holiday favorite

Peach & Goat Cheese Crostini on a platter topped with basil and balsamic vinaigrette, shot from a side angle

Peach & Goat Cheese Crostini (+wine pairing)

two powdered sugar doughnuts on a wood plate with more doughnuts in the background

Powdered Sugar Doughnuts

stacked maple walnut cookies on a red orange napkin and one cookie with a bite removed

Maple Walnut Cookies

Fudge Striped Cookies on a wire rack drizzled chocolate, shot from a side angle

Fudge Striped Cookies

Cheeseball Bites

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

picture of fried goat cheese balls stacked on an appetizer plate with honey drizzling over the top

Fried Goat Cheese Balls

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
January 6, 2022

Fried Goat Cheese Balls – Soft goat cheese is rolled in panko breadcrumbs, fried until golden brown, and served with a drizzle of honey to make the best little appetizer for any occasion Today’s recipe is inspired by an appetizer that I had years ago at a local restaurant. They’re known for their fried goat cheese and man, is it…
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spoonful of baked chicken spaghetti rising from the casserole

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

chicken entrees
January 3, 2022

Baked Chicken Spaghetti – Spaghetti is tossed in a creamy sauce, along with mozzarella cheese and diced chicken and then baked to make for a perfect weeknight one-pot casserole. Happy New Year! My December was jam-packed with sugary sweets so I am actually looking forward to moving past the holidays and back into more savory cooking and baking this month….
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pastry rolls sitting next to each other on a white surface

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls

breakfast· Easter· pastries
December 30, 2021

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls – Puff pastry is layered with Dijon mustard, ham, and cheddar cheese, rolled and then baked in the oven until perfectly crispy Fun breakfasts don’t need to be complicated. No dicing vegetables or layering ingredients into a casserole are required for the breakfast I have for you today. It’s a simple breakfast dish that…
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a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

Cookies· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
December 23, 2021

Maple Molasses Cookies – Chewy molasses cookies have just the perfect amount of spice and way more chew than a gingerbread man cookie. If that wasn’t enough, they’re covered with a thin layer of maple glaze. It’s rare that a cookie surprises me. But that’s exactly what these Maple Molasses Cookies did. I was testing a recipe for new cookies…
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close up of cinnamon raisin rugelach to shot the spiral side and yummy filling

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 20, 2021

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach – Pastry is rolled with a cinnamon raisin filling and then baked until crispy on top and chewy in the middle I don’t talk much about my Jewish heritage but it was definitely part of my upbringing. We never went to the synagogue but we’d celebrate the major holidays and ate many of the traditional foods. My…
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close up of a split bun with cream & jam

Split Buns with Cream and Jam

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 17, 2021

Split Buns with Cream and Jam – Soft, enriched buns are split in half and stuffed with raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream. Are they dessert? Are they breakfast? They taste so good you’ll eat them whenever! Once again, The Great British Baking Show has led me to a new treat that I’d never heard of but was completely entranced…
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close up of slices of cranberry orange loaf on a serving platter

Cranberry Orange Loaf

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
December 13, 2021

Cranberry Orange Loaf – A sweet bread flavored with fresh orange zest and loaded with cranberries. Topped with a sweet orange icing and candied orange slices and cranberries. Fruit is hard to come by this time of year, which is hard for me because baking with fruit it one of my favorite things. But once again, I was reminded of…
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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

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

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

pumpkin cinnamon pull apart loaf with a center slice visable

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

a slice of apple cinnamon stuffed french toast on a plate with powdered sugae

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

warm banana bread with a couple bites removed sitting on a plate with two scoops on butter pecan ice cream stacked on top and caramelized bananas over the top and a spoon on the side

Banana Bread Sundae

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Sliders are becoming my go-to burger and I'm SO ex Sliders are becoming my go-to burger and I'm SO excited to share these Italian Cheeseburger Sliders with you! 

Here's why you'll LOVE these:
✨ Smaller than regular burgers (less mess, more fun!)
✨ Crispy, juicy patties using the SMASH technique
✨ Balsamic caramelized onions that are SO simple but SO flavorful
✨ Fresh mozzarella + peppery arugula + Italian seasoning
✨ Adorable ciabatta rolls

The best part? These cook WAY faster than regular burgers because they're smaller! Perfect for when you're hungry NOW.

Fun fact: The colors actually match the Italian flag - red onions, green arugula, white mozzarella! How cute is that?! 

I used the smash burger technique instead of grilling and WOW. The patties get super crispy on the outside while staying juicy inside. Game. Changer.

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'SLIDERS' below and I'll send you the link!

#ItalianCheeseburgerSliders #SliderRecipe #SmashBurgers #BurgerRecipe #GameDayFood #TailgatingRecipes #EasyDinner
Raspberry and chocolate is a match made in heaven! Raspberry and chocolate is a match made in heaven! I just love how the juicy, tart raspberries balance out even the darkest chocolate. This combo is hard to beat, especially around this time of year!

I took my favorite molten chocolate cake recipe and made it even BETTER by adding fresh raspberry puree and a fresh raspberry in the center. The result? Pure indulgence!

These mini molten cakes are:
🍫 The perfect individual serving size (no more giant cakes!)
🍓 Light yet completely decadent
💕 Romantic and festive with those gorgeous colors
⚡ Ready in just 35 minutes total

The best part? That gooey, molten center with the surprise raspberry inside! Every bite is heaven.

Want the complete recipe? Comment 'MOLTEN' below and I'll send you the link!

#RaspberryChocolateMoltenCake #MoltenCake #ChocolateLavaCake #ValentinesDayDessert #RaspberryChocolate
I'm SO excited to share these Raspberry Almond Lin I'm SO excited to share these Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies with you!

I've always loved almond (hence my obsession with almond croissants), and you know I'm crazy about berries. But it wasn't until I tried raspberry almond thumbprint cookies last year that I realized how KILLER these two flavors are together!

So I wanted to showcase this dynamic duo in a more sophisticated way. Enter: Linzer Cookies! These Austrian beauties feature a little window of jam in the center, and honestly? They're not short on the pizzazz, that's for sure.

Here's what makes these cookies SO good:
🍓 Buttery almond shortbread base
🍓 Perfectly tart seedless raspberry jam
🍓 Crisp texture with the perfect moisture from the jam
🍓 They look WAY more impressive than they actually are to make

Now, I won't lie - these rank Medium on the difficulty level. They're not particularly hard, they just take a little patience. But don't worry! I've got ALL my tips and tricks in the full recipe to make sure you feel confident!

Critical tips for success:
1️⃣ Keep the dough COLD or they'll spread into flat pancakes (trust me on this!)
2️⃣ Use parchment paper when rolling - lifesaver for sticky dough
3️⃣ Dip your cookie cutter in flour between cuts
4️⃣ Chill cut cookies for 30 min BEFORE baking
5️⃣ If dough gets sticky, pop it in the freezer - I do this constantly!

The best part? As soon as you bite into one of these, a rush of flavor overcomes your mouth and all you can manage to say is "Yummm!" How could you not love these cookies?!

They're perfect for your holiday cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, Valentine's Days, or honestly anytime you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but is secretly pretty doable!

Want the full recipe with ALL my detailed tips? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/raspberry-almond-linzer-cookies/
Today's recipe is the perfect romantic dessert and Today's recipe is the perfect romantic dessert and just what you need for your V-Day needs. 

It's light, flavorful, and looks VERY impressive – the soufflé!

In this version, there's a layer of cherry compote at the bottom of each ramekin with almond cake on top. Cherry and almond are so perfect together, guys. This dessert tastes like heaven!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
💕 Light almond cake with sweet-tart cherry compote
💕 Looks fancy but surprisingly doable
💕 Perfect for date night at home
💕 That classic cherry-almond flavor combo
💕 Individual servings = so romantic!

Critical tips for souffle success:
1️⃣ Gently fold the egg whites - If you stir too vigorously, they'll deflate and won't help the soufflé rise
2️⃣ Grease AND sugar the ramekins - The sugar helps the soufflé climb up the sides instead of falling back down
3️⃣ Keep oven CLOSED - Do NOT open the door before it's done or it could fall!
4️⃣ Serve immediately - Straight out of the oven for the prettiest presentation

Fun fact: If you want extra tall soufflés, you can add a paper collar to the inside of the dish before filling it with batter. But I definitely don't think it's necessary!

This might be my favorite Valentine's Day dessert ever. That cherry-almond combo is just chef's kiss.

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'SOUFFLE' below and I'll send you the link!

#CherryAlmondSouffle #ValentinesDayDessert #SouffleRecipe #ValentinesDayBaking #HomemadeSouffle #ValentinesDayRecipes
It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my F It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my FAVORITE fall comfort food: Salsa Verde Chicken Chili! 

This isn't your typical chili, guys. We're talking shredded chicken, white beans, and a HEARTY salsa verde broth that'll warm you right up on these chilly days!

The best part? It's SO EASY! I use rotisserie chicken so there's barely any prep work. Just shred, dump, and let it simmer for an hour. That's it!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
✨ Packed with protein and fiber from white beans
✨ Fresh salsa verde flavor (not jarred stuff!)
✨ Ready in about 1.5 hours total
✨ Perfect for meal prep - lasts 3 days in the fridge
✨ Totally customizable with your favorite toppings

And can we talk about the avocado situation? I'd never had avocado in my chili before this, and OH MY GOSH. Game changer! The creaminess + the spices = chef's kiss

Swipe to see the process and my top tips! ➡️

💌 Want the full recipe? Comment 'VERDE' below and I'll send you the link!
Have you tried white chili before? Let me know in the comments! 👇

#SalsaVerdeChickenChili  #ComfortFoo #ChickenChili #SoupRecipe

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