April Vance

April Vance
April Vance
Everyday Dinners, Baking & Practical Home Cooking

Hundreds of recipes by April Vance – weeknight dinners, loaves, cookies and simple sides.

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April Vance's recipes start at the dinner table and end in the oven. Roughly half of her work is dinners: quick skillet and sheet-pan meals, seafood in under half an hour, quesadillas, tacos, paella and air fryer favorites such as onion rings. The other half is baking, from banana bread in several variations to chewy holiday cookies, brownies, apple pie cake and sourdough discard crackers.

She also covers sides and breakfast: pasta salad for a barbecue, date oat balls