Want to dive into candy this year but want nothing to do with a thermometer? I GET IT 😅

Sometimes it’s really as simple as it sounds, and these candied almonds really are so stupidly simple!

Don’t overcomplicate this, friend. Just follow along with me this week as I share my favorite ways to get candy in the holiday spread WITHOUT the stress 😮‍💨

Save this reel as your reminder to come back and make these soon! 🍭

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these candied almonds directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/candied-almonds/

#christmascandy #homemadecandy #candiednuts #cinnamonsugar ...

The 12th and FINAL day of our 12 Days of Cookies is, in my opinion, the most FUN of the whole bunch! 🤩 #faf12daysofcookies

Ok, hear me out: Rice Krispies treats made small batch style, chopped into tiny cubes, blended into a soft and chewy cookie base, and THENNNNN another chunk of Rice Krispies treats stuck to the top of the cookie.

YES. YES YES YES.

And yes, this works with any flavor of Rice Krispie treat you want to make, so if you want to go rogue… I’m here for it! 🙌

These cookies are chewy, gooey, and full of crispy bits in every bite. They were one of the favorites of the whole dozen among taste testers! 😮

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these Rice Krispies treat cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/rice-krispie-cookies/

#rkt #ricekrispies #ricekrispietreats ...

Eggnog >>>>>>

It is the superior holiday drink and you can’t tell me otherwise 🙂‍↔️

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to my eggnog cinnamon rolls directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/eggnog-cinnamon-rolls/

#eggnog #cinnamonrolls #cinnamonroll ...

It’s day 11 of our 12 Days of Cookies, and this one is one you may have seen this summer if you were around these parts then! 🍪 #faf12daysofcookies

This cookie was part of my “baking for fun” during my time off of content creation, and the recipe actually comes from my friend Molly at @what_mollymade 🫶

Her original recipe is mostly intact, but I did scale the recipe down to make a smaller batch, adjusted some of the ingredients to accommodate what is most available to average home bakers, and tweaked the instructions to match the way I typically guide my bakers through a recipe 🧑‍🍳

My friends, these cookies are stupid good 🤪 And while they take a little more elbow grease than most cookies on my site, they are well worth it! The process itself is really easy, and I have all the photos and a video to help you succeed ✅

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these frosted brown sugar Pop Tart cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/frosted-brown-sugar-pop-tart-cookies/

#poptart #poptarts #stuffedcookie ...

Turns out mini m&m’s = more chocolate opportunities per bite. It’s the smarter choice 🧠

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to my soft & chewy m&m sugar cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/mm-cookies/

#mandms #cookies #cookie ...

And on the 10th day of cookies, the sandwich cookie graced us all with its irresistible presence 😇 #12daysofcookies

After last year’s gingerbread sandwich cookie went absolutely viral, I decided every 12 Days of Cookies henceforth will have a sandwich cookie in the lineup. And I’m not mad about it, because OMG. Why are sandwich cookies so gosh darn good?? 🤤

This sandwich cookie features two soft and chewy Biscoff-infused cookies held together by a butterscotch marshmallow frosting you will want to put on EV-E-RY-THING from now on.

I won’t lie, these cookies are sweet. But they’re also ridiculously delicious and you MUSTTTT make them this year. You won’t regret it!! 🧡🤎

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these Biscoff butterscotch sandwich cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/biscoff-butterscotch-marshmallow-sandwich-cookies/

#biscoff #butterscotch #sandwichcookies ...

White chocolate is not normally my pick of chocolate for much of anything, but there’s something about that ultra-sweet chocolate that I love so much against bright and zippy peppermint 🤍❤️🤍❤️

These cookies are:
🍪 no chill
🍪 really simple to make
🍪 sure to be a hit in your festive cookie spread

Comment “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/peppermint-white-chocolate-chip-cookies/

#whitechocolate #peppermint #mintchocolate #candycane ...

Day 9 of 12 Days of Cookies brings us to a cookie that was born from excess of another holiday treat— graham cracker toffee! 🍪 #12daysofcookies

You’ve certainly made graham cracker (or saltine!) toffee at the holidays. In fact, we made mine last month with our no-thermometer candy series 🍭

These cookies start with my favorite basic no chill base and are filled with chopped graham cracker toffee. You can either use some of what you’ve already made OR make a small batch of the toffee, which is included in the recipe.

A sprinkle of flaky sea salt and more pieces of toffee smashed into the tops of the hot cookies turn them into a sweet and salty texture adventure in every bite. These are a MUST this holiday baking season! 🧑‍🍳

And of course, yes— you can use saltine toffee if you prefer!

