I know most people bake less when the weather gets warm.  But if you've been here before, it's no shock that I'm a big old weirdo and not "most people" by any stretch.

The second the temperature climbs, normal folks start making no-bake desserts and politely avoiding their ovens. Meanwhile, you will, indeed, find me standing in my kitchen with the oven blasting away, shouting at the air conditioner to keep up.

Is it practical? Absolutely not.  Does my husband wander through the kitchen asking why we're turning the house into a bread-powered sauna? Yes. Yes, he does.  Will I stop?  Also no.  Because sometimes summer baking is simply worth the extra degree or two on the thermostat.

Case in point: these Giant Sourdough Discard Raspberry Muffins.

My friends, these muffins are enormous. Bakery-style. The kind of muffin that makes you feel like you've won something just by picking it up. They're packed with juicy raspberries, topped with a sweet buttery streusel, and baked until golden and gorgeous.

Every bite is bursting with bright raspberry flavor, little pockets of tangy sourdough goodness, and just enough crumbly topping to make you forget all about the fact that your air conditioner is currently working overtime.  

Summer deserves slow mornings with giant muffins and a big mug of coffee.  It deserves sitting on the porch before the day gets too hot, watching the birds argue over the bird feeder while you enjoy a breakfast that feels a little bit special.

So yes, I made the house a little hot...and you should too.  You'll thank me.

Why You'll Love These Muffins

• A delicious way to use sourdough discard
• Huge bakery-style muffins
• Bursting with fresh raspberries
• Sweet, buttery streusel topping
• Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon coffee breaks
• Freezer-friendly for future muffin emergencies

Giant Sourdough Discard Raspberry Muffins

For the Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

For the Streusel

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a jumbo muffin pan or a standard muffin pan with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Don't overmix.
5. Gently fold in the raspberries.
6. For the streusel, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them nearly to the top for those giant bakery-style muffins.
8. Sprinkle generously with streusel topping.
9. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F without opening the oven door.
10. Continue baking for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
11. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

• Fresh or frozen raspberries both work beautifully.
• If using frozen berries, don't thaw them first.
• The high-temperature start helps create those gorgeous bakery-style muffin tops.
• These freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months.

They'll understand.

My beautiful friends, I’ve been thinking about this one for a while.

I’ve wanted to make homemade tortillas forever but, for some reason, they absolutely terrified me. Which is ridiculous, honestly. I make naan and other flatbreads all the time. Easy peasy. Barely a second thought.

But tortillas? Tortillas had me acting like I was preparing for an Olympic event.

Maybe it’s the fact that you’ve got to roll the dough paper thin. Maybe it’s because mine are definitely not totally authentic. Maybe it’s because I know for a fact that they are never, ever going to be perfectly round. I see those gorgeous stacks of flawless tortillas online and immediately think, “Well, mine are going to look like the state of Nevada.”

Still, I finally decided to jump in.

And you know what pushed me over the edge? A brand spanking new French rolling pin from a restaurant supply store. Friends. FRIENDS. I am absolutely in love with this thing. Suddenly I was out here rolling dough like I had my own tiny tortilla factory in the kitchen. Was I dramatically whispering “paper thin, paper thin” to myself while flour exploded everywhere? Possibly.

I used olive oil as the fat this time because that’s what I had on hand, though I’m already thinking butter could be absolutely dreamy next round. I also tossed in some sourdough discard because apparently I cannot leave well enough alone and I wanted that little bit of tangy goodness.

And now I’m sharing them with you because if you suffer from the same knee-buckling fear of homemade tortillas that I did, I am here for you.

I did it. You can too. And you’ll be so glad you did.

Because it turns out homemade tortillas are actually way tasty and not terrifying at all.

Even if they do occasionally resemble abstract art.

