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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

About Me

As Featured In:

Welcome to Certified Pastry Aficionado, or CPA for short. Thanks for stopping by! My name is Sharon and I am, yes, you guessed it…a CPA. That stands for Certified Public Accountant. I spent a few years as a public accountant, and now I currently work as a regional controller at a large paper company in Atlanta, GA. I live with my husband, Tyson, and my two children, who are my favorite taste testers. We have the sweetest little kitties, Autumn and Dorito. I take way too many pictures of them, but, in my defense, they are cute wayyyy too many times.

Sharon And Her Husband Tyson, Next To Her Two Kittens.

About the Blog

I’ve been baking since I can remember. I actually still have the first cookbook I ever received when I was about 10 years old. Ever since then, I’ve been the happiest in the kitchen. I’d use any opportunity to make things for friends and family – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and even to impress my coworkers at a new job.

When I first starting working at a public accounting firm after college, I would bring in treats for all my coworkers to munch on. Being a single girl in the city, it gave me a reason to bake tons of stuff without gaining thousands of pounds, plus baking was the best stress-reliever. A coworker suggested that I blog about the things I make and give tips to bakers just like me. And, alas, the blog was born!

On the blog, you can find anything and everything that I love to eat. I never post a recipe that I am not whole-heartedly obsessed with. Therefore, most of the recipes you’ll find are indulgent and rich and even sinful. This includes: yummy pasta dishes, comforting soups, all things sweet, boozy drinks, and, most of all, carbs. This doesn’t mean I don’t post healthy food, but flavor comes first. If it ain’t yummy, I ain’t sharing it.

I make a mixture of easy and challenging recipes. But I pride myself on the helpful tips I give at the end of every post to encourage cooks and bakers of all strengths to give these recipes a try. No one should ever feel that they’re not experienced enough to make the food they crave. So my goal with each post is to empower people to give the recipe a try.

And don’t worry; not everything I make will test your baking limits. My husband’s favorite things are chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon anything so I will be working on the classics just as much : )

I also love taking suggestions! I’ll bake anything and everything. So please…send me any recipes you’d like to see me make and I’ll document every step of the way!

More About Me

I’m a graduate of the University of Florida (Go Gators!). I moved to Atlanta after graduation for work from sunny ole Florida I met my amazing husband shortly after and we were married in 2015. We are two goofballs in love and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I probably use more exclamation points and emoticons than a teenage girl, I spend way too much time stalking food pics on Instagram, I love to spend time on the couch, binge-watching Netflix, and I have the compulsive-need to walk down every aisle of the grocery store.

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Here are some pictures from our wedding (taken by Carrie Joy Photography):

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Atlanta is a mecca for Southern food. I was so pleasantly surprised to find some of the best food that I’ve ever had right here in Atlanta. You’ll find me document a lot of my food journeys on my Instagram, as well posts about my baking journeys. Check me out!

You can also follow me on:

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  • Foodgawker

Or shoot me an email: [email protected]

Favorite foods: rustic pizza, s’mores, macarons (especially pistachio), blackberries, almond croissants, salted caramel, hazelnuts, a good steak, anything with vinegar, goat cheese, coffee, chocolate chip cookies, most types of cobbler, Oreos (NOT double stuff).

Least favorite foods (and even foods I despise!): fennel, olives, artichoke hearts, black licorice, cooked broccoli, canned green beans, chocolate and orange paired together, tea, cardamom, desserts made with florals (sorry rosewater).

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

Roasted Brussel Sprouts in a baking dish with melted butter and a spoon in it, shot from a side angle

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Maple Pecan Scones

portion of sweet potato gratin being removed from casserole dish, revealing gooey center

Sweet Potato Gratin

close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

a corner shot of a plate of Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies with a shaker of powdered sugar in the background, shot from a side angle

Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

close up of caramel swirl meringue on a baking sheet

Caramel Swirl Meringues

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

a stack of three pumpkin oatmeal cream pies on cotton napkins with a platter behind it with more pies in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

two copper mugs filled with holiday mule drinks and a pitcher in the background

Holiday Mule

 

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! Pumpkin butter i The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! 

