20 Atlantic-Beach-Tart Bars Johnny Miller Yet another beautiful dessert holds the number 17 spot. Lemons bars meet key lime pie in this luscious hybrid. The creamy filling includes sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice for the creamy filling, and the press-in saltine crust couldn't be easier to put together. View Recipe 05 of 20 Big Martha's Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese Johnny Miller A favorite recipe from Martha's mom, Mrs. Kostyra, is next. It combines cream cheese, milk, and heavy cream to produce a rich and velvety version of mashed potatoes. View Recipe 06 of 20 Strawberries and Cream Stack Cake Chris Simpson This is such a stunner, and that's why this no-bake, make-ahead treat comes in at number 15. It's also easy to make: Just whisk mascarpone and heavy cream into glossy peaks, soak store-bought ladyfingers in a quick caramel, and layer both with sliced fresh strawberries. Let the flavors meld in the refrigerator, and they'll end up with the texture of a traditional sponge cake without any baking. View Recipe 07 of 20 Apple Dumplings Yossy Arefi Martha's take on a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dessert clocked in at number 14. These old-fashioned apple pastries are spiced with cinnamon and studded with raisins. View Recipe 08 of 20 Egg Sandwiches for a Crowd Alpha Smoot We think this recipe grabbed thirteenth place because it's so clever. A quick, no-fuss frittata is a genius solution to making breakfast for a crowd. It's made in a baking dish, then sliced and placed on toast slathered with Dijonnaise. And although the recipe calls for leftover turkey, you can use cooked chicken or sausage—or just skip the meat completely. View Recipe 09 of 20 Double-Crusted Jam Tart Paola + Murray Though it looks fancy and advanced, this giant toaster pastry—at number 12—is really just jam spooned between two layers of rolled-out crust. You can use any fruit or flavor, but we love this recipe with homemade peach jam. View Recipe 10 of 20 Smoky Serrano-Mint Margarita Lennart Weibull The only cocktail on our top 20 recipe list came in at number 11. It's a margarita, but an unexpected one. It starts with a charred serrano chile that's muddled with sugar and fresh mint, then mixed with the margarita trifecta: tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. View Recipe 11 of 20 Fried Macaroni-and-Cheese Bites David Malosh It's easy to see why our Instagram followers love this recipe. This crowd-pleaser is truly next level and a hit at every party. To make these fried morsels, prepare the stovetop mac and cheese a few days ahead and let it firm up in the refrigerator for easier cutting. Then, bread and fry them to crispy perfection. View Recipe 12 of 20 Embellished Wreath Cookies Mike Krautter Elevating a classic is so Martha, and this recipe, coming in at number nine, is a wonderful example. Buttery sugar cookies are the ideal backdrop for brilliantly decorated treats made using a fanciful combination of candied flowers, crystallized ginger, and chopped pistachios. View Recipe 13 of 20 Meyer-Lemon and Coconut Layer Cake Johnny Miller A truly memorable and totally delightful dessert took home eighth place. It combines moist coconut cake and rich coconut-lemon curd, but the pièce de résistance is the coconut buttercream frosting. View Recipe 14 of 20 Apple Pie Cake Sonia Bozzo Yes, more dessert, and another clever hybrid recipe, claimed the number seven slot. If baking a pie seems like too much, try this cross between apple pie and a fruit crisp. It's made with just six ingredients using a springform pan that beautifully accommodates the tall layers. View Recipe 15 of 20 Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie Christopher Testani There are so many things to love about this strudel-inspired confection that holds sixth place. Did our Instagram users fall for its gorgeous twisted crust, marbleized cream-and-fruit filling, and next-level flavor combination (creamy ricotta melded with tart cherries), or were they simply wowed by the stunning image? View Recipe 16 of 20 Chicken Pot Pies Chicken pot pie is a cozy favorite—and this recipe takes the comfort food classic up a notch, making individual pies rather than a single big one. Is that why it's the fifth most popular recipe on our list? Perhaps—or, it could be the secret ingredient, cognac, that won you over. Just a third of a cup deepens the flavor of all the other ingredients. View Recipe 17 of 20 Banana Cream Pudding Bryan Gardner In fourth place is banana pudding, a favorite Southern dessert. Our recipe adds chopped banana to a homemade vanilla pudding that's layered with whipped cream, sliced bananas, and wafer cookies, giving it even more delightful flavor. View Recipe 18 of 20 Apple-Cider Donut Cake Jonathan Lovekin Our top three kicks off with this beautiful fall dessert that combines the taste of the traditional treats often sold at farmers' markets with the slice-ability of a Bundt cake. Whole-wheat flour adds heartiness, and a blend of olive oil and applesauce keeps the cake moist. View Recipe 19 of 20 Best Apple Pie Nico Schinco Number two is a classic and sentimental favorite. It's also the third apple dessert on our top 20, in case you're counting. So, what's the secret to this apple pie? Combining different varieties of apples: Each one brings a different flavor and texture, resulting in a bold and aromatic pie everyone will love. View Recipe 20 of 20 Pigs in Blankets Nicole Franzen Drum roll, please! In a top 20 packed with desserts, you might be surprised to find an appetizer at number one. We were, until we realized it's a true Martha-level recipe—a classic with clever tweaks. It swaps in andouille or chicken sausages for the usual hot dogs and calls for brushing the puff pastry with honey mustard before baking. Both twists add a savory-sweet element that's unexpected and wholly delicious. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit