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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars

Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars

bars and brownies· candy· dessert· snacks
September 7, 2020

Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars – Pecan short bread is layered with pecan halves, homemade caramel, and smooth milk chocolate to…
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Crispy S’mores Bars

Crispy S’mores Bars

bars and brownies· snacks· Summertime Favorites
May 14, 2020

Crispy S’mores Bars – Golden Grahams cereals is tossed with melted marshmallow and topped with more marshmallows and chocolate bar…
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Mocha Brownie Pie

Mocha Brownie Pie

bars and brownies· dessert· Easter· pie· Valentine's Day
February 25, 2019

Mocha Brownie Pie – Gooey chocolate pie with a hint of espresso and topped with homemade espresso whipped cream I…
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Monster Cookie Bars

Monster Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies
October 4, 2018

Monster Cookie Bars – All the flavors of the classic monster cookie – peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips, M&M’s,- but now…
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Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars

bars and brownies· pie· Summertime Favorites
June 25, 2018

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars – Cherry and blueberry pie filling are loaded into a soft, cakey bar that…
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Reese’s Crispy Cereal Bars

Reese’s Crispy Cereal Bars

bars and brownies· candy· dessert· snacks
May 21, 2018

Reese’s Crispy Cereal Bars – You’re average rice crispy treats are getting a makeover thanks to lots of peanut butter…
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Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars

Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· pie· Summertime Favorites
May 3, 2018

Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars – You haven’t had derby pie like this – a chocolate chip cookie crust is topped…
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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

three Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting on a platter with two cupcakes on a pedestal on top of cotton napkin with whole pecans sprinkled around, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

styled shot of Sweet Yeast Rolls on a plate with a bowl of Whipped Pumpkin Butter and a basket of rolls and a pumpkin in the background, shot from a side angle

Sweet Yeast Rolls with Whipped Pumpkin Butter

Apple Pie Cake

Candied Pecans

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

salted caramel banana cream puffs on a round serving plate with bananas in the background

Salted Caramel Banana Cream Puffs

close up of chocolate coquito with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a dust of cinnamon and cocoa powder

Chocolate Coquito

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

 

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
These Cornbread Cookies are my new sweet and salty These Cornbread Cookies are my new sweet and salty obsession, you guys! They start out sweet and chewy, much like any other brown sugar cookie. But they finish with a hint of salty cornbread taste. And with the drizzle of honey on top, there is no mistaking that similarity to cornbread! 

These are SO versatile too! Perfect with morning coffee, amazing alongside chili or soup, delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or honestly just slathered with butter! They're like the cookie version of cornbread muffins, but better! 🌟

The sweet and salty combination is absolutely addictive. My family couldn't stop eating them, and I bet yours won't be able to either!

Ready to try these? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cornbread-cookies/

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