Pumpkin butter is just like apple butter – a spreadable puree of deliciousness with tons of spices – but made with pumpkin puree instead of apple (duh). I've seen pumpkin butter sold in stores (near the jams and jellies) but it wasn't available at my store yet. 

So I just made my own using a recipe from Skinnytaste. I only made a half-batch and it was more than enough!

Side note: I've been using the leftover pumpkin butter to flavor my coffee in the mornings. Just a teaspoon goes a long way! 

Why these are special: These macarons are so delicate, yet chewy and BEYOND flavorful, you guys! Move over, pumpkin spice latte, there's a new favorite pumpkin treat in town! 

These are restaurant-quality French cookies you can make at home! Yes, they take some practice and attention to detail, but they're SO worth it! The "wow" factor alone is incredible, and they taste even better than they look!

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-macarons/
These babies are called Peanut Butter Blossoms! T These babies are called Peanut Butter Blossoms!

The peanut butter cookie base is so soft and chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness from the sugar coating. And that Hershey Kiss on top? It's not just decoration – it's an essential part of the experience! Every bite has peanut butter AND chocolate!

Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday cookie exchanges, bake sales, homemade gifts, or honestly ANY time you're craving that classic peanut butter and chocolate combo! 

Ready to make these classics? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/peanut-butter-blossoms/
These Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies have so many el These Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies have so many elements that it was really hard to name them! They're chewy, chocolatey, minty, have a layer of buttercream, and a nice dollop of fudge on top. I decided 4 words were the max I could use when naming them so I settled on mint chocolate fudge cookies!

Mint cookies have long been a love of mine, whether it's a thin mint or mint cookie ice cream. I love the duo of chocolate and mint together, but it is EVEN better when the chocolate is in the form of a cookie! 

March tends to be the unofficial month of mint because of St. Patrick's Day and the Shamrock Shake at McDonald's making its annual appearance this time of year. So I had to give you a fun, new mint cookie to celebrate these flavors! 

Perfect for St. Patrick's Day parties, cookie exchanges, gifts for mint chocolate lovers, or any time you want to impress with a stunning cookie! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/mint-chocolate-fudge-cookies/
I present to you my Pigs in a Blanket Wreath! The I present to you my Pigs in a Blanket Wreath!

The wreath isn't hard to assemble at all! You just make the little pigs in a blanket like you normally do - using crescent dough and mini hot dogs - but just arrange them in a ring and bake. Simple as that! I added a little poppy seeds to step up the presentation a little. But if you have picky little eaters, you can leave them off!

About that dipping sauce... When serving the wreath, don't forget the dipping sauce! I love honey mustard with my hot dogs so that's what I wanted to serve with this wreath. But not just any honey mustard. No, no. This is a Dr Pepper honey mustard, guys! I make a killer Dr Pepper mustard glaze for my Thanksgiving ham so I know first-hand how well Dr Pepper pairs with the mustard flavors! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/pigs-in-a-blanket-wreath/
For this Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese, I've topped For this Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese, I've topped it with roasted tomatoes to help balance out the richness of the cheese and pasta. Because the tomatoes are roasted, they have a similar flavor you would find in a tomato soup. And we all know how incredible cheese and tomato soup go together! 

The combination of creamy, rich mac and cheese with those slightly acidic, charred roasted tomatoes is PERFECTION. It's like eating grilled cheese with tomato soup, but elevated! The tomatoes cut through the richness in the best way possible.

Perfect for cozy nights, family dinners, or potlucks! 

Ready to make this? 💌 Comment "MAC" below and I'll send you the link!

#MacAndCheese #ComfortFood #PastaRecipes

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