holiday favorite

a short glass with a gold rim filled with cherry bourbon spritz and a garnish of rosemary twig

Cherry Bourbon Spritz

overhead shot of Cinnamon Roll Wreath

Cinnamon Roll Wreath

zoomed in shot of a piece of Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with a bite taken out of it with a plate of more cheesecake in the background, shot from the front

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars

close up of two brown sugar cinnamon cookie bars stacked on top of each other

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Sunshine Blogger Awards banner

Bonus Post! Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination

Uncategorized
June 24, 2017

As you know, I typically post things for you guys Mondays and Thursdays. But this week, you get a bonus post so I can share some awesome news! A couple weeks ago, fellow food blogger, Bites of Flavor, nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I was in shock! I work so hard to give you guys incredible recipes and…
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overhead shot of Chocolate-Covered Key Lime Pie on parchment paper with graham cracker crumbs and sliced of lime

Chocolate-Covered Key Lime Pie

dessert· pie· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
June 22, 2017

Chocolate-Covered Key Lime Pie – A rich and tangy slice of key lime pie dipped in creamy dark chocolate. It’s a cool and refreshing treat to enjoy all summer long! As years go by and I get older, there’s one thing that I’ve learned: my taste in food is NOT set in stone. It constantly evolves. I may think I…
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styled shot of glasses of Watermelon Margaritas with ice cubes and slices of watermelon and the rim with salt on it

Watermelon Margaritas

drinks· Popular Recipes· Summertime Favorites
June 19, 2017

Watermelon Margaritas – A refreshing margarita that is made with fresh watermelon juice, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and silver tequila. The perfect drink for summer parties and barbecues!  Man, when it comes to warm weather, I cannot spend a weekend without a refreshing drink in my hand. Whether it’s these mimosas or this sangria or even just a beer, I need…
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Fried Chicken Tacos with a head of mayo in a bottle and a head of lettuce in the background

Fried Chicken Tacos

chicken entrees· Summertime Favorites
June 15, 2017

Fried Chicken Tacos – A crispy buttermilk fried chicken tender wrapped in leafy lettuce and a flour tortilla and finished with juicy diced tomatoes and a lemon garlic mayo. A simple, yet delicious new way to get your taco fix on Taco Tuesday! Happy Taco Thursday! OK, that’s not a thing, but we’ve got tacos today on the blog so…
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a Nutella Crunch Cupcake with the wrapper taken off of it with more decorated and undercoated cupcakes in the background

Nutella Crunch Cupcakes

cake· dessert· Valentine's Day
June 12, 2017

Nutella Crunch Cupcakes – A super moist chocolate cupcake, dipped in creamy Nutella hazelnut spread, and crunchy chocolate pieces. The perfect combination of textures that will satisfy any sweet tooth! I recently had a revelation – I haven’t make cupcakes in an extremely long time. Months? No wait, I think it’s been years!! I’ve been focused on creating new desserts…
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a piece of white pizza being pulled from the center of the pizza crust on a baking sheet

The Best Pizza Bianca (White Pizza)

pizza & pasta· Popular Recipes
June 8, 2017

The Best Pizza Bianca (White Pizza) – The BEST white pizza you will ever make! Made with store-bought dough, shredded mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and Pecorino Romano cheese, this pizza is super simple to make and will be best addition to your weeknight dinners.  Sometimes a recipe turns out exactly as you expected. Other times, you decide to go in another…
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Jalapeno Pineapple Sticky Wings on a plate with jalapenos and pineapples and a brush with sauce on it

Jalapeño Pineapple Sticky Wings

appetizer· chicken entrees· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
June 5, 2017

Jalapeño Pineapple Sticky Wings – The best recipe for sticky, sweet, and spicy wings! These wings are grilled and tossed in a jalapeño pineapple sticky sauce for the ultimate summer appetizer for your barbecues and parties.  Summer is here! Who else is loving the warm weather for a change? Sorry for you folks who aren’t feeling it yet. Stay strong…
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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

carrot raisin muffins stacked on top of each other and sitting on a purple plate

Carrot Raisin Muffins

zoomed in shot of chocolate snickerdoodles on parchment paper with a spoon in front, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

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

Maple Walnut Cookies

pumpkin challah bread sliced with a knife

Pumpkin Challah Bread

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cr Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cream blended with real strawberries, actual cheesecake chunks, and topped with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and a fresh strawberry! 🍓

I am very picky about my milkshakes, you guys! They HAVE to be (1) thick, (2) full of flavor, and (3) loaded with texture! This milkshake checks all the boxes!

This one was inspired by my husband's obsession with the Strawberry Cheesequake Blizzard from Dairy Queen! 

He LOVES it, so I decided to recreate it at home – but better! Instead of using strawberry ice cream and cream cheese, I used REAL strawberries and a real slice of cheesecake for that authentic chunky texture!

The key to making this milkshake so thick? I only use ½ cup of milk! The juice from the fresh strawberries helps liquefy the ice cream, so you don't need much liquid at all!
Pro tip: Make sure you're using the BEST vanilla ice cream you can find! Since this recipe is so simple, the quality of the ingredients really makes all the difference!

Perfect for summer treats, date nights, hot days, or anytime you want a decadent, fruity dessert in a glass! 🥤

💬 Comment "STRAWBERRYCHEESECAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for milkshake inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves dessert!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/strawberry-cheesecake-milkshake/
Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sw Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sweetened with basil sugar and fresh watermelon juice for a complex, refreshing summer drink!

I love making my lemonade from scratch, you guys! It gives me the freedom to experiment with unique flavors like this watermelon basil combo! I've used watermelon in drinks before (hello, Watermelon Sangria and Watermelon Margaritas!), so I knew it would be PERFECT with lemonade!

Watermelon is such a major symbol of summer, so pairing it with fresh basil takes it to another level! The basil adds an herbaceous, complex flavor that regular lemonade could never achieve! 

This is one of those drinks that looks impressive but is incredibly simple to make – just 10 minutes of prep time and you've got something that tastes like it came straight from a summer garden!

Pro tip: Don't skip the salt! With a drink as sweet and sour as this lemonade, a little salt balances it all out and prevents it from being overly cloying!
Perfect for summer BBQs, entertaining guests, hot days, or anytime you want a refreshingly unique drink! 

💬 Comment "WATERMELONLEMONADE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves lemonade!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/watermelon-basil-lemonade
Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow creme and peanut butter come together to make the ultimate sweet sandwich using three unique peanut butter flavors: Mighty Maple, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, and Dark Chocolate Dreams! 

Peanut butter is probably my favorite dessert flavor, you guys! I mean, I have posted THREE different peanut butter cookie recipes in the past year, and that's not even including my PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches! If this is what addiction looks like, please don't make me control it! 😍

It's my go-to dessert when I have the biggest sweet tooth but no cake or ice cream or candy around! I almost always have the ingredients on hand for a fluffernutter, so I never have to suffer "sweet pains" for too long!

Instead of making a plain fluffernutter, I decided to test three unique peanut butter flavors from Peanut Butter & Co! And I was shocked by the results! Dark Chocolate Dreams (my first love!) trumped the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl! There's something about how the Dark Chocolate Dreams melts into the marshmallow creme that makes me melt after each bite!

Pro tip: Cook on medium-low temp so the peanut butter has time to melt before the bread gets toasty! The melty peanut butter is the BEST part!

Perfect for when you need a quick dessert fix, a sweet treat, or anytime your sweet tooth takes over! 

💬 Comment "FLUFFERNUTTER" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sweet cravings
📤 SHARE with a peanut butter addict!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/fluffernutter-sandwich-three-ways/
Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/

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