Why You’ll Love These Tortillas

• They use sourdough discard so you can feel wildly resourceful.
• They’re soft, chewy, and just a little tangy.
• They make taco night feel unnecessarily impressive.
• They freeze beautifully.
• Nobody at your table is going to care if they aren’t perfectly round. Especially once they’re full of cheese.

Sourdough Discard Homemade Tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the sourdough discard, olive oil, and warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3–4 minutes until smooth. If the dough feels sticky, add a tiny bit more flour. If it feels dry, add a splash of water.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This helps the gluten relax so rolling them out doesn’t become an upper body workout.
5. Divide the dough into 10–12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball as thin as humanly possible. This is where I fully fell in love with my French rolling pin. Don’t stress about perfect circles. Your tortillas are allowed to have personality.
7. Heat a dry skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
8. Cook each tortilla for about 30–45 seconds per side, until bubbly spots form and little golden patches appear.
9. Stack cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft and warm.

A Few Cozy Tips

• If your tortillas are shrinking while rolling, let the dough rest for another 10 minutes.
• Don’t overcook them or they’ll get crisp instead of soft.
• These are incredible for tacos, quesadillas, wraps, or standing in the kitchen eating one with butter while questioning your life choices.

I genuinely cannot believe I waited this long to make homemade tortillas. They felt so intimidating in my brain and then turned out to be surprisingly forgiving and cozy and delicious.

Which honestly feels like a metaphor for a lot of things in life.

So if homemade tortillas have been lurking on your “maybe someday” list, this is your sign. Grab the rolling pin. Embrace the weird shapes. Flour your countertops with reckless abandon.

You’ve got this, my friends.

Oh my beautiful friends, it’s that time of year when fruit is everywhere and I suddenly turn into the kind of person who dramatically gasps over berries in the produce aisle like I’ve never seen a blueberry before in my life. Summer does this to me. One minute I’m a perfectly reasonable adult and the next I’m googling “u-pick berry farms near me” while clutching my coffee like it’s a life plan.

I’m honestly considering driving over an hour to pick berries at a farm with Ivy, and her dad thinks I’ve fully lost the plot because gas is basically five dollars a gallon and there are perfectly good blueberries sitting at the grocery store right down the street. Which… fair. Very fair. Financially speaking, the grocery store berries are probably the wiser choice.

But counterpoint: tiny sun-warmed fingers stained purple with blueberry juice. Cute farm photos. The possibility of pie. Memories. Vibes.

We’ll see who wins the day on this one.

In the meantime, grocery store blueberries were just fine for these yummy blueberry almond scones, and honestly? They turned out so ridiculously cozy that I’m not even mad about it. These are the kind of scones that make you want to sit outside early in the morning before everyone else wakes up, coffee in hand, listening to birds yell at each other in the trees while the air still feels cool and sleepy.

Oh my gosh, they just scream lazy summer mornings.

And can we talk about almond and blueberry together for a second? Because they are one of those magical flavor combinations that make you feel like you accidentally became the kind of person who owns linen napkins and remembers to water herbs regularly. Sweet juicy blueberries, buttery flaky layers, a little almond extract, crunchy sliced almonds on top? My friends. Come on now.

These also make your kitchen smell like a little bakery tucked into a small town where everyone inexplicably knows how to make jam and nobody is in a hurry. Which is exactly the energy I’m trying to channel this summer because the world feels loud and fast and I would personally like to slow down long enough to eat a warm scone on the porch.

Summer, I love thee, and I promise I’ll bring the sweet treats.

My friends, you should absolutely make these and savor the bounty of the season. Even if your berries came from aisle seven under fluorescent lighting instead of a picturesque farm field. No judgment here. We’re all just doing our best and hopefully eating carbs while we do it.

Blueberry Almond Scones

Ingredients

For the Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture looks crumbly with pea-sized bits of butter throughout. Rustic is the goal here. Perfection is overrated.
4. Gently stir in the blueberries and sliced almonds.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, almond extract, and vanilla.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix unless you enjoy tough scones and disappointment.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into about an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges.
8. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
9. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown and your kitchen smells like a dream.
10. Let cool slightly while you whisk together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over the warm scones and try not to immediately eat three of them standing at the counter. Or do. I’m not here to police your joy.

