8 delicious things you can make in a mug

microwave magic

While we sometimes try to make food from scratch, preheating the oven and pulling out all our pots and pans is often way too much effort. Instead, TV dinners and delivery tempt us into shelling out extra cash for convenience. It's a habit that's hard to shake, but with a little clever rethinking, whipping up homemade snacks becomes easier than ever—all you really need is a mug and a microwave.

You might currently reserve your microwave for re-heating leftovers or cooking up frozen meals, but a couple minutes in this appliance can easily turn a mugful of a few incredients into a gourmet-tasting mini meal or dessert. Think faster-than-ever breakfasts (no more granola bars or dry toast) and completely irresistable treats (freshly made brownies in an instant!). You don't need any cooking skills to make your microwave the powerhouse it was meant to be. Just flip through the gallery and arm yourself with an arsenal of foolproof, tasty meals.

Photo by Dara Michalski, Cookin' Canuck

Cookin' Canuck's Egg, Mushroom, & Ham CupNo need to whip out the skillet to make your nutritious, protein-packed breakfast. With this easy recipe, your morning eggs are done almost as quickly as your instant coffee.

Photo by Tiffany McCauley, The Gracious Pantry

The Gracious Pantry's Dorm Room PancakesYou don't need to live in a dorm to appreciate the beauty of meals that require minimal clean-up. Start your day on a sweeter note with a puffy pancake made entirely from scratch.

Photo by Jennifer Lee, Kirbie's Cravings

Kirbie's Cravings's Macaroni and Cheese in a MugSay goodbye to Easy Mac and hello to instant, divinely cheesy homemade mac and cheese. You'll wonder why you ever bothered to use the powdered stuff in the first place.

Photo by Jaclyn Bell, Cooking Classy

Cooking Classy's Nutella Mug CakeNutella makes everything better, right? Right. It may just be impossible to resist making one of these chocolately mini cakes every night.

Photo by Lisa Lin, Healthy Nibbles & Bits

Healthy Nibbles & Bits's Egg Fried Rice MugWhen you really just need a small meal, stay away from takeout. Your favorite fried rice is easily recreated in this good-for-you mug recipe.

Photo by Tiffany McCauley, The Gracious Pantry

The Gracious Pantry's Clean Eating Chocolate Mug CakeAs much as we love cake, we admit that eating it all the time may not be the best decision. Luckily, this tasty version uses coconut sugar and whole wheat flour, so it's basically healthy.

Photo by Averie Sunshine, Averie Cooks

Averie Cooks's Strawberry Vanilla Mug CakeWe did not think that something so heavenly could be cooked in a microwave. But alas. This buttercream-drizzled strawberry vanilla mug cake has us believing in miracles.

Photo by Jaclyn Bell, Cooking Classy

Cooking Classy's Microwave Mug BrownieGood news, chocolate lovers. Your favorite treat just got even easier to make. Whip up a homemade brownie in just five minutes and top with cold vanilla ice cream for instant satisfaction.