Joy Wilson's Blog

Welcome, friends, officially to the holiday season. The big old house in Bellville, Texas is settling into its own traditions this year, and I have to say… it feels exceedingly sweet. We put the Christmas tree up on the front porch well before Thanksgiving (a premature move by my old standards, but completely acceptable here in small-town Texas). With the tree glowing every night it finally feels like our holiday rhythm is taking shape which is very exciting!

Continue reading Buttery Cheddar Pecan Crackers at Joy the Baker.

Bakehouse Bakery-Style Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best chocolate chip cookie recipe for big, thick, chewy cookies loaded with melty chocolate. Crispy on the edges, soft in the center, and irresistibly buttery – these cookies are your secret weapon.

Friends, it’s a great day!

After more than a decade of baking my dad’s Best Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (and convincing you to do the same thankyouverymuch), I’ve finally developed a cookie recipe all my own.

Continue reading The Bakehouse Texas Chocolate Chip Cookies (Texas-Sized Bakery-Style Cookies) at Joy the Baker.

Friends, good morning! My parents are coming to Texas next week, and I’m counting down the days. The last time they were here (last Thanksgiving, to be exact), I’d roped them into helping me pull off a surprise wedding before the big family dinner which was, as you’d imagine, no small feat. The time before that, they spent days unpacking boxes with me in the summer heat, making this big old Victorian house feel like home.

Continue reading And Here’s Where We’ll Close This Chapter at Joy the Baker.

Are you feeling that—the pull toward nesting? Is your energy dipping? Do you fall asleep earlier? Because, same. I’m leaning into it—slower mornings, softer nights, and heartier meals with the impending colder weather and darker evenings.

I won’t be denying it. There’s always a reason for our bodies’ shifts. It’s time to nest and cuddle up to a pot roast and melting roasted potatoes. The challenge is figuring out how to still fit in a couch rot when my schedule is as busy as summer’s.

Continue reading Nesting Season Has Officially Begun at Joy the Baker.

Meet your new favorite banana bread recipe!  It’s moist, deeply flavored, and just the right amount of sweet. It’s an easy, one-bowl loaf that fills your kitchen with the smell of butter and bananas. What could be better!?

Every time I move into a new kitchen (which, as an air sign, has been more than a few times), before the drawers are organized or the flour bins find their place in the cabinet, I bake a loaf of banana bread.

Continue reading My Best Browned Butter Banana Bread Recipe at Joy the Baker.

I have been too excited to come update you on my swimming journey. Right after last month’s post, I started swimming lessons. For anyone who wants to watch me word vomit through this, feel free to watch my Instagram highlights for some laughs. Most importantly, yesterday I was able to swim half the pool length with out a kickboard! My lifeguard told me, “I think you need to let go of the kickboard.

Continue reading Trusting the Water at Joy the Baker.

I’m reporting live from one of my favorite corners of the country – tucked into the trees of Northwest Arkansas. We’ve spent the week camping here, hiking with the dogs every morning, cooking outside, and watching the moon rise through the trees as the lightning bugs flicker on. It’s been still, quiet, and deeply grounding.  It’s  been the kind of week that reminds me how much I love fall’s early calm before life starts to spin again.

Continue reading Lightning Bugs, Blueberry Scones, and an Analog Fall at Joy the Baker.

Friends, hi! I’m ready for October (even though it fully snuck up on me this year). The air has shifted, I’ve taken the shortsleeved sweaters out of hiding (long sleeve sweaters are still a ways away), and suddenly the kitchen feels like the best place to be again. It’s the month for cinnamon sugar everything, slow mornings with coffee and cake, and a big pot of  chili simmering on the stove. If you’re looking for a little baking inspiration, I’ve gathered a few of my favorite Joy the Baker recipes that feel just right for October.

Continue reading An October Baking Moodboard at Joy the Baker.

Hello! I’m writing to you on a rainy morning. FINALLY. The heat has broken and it is pouring. The world smells so fresh (except for rainy day lunch at the middle school where I’m the vice principal — damp kiddos plus mingling food smells is really something) and I love it. I am a summer person, but the older I get, the more I genuinely love the way the days slow down, the gray days, and the natural inclination to stay home, eat soup, and snuggle down. 

Continue reading Building a Winter Life We’ll Love at Joy the Baker.

Every fall, I feel this pull (it’s a mission, really) to dream up a new twist on the classic Texas Sheet Cake. It’s a tradition of sorts now. Last year, I baked a Pumpkin Pecan Texas Sheet Cake, the year before that I couldn’t resist leaning into the classic chocolate version which is a true Wilson family staple, especially when there’s a crowd to feed.

Continue reading Apple Cinnamon Texas Sheet Cake at Joy the Baker.