Serve warm with coffee, sunshine, and at least ten uninterrupted minutes to yourself if you can manage it.

Nobody—and I mean nobody—can clear out a bread basket faster than Ivy’s dad. Bread is his love language. Not flowers. Not fancy gifts. Just carbs. Preferably warm ones slathered in butter. And rolls? Oh, rolls make him downright emotional.

So when I decided to tackle a homemade version of those famous honey wheat rolls from Black Eyed Pea, he became very invested in the process. Suddenly this man, who leaves the kitchening to me started wandering in to check on my progress.  Did I get a baking assistant all of the sudden and it's not Ivy?  

“Do you need me to taste one?”

Sir. They haven’t even risen yet.

And let me tell you…these were SO worth it. Soft and pillow-y with just the right amount of wheatiness (not technically a word, but you absolutely know what I mean). They’ve got that cozy, slightly sweet flavor that makes you immediately want soup, Sunday dinner, or honestly just three rolls and a little salted butter while standing at the counter hiding from your responsibilities.

The real challenge here was getting photos before the entire pan disappeared. I turned around for maybe thirty seconds and caught Ivy’s dad reaching for a fourth roll like a raccoon trying to steal shiny objects. At one point I had to physically move the basket away from him so I could photograph them in peace.

Marriage is compromise.

Now, if you’ve got a bread lover in your family—or frankly if you’re the bread lover and you deserve some carb-based happiness—go make these. Yes, yeast dough takes a little time. Yes, there’s waiting involved. But the smell alone will make your kitchen feel like a cozy little bakery, and the first warm bite is absolute magic.

It’s worth the time. Just ask my husband.

Or maybe don’t. He shouldn’t talk with his mouth full of rolls.

Soft Honey Wheat Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups warm milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra melted butter for brushing

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and honey. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. Stir in melted butter, salt, and egg.
3. Add the whole wheat flour and mix well. Gradually add the all-purpose flour until a soft dough forms.
4. Knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not overly sticky.
5. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down dough and divide into 12–15 equal pieces. Shape into rolls and place in a greased baking dish or sheet pan.
7. Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
8. Bake at 375°F for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
9. Brush warm rolls with melted butter and try—truly try—not to eat four immediately.

Cozy Baker’s Notes

• These are incredible with cinnamon honey butter.
• Leftovers make amazing little sandwich rolls.
• If your family hovers while bread bakes too, know that you are not alone.
• Hide two rolls for yourself before calling everyone to dinner. Experience has taught me this is necessary.

Ok, my beautiful friends, you know that if I'm not reading a cookbook, I’m probably elbow-deep in a cozy mystery. I fully—and I mean fully—dream of opening a charming little bookstore/bakery in a small town where I casually recommend scones and solve the occasional murder between batches of dough. It’s a vibe. A lifestyle. A calling, honestly.

Now, let’s ignore for a second that I
a) do not live in a small town,
b) do not own a bookstore or a bakery, and
c) barely made it out of an escape room in the allotted hour (I DID make it out though, and I feel like that deserves recognition).

Instead, let’s lean in.

Picture this: my fictional bookstore/bakery. There’s a bell on the door that dings in the most satisfying way. There’s a suspiciously quiet man in the corner reading the newspaper. Ivy is perched on a stool-studying for an exam while sipping on a latte, absolutely living her best life. And you? You’re there with me, obviously. We’re sipping coffee, breaking apart these pillowy brioche buns, and whispering theories about who might have whacked Johnson—the very mean gardener. (Honestly, he had it coming. Don’t look at me like that.)

And in our hands? These beauties.

