holiday favorite

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

autumn kale salad in a blue salad bowl

Autumn Kale Salad

Candied Pecans

styled shot of Cranberry Apple Crumble

Cranberry Apple Crumble

zoomed in shot of sour cream doughnuts and donut holes on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Sour Cream Doughnuts

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

candy· Fall Flavors
October 20, 2016

Apple Cider Caramels – Rich, chewy caramels made with yummy apple cider and spices. And it’s so simple to make! I’ll walk you through each step so you can easily make them, too. #Allfalleverything. That’s basically been my motto in the last 30 days. I’ve been baking up tons of fall treats (like these and don’t forget these), decorating my house…
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pumpkin challah bread sliced with a knife

Pumpkin Challah Bread

bread· Fall Flavors
October 17, 2016

Pumpkin Challah Bread – A traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs and pumpkin. Perfect for fall versions of your favorites, including french toast, bread pudding, cinnamon toast, and more! I never really liked the idea of making my own bread. It just sounds like so much work and it never tastes the way that I want it to. Plus,…
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a pot of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with fresh basil on top

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

soup
October 13, 2016

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – A classic tomato soup, spiced up with the addition of basil and cream. Perfect for dipping your grilled cheese. Is there anything more comforting than a great bowl of soup? It’s just so soothing and it’s the only food I eat slowly. I’m serious. If I’m hungry, no food is safe. But with soup, I…
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styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

bars and brownies· Fall Flavors
October 10, 2016

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars – These bars are three layers of amazing desserts: pecan shortbread crust, then creamy cheesecake, and then topped with chocolate pecan pie filling. All the flavors and textures compliment each other so well! Perfect for fall entertaining! I’ve said it before and I’m gonna say it again: living in the South has really opened my…
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styled shot of pumpkin snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Cookies· Fall Flavors
October 6, 2016

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles – This classic cinnamon-sugar cookie is given a fall makeover with pumpkin and spices! Pumpkin and I became close friends long before pumpkin spicing-ing everything became a “thing.” It was 10 years ago when I first fell had my taste of pumpkin. And I’ve been in love ever since. It was the fall of my freshman year in college and…
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zoomed in shot of Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese scooped onto a wooden spoon

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

pizza & pasta· sides
October 3, 2016

Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese – Creamy cheese sauce is added to pasta, topped with more shredded cheese and then baked. The best macaroni and cheese you’ll ever have! If there’s something I’ve learned as a cook and self-proclaimed recipe researcher for almost 15 years, it’s that almost everyone has their own go-to recipe for the American food staples. And they all…
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fluffy Cilantro Lime Rice in a bowl with cilantro and lime wedges

Cilantro Lime Rice

sides
September 29, 2016

Cilantro Lime Rice – Fluffy basmati rice mixed with fresh cilantro and lime juice. Just like the rice at Chipotle but now you can make it home! I love love love trying new recipes. In fact, most of the recipes I try are new. I like tasting and trying new things so it’s rare for me to make something twice….
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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

front shot of pumpkin loaf cut into slices

My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf

a glass dish with pumpkin cinnamon rolls in it with some missing from the center and a spatula with a pumpkin the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

apple pie egg roll dipping in caramel sauce

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

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

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed 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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