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these graham cracker toffee cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/graham-cracker-toffee-cookies/

#christmascookies #christmasbaking ...

Don’t get me wrong, you can make a really great brownie using cocoa powder. But the BEST to way to insure ultra fudginess in a brownie is to limit the amount of dry ingredients.

My recipe only includes 3/4 cup of flour, and ALL of the chocolate flavor comes completely from melted semi-sweet chocolate. No cocoa powder whatsoever! 🙌

Reader Lisa recently said:
“Just made these tonight and they are 10/10! I haven’t found a brownie recipe I’ve liked until now! I’m trying out several for my niece’s wedding cookie/dessert table, but I think I can stop with these!” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Want to see for yourself how delicious they are? 😏

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to my fudgy homemade brownies right to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/homemade-fudgy-brownies/

#brownies #browniesofinstagram #browniesofinsta ...

It’s day 8 in our cookie party, and these cookie bars are modeled after one of my most popular frosted cookies from my frosted cookie series in 2023 🍪 #faf12daysofcookies

With these easy cookie barks, you can sink your teeth into a soft and chewy chocolate chunk cookie bar that’s topped with chunky white chocolate peppermint frosting 🤤

It’s everything you love about peppermint bark in a gourmet cookie bar 🤍❤️

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these peppermint bark cookie bars directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/peppermint-bark-cookie-bars/

#cookiebars #peppermint #peppermintbark ...

Listen, I have no problem giving credit where credit is due. Toll House set us up with a solid foundation. Truly! 🥲

But the Fresh April Flours version that I’ve perfected over the last decade+ has gotten reviews like these ones that just came in over the last month:

🍪 “No joke… these are the BEST. I have faithfully stuck to a different variation of the tollhouse recipe up until now, but I will only be using this recipe going forward. Followed all of the steps to a tee and these are genuinely the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve had in my life!!”

🍪 “Hands down. These are truly the best chocolate chip cookies!!! Absolutely delicious every time.”

🍪 “I’ve baked a lot of chocolate chip cookies and love trying new recipes. Made these last night and they are the best chocolate chip cookie I think I’ve made.”

🍪 “The BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve found. I’ve been looking for years for a recipe that turns out like these – they are SO good. The recipe is easy and consistent, they turn out delicious every single time.”

What’s different, you ask? Melted butter instead of softened, one less egg white, more brown sugar, a little cornstarch, and my signature combo of milk + semi-sweet chocolate chips make for a cookie that will win you over in a heartbeat, I guarantee it! 🙌

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to my famous chocolate chip cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/classic-chocolate-chip-cookies

#chocolatechip #chocolatechipcookie #cookies ...

Day 7 of my 12 Days of Cookies brings us to a revamped, better-than-ever classic cookie— the white chocolate macadamia variety! 🤍 #faf12daysofcookies

This recipe was originally published on my site nearly a decade ago, and over the years, reviewers have given “meh” reviews. That changes this year! 🙌

This cookie is soft, chewy, buttery, and melts in your mouth without being greasy. It’s also sweet and salty and every bite reminds you why these cookies are such a classic! 🥰

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/white-chocolate-chunk-macadamia-nut-cookies/

#cookies #cookiestagram #macadamianuts ...

#HTH 🤗 ...

It’s day 6 of my 11th annual 12 Days of Cookies, and these little cuties are going to steal your heart with one bake, I mean bite! 🥰 #faf12daysofcookies

But first, a confession 🤫

I actually published these cookies last year, but it was juuuuuust before Christmas, not a part of my 12 Days of Cookies, and honestly, it just didn’t get enough time in the limelight. I took these cookies to a cookie exchange and they were a HUGE hit!

These soft and chewy bite-size chocolate chip sprinkle cookies are made with only 9 simple ingredients and require no chilling. They come together quickly so they’re the perfect cookie for last-minute baking!

The best part? This recipe includes instructions for making 8 standard size cookies or 32 mini cookies 🙌

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these Christmas chocolate chip cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/christmas-chocolate-chip-cookies/

#easycookies #sprinkles #christmascookies ...

For this installment of my 12 Days of Cookies, I wanted to share something special— the first time I’ve made and tasted my dad’s cookie since he taught it to me ten years ago 💕

This recipe is a thread between four generations, one that my great grandmother brought with her from Italy 🇮🇹 My dad was the one who put the Italian in her head onto paper in English so it was repeatable for generations to come 🫶🏼

This video is… A lot. It’s stalling, deep breaths, and letting the grief and joy sit in the same room 😮‍💨

It’s incredibly vulnerable, mostly quiet, and was 2 minutes long without edits.

But the moment they tasted exactly like his? I swear I could feel him. My dad would’ve been so proud 🥹

No recipe prompt with this one. I just want to share and invite YOU to share below a memory of a lost loved one, if you feel so inclined 😇

(You can find the recipe by checking out the reel right before this one— honey walnut cookie sticks/sfratti) 🤎 #grief #heirloom #familyrecipe #griefislove ...

It’s day 5 of my 12 Days of Cookies, and this one is a tough one for me 💔 #faf12daysofcookies

A decade ago, my dad taught me how to make his family’s famous cookie recipe: one that was brought here by his grandmother from Italy, taught to his mom, and then he taught it to me 🥰

The weekend he taught me, I was (unknowingly) pregnant with our first son and his lungs were growing the Big C 😞

Gratefully, he made it through that and lived another decade, albeit a little slower than the before times, with us.

Sadly, we lost my dad this summer, but these cookies were always part of the plan for this year’s tradition. It only seemed right to keep them on the content calendar 🗓️

I know we food bloggers get a lot of flack for “telling our life story” in our blog posts, something we don’t actually do a whole lot of anymore, but I’ll be honest— this post has a significant amount of that.

Even if you don’t want to make these cookies, I would be honored if you read about my dad and the tradition of these cookies. I also kept some of the original photos in the post that have his hands in them 😇

Now, as far as WHAT these cookies entail— buttery, flaky pie crust surrounds a rich, spiced honey walnut filling in these traditional Italian cookies. We’ve always called them “sfratti,” and if you want to make them and enjoy them like my dad did, a hot cup of black coffee is the way to go ☕️

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these honey walnut cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/honey-walnut-cookie-sticks-sfratti/

#familyrecipe #familyrecipes ...

And if it isn’t there, it might be on the inside of the handle 👀

Also, sometimes it’s not there at all. I’m just the messenger! Don’t @ me all mad in the comments— k??? 😘

In every.single.cookie.recipe on my site, I specify what scoop size to use:

🍪 use size 50 (about 1.5 Tablespoons) for standard cookies
🍪 use size 110 (about 1 teaspoon) for mini cookies
🍪 use size 16 (or an ice cream scoop with a trigger, about 1/4 cup) for large/bakery size cookies

Using a scoop makes for uniform cookie sizes, uniform baking, and when a recipe tells you exactly what size to use, you get perfect results every time! 🤩

Comment “scoops” below and I’ll send the link to my Amazon store (affiliate link) directly to your DMs so you can get the same scoops you see here! 💌 https://urlgeni.us/amzn/cookietools

#cookiebaking #cookies #cookiestagram ...

If you only make ONE recipe from my 12 Days of Cookies lineup, make it this one! 🍋 #faf12daysofcookies

This recipe has lived on my site since 2017, and honestly, it has never once gotten the attention it deserves. That changes this year!

This recipe actually came from a reader. She mentioned a lemon pepper cookie on another cookie recipe post and I had to know more! 😮

Sweet, tart, lightly spiced, and perfectly crunchy, these lemon cookies hit all the nontraditional cookie notes. A drizzle of white chocolate adds just the right touch of extra sweetness for an unexpected and delightfully off-beat cookie 🍪

BONUS: they’re a slice & bake cookie, so no scooping— just slicing! 🔪

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these lemon pepper slice & bake cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/lemon-pepper-slice-cookies/

#sliceandbake #cookies #lemoncookies ...

The key to a uniform thickness which is the key to an even bake which is the key to perfect cut-out cookies is making sure your rolling pin doesn’t smash down the cookie dough 🔑

Two ¼ inch dowels taped onto your rolling surface is a GAME CHANGER in the cut-out cookie world 😱

ALSO (!!!!), I always get comments that they make rolling pins with rings on them for this purpose. Yes. Yes they do. But my personal experience is that I roll over the dough with the rings anyway 🤪 DOWELS are also a container 👏🏼

I have SO many cut-out cookie recipes on my site including but not limited to:
🍪 traditional sugar
🍪 chocolate sugar
🍪 peppermint sugar
🍪 pumpkin spice sugar
🍪 funfetti sugar
🍪 gingerbread

Head to my profile @freshaprilflours for all of your Christmas and holiday baking this year! 🎄

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to the ENTIRE COLLECTION of my cut-out cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/cut-out-cookies/

#cutoutcookies #cookiecutter #cookiecutters ...

It’s day 3 of my 11th annual 12 Days of Cookies, and this classic always makes it onto my holiday spread 🍪 #faf12daysofcookies

This recipe is not even close to brand new to my site, but it is worth mentioning again this year AND it got all new photos and a video so you can see just how easy they are to make.

These snowballs (sometimes called Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies) are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies filled with nuts and double-rolled in powdered sugar. Put them on your list ASAP! 🗒️

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these snowballs directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/russian-tea-cakes-snowballs/

#snowballcookies #snowballs #cookies ...

If you want to jazz up your chocolate chip cookies, make sure your next batch gets a little cinnamon-sugar bath before you bake them! 😮

These particular cookies are PUDDING chocolate chip cookies, which makes them ultra chewy, packed with flavor, and a new way for you to change up your usual 🍪

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these cookies right to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/snickerdoodle-chocolate-chip-pudding-cookies/

#cookies #cookierecipe #cookiegram ...

Fans of my chocolate chip cookies— LISTEN UP! 👂

Today is day 2 of my 11th annual 12 Days of Cookies, and this one is a MUST! 🍪 #faf12daysofcookies

These chocolate chip cookie bars are everything you love about my classic chocolate chip cookies but pressed into a 9x13 baking pan, baked at a slightly lower temperature, and cut into customizable sized bars for an easier way to make AND serve them 🤭

And just like brownies, we’ve got interior pieces, edge pieces, and corner pieces for those who fall into one of those camps.

Or, you know, whatever. You can eat them all yourself for all I care— one pan could mean one serving. I don’t make the rules, just the delicious cookies! 😜

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to my chocolate chip cookie bars directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/

#cookiebars #chocolatechip #chocolatechipcookies ...

If you want to make the gooiest sticky buns, start with my easy, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls and then lay them on a bed of pecans + a brown sugar maple syrup situation 🤤

These maple pecan sticky buns are my go-to sweet brunch recipe because they’re simple, small batch (makes 6!) but easily scaled for any size crowd, and better than anything I’ve ever had from a bakery.

Seriously 😳

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these sticky buns directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/sticky-buns/

#stickybuns #stickybun #yeastbread #brunch ...

It’s here! It’s here! We’re kicking off my 11th annual 12 Days of Cookies today, which means TWELVE COOKIE RECIPES IN A ROW! 🍪 #faf12daysofcookies

Today is day 1, and I’m starting with a recipe that’s been on my site since 2015— but it got a full recipe overhaul, new photos, and, of course, a video.

If you’ve been here a while, you know I’m an oatmeal raisin cookie LOVERRRRR. BUT! These are not your average oatmeal raisin cookies— they’re oatmeal RaisinET cookies! Think chewy, buttery, and packed with chocolate-covered raisins in every bite 😋

Basically your ultimate movie-theater snack… Without leaving your couch 🛋️

Comment the word “recipe” below and I’ll send the link to these oatmeal Raisinet cookies directly to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/oatmeal-raisinet-cookies/

#oatmealcookies #raisinets #raisins ...

These no-bake chocolate salami cookies (yes, they’re actually called that) will make everyone think you did
THE MOST 💫

Because let’s be real: no one wants sad, basic no-bakes, and you know people eat with their eyes first 👀

Save this post to your cookie inspo collection or comment the word “recipe” below and l’ll send the link to these chocolate salami cookies directly to your DMs! 💌
#freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/
chocolate-salami/

#nobakecookies #chocolatesalami #christmascookies #christmasrecipes ...

First Monday (well— we’re doing it on Sunday because my 12 Days of Cookies starts tomorrow! 🍪) of the month means a brand new Bake Along! 🧑‍🍳 #fafbakealong

What is the Bake Along?
1️⃣ bake the assigned recipe (or alternate)
2️⃣ snap a pic
3️⃣ include a video for one bonus entry
4️⃣ leave a review (as a mega favor 💙)
5️⃣ get entered to win $100 to YOUR CHOICE of merchant

It’s that simple 🙌

December’s Bake Along is my brand new HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS and the alternative is PEPPERMINT BARK CANDY 🍭

Comment the words “bake along” below and I’ll send the link to the Bake Along page right to your DMs! 💌 #freshaprilflours • https://freshaprilflours.com/bake-along/

#marshmallow #marshmallows #homemadecandy ...

Baking + background Friends = my entire personality. Just ask my whisk and Friends couch tattoos (seriously).

Does this sound like a good time to you? If so, you’re in the right spot 😎

Looking for your new favorite baking recipes? I’ve got you covered— comment the word “index” below and I’ll send you the link to my recipe index so you can start perusing everything! 🧑‍🍳 • https://freshaprilflours.com/recipe-index/

#baking #bakingrecipes #fortheloveofbaking #procrastibaking ...