Soft, buttery brioche buns with a little well of lightly sweetened cream cheese, swirled with blackberry jam, and dotted with whole blackberries like they’re auditioning for the cover of a cozy mystery cookbook. They are rich without being too much, sweet but still breakfast-approved (we make the rules here), and just fancy enough to make you feel like you absolutely could solve a crime if needed.

In real life—murder mysteries optional—you need to make these.

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Brioche Buns with Cream Cheese Filling & Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

For the brioche dough:

• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
• ¼ cup warm milk

For the cream cheese filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

• ½ cup blackberry jam
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 egg (for egg wash)

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Instructions

1. Make the dough (aka: trust the process).
In a stand mixer, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add eggs and warm milk, and mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Now add that soft butter a little at a time. This will feel chaotic at first—like “this will never come together” chaotic—but give it time. After about 8–10 minutes, it should turn into a smooth, slightly sticky dough that feels rich and soft.

2. First rise.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled—about 1–2 hours. Or until you get distracted by a book and go, “Oh right, dough!” (also valid).

3. Make the filling.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Try not to eat it straight with a spoon. Or do. I’m not your boss.

4. Shape the buns.
Punch down the dough and divide into 10–12 pieces. Roll each into a ball and place on a lined baking sheet.

Using your fingers or the bottom of a glass, press a little well into the center of each bun.

5. Fill them up.
Add a spoonful of cream cheese filling into each well, then top with a little blackberry jam. Swirl it gently if you’re feeling artistic (or just emotionally stable that day).

Dot each bun with a couple whole blackberries because we are going for cozy mystery chic.

6. Second rise.
Cover and let rise again for about 30–45 minutes, until puffy.

7. Bake.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush edges with egg wash for that golden glow.

Bake for 18–22 minutes, until beautifully golden and your kitchen smells like you’ve got your life together.

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The Charming Detective Solves the Flavor Case

These buns are soft, rich, and just the right amount of indulgent. The cream cheese melts into the brioche, the blackberry jam gets all jammy and perfect, and those little berries on top? Pure main character energy.

Make them for a slow morning. Make them for your people. Make them because you deserve something warm and lovely and just a little bit magical.

And if you do happen to solve a small-town mystery while eating one… please report back. I have theories.

My friends, Mother Nature has lost her ever loving mind. Last week, schools closed because of a late winter storm and as I sit here writing this it’s 80 degrees outside. Later this week, we’re supposed to hit 89. For. REAL!!! Climate change is cray.

Do you know what’s not crazy? Ice cream.

Ice cream is the answer to many a question. Hard day at work? Ice cream. The kids are in Finals Hell in college? Ice cream. The weather is giving you whiplash? You guessed it…ice cream.

And I’ve been obsessing over this flavor for months. Ivy and I shared a cone of salted peanut butter ice cream at Union Station a couple of months ago and I said to myself, “self—you need to figure out how to make this, because you can’t just drive downtown once a week and spend $20 on ice cream. Not in this economy!”

So I got to work.

Now, the next version of this will totally happen in my ice cream maker (because apparently I enjoy creating more dishes for myself), but for now I’m going to stare 89 right in the eye and take a big fat lick of this ice cream. No churn, no fuss, no fancy equipment—just vibes and a slightly unhinged determination to not melt into a puddle.

It’s sweet. It’s salty. It’s peanut butter and frankly, I don’t care what the temperature is. I’m going to be eating this year round.

And you should too.

Salted Peanut Butter No-Churn Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2–1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (to taste)
• 1 cup chopped peanut butter cups (plus extra for topping because we’re not quitters)

Instructions

1. Whip it real good
   In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This is your arm workout for the day if you’re doing it by hand. Congratulations, you’re thriving.
2. Make the peanut butter base
   In another bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and sea salt until smooth and creamy. Try not to eat it straight from the bowl. (Or do. I’m not your mom.)
3. Fold gently
   Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture in batches. Be gentle here—we’re making ice cream, not punching dough.
4. Add the good stuff
   Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. Pause to admire your life choices.
5. Freeze
   Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Sprinkle extra peanut butter cups and a little flaky salt on top because we believe in abundance.
6. Wait (the hardest part)
   Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you have self-control. (I do not.)

Notes from My Slightly Melty Kitchen

• Taste before freezing and adjust salt levels—it should have that sweet-salty magic that makes you go back for “just one more bite” 17 times.
• Let it sit at room temp for 5–10 minutes before scooping so you don’t pull a muscle.
• This is wildly kid-approved, Ivy-tested, and dangerously easy to make on repeat.

So here we are. Weather chaos outside, creamy peanut buttery bliss inside. Honestly, if the forecast is going to keep playing games, I’m just going to lean in and keep a freezer full of ice cream like the emotionally prepared adult I aspire to be.

Stay cool, my friends. Literally.

Oh friend… gather ‘round, because I have a confession and a mission, and both involve chocolate. 

If there’s one thing I can count on Miss Ivy eating almost every single day of the week, it’s some variation of a chocolate chip muffin. Chocolate chip, double chocolate chip… if it’s got chocolate and vaguely resembles a muffin, she’s in. Honestly, it’s one of the few “safe foods” that always works, so I lean in.

But here’s the thing.

She LOVES those big, bakery-style muffins from the grocery store. You know the ones...tall, domed, slightly sparkly tops, wrapped in crinkly paper that somehow makes them taste even better? Yeah. Those.

We have spent… an embarrassing amount of money on those muffins.

And listen, I’m not above a grocery store treat. But at some point, standing there with my receipt and my dignity in tatters, I thought: Christine. You bake bread for fun. You can figure out a muffin.

So here we are.

Meet the Muffins That Might Save My Grocery Budget

These Sourdough Discard Double Chocolate Muffins are my latest attempt to win back both my wallet and my pride. And honestly? They might be the ones.

They’re rich, chocolatey, soft, and just the right amount of indulgent. Plus, they give me an excuse to use up sourdough discard, which makes me feel like the kind of person who has her life together—even if I absolutely do not.

I didn’t make them huge and bakery-style this time (turns out, I do not own the proper liners… shocking), but I did sprinkle a little turbinado sugar on top for that sparkle and crunch. Because if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right.

And then, in a shocking twist no one saw coming… I ate more of them than Ivy did.

Growth is a journey.

The Secret (That Requires Patience… I Know, I Know)

Here’s the deal. If you want that beautiful, tall, bakery-style muffin rise? The kind that makes you feel like you should be charging $4.75 each?

You’ve got to wait.

Make the batter the night before, cover it, and let it hang out in the fridge overnight. That extra time lets the flour fully hydrate, the flavors deepen, and the batter thicken in the best way.

And the result? Muffins with that gorgeous springy dome and tender crumb.

Trust me—your patience will pay off. (Even if you complain about it the whole time. I did.)

Sourdough Discard Double Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup sourdough discard (about 100g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
• Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional but highly recommended for sparkle )

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, milk, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Bring it all together
   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix—lumpy batter is your friend here.
4. Add the chocolate chips
   Fold in the chocolate chips like the generous, chocolate-loving person you are.
5. The overnight magic (don’t skip this if you can help it)
   Cover the bowl and place the batter in the fridge overnight.
6. Bake day
   The next day, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin (even if they’re not bakery-sized… we persevere).
7. Fill and sparkle
   Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
8. Bake
   Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
9. Cool (or don’t)
   Let them cool for a few minutes… or immediately burn your tongue because you couldn’t wait. Your call.

Will these completely replace the grocery store muffins?

Jury’s still out—Miss Ivy is a tough critic with strong muffin opinions.

But they’re softer, richer, made with ingredients I actually recognize, and significantly easier on the budget. And if I’m being honest… I kind of hope she doesn’t eat all of them.

Because I’d like a few for myself. For research purposes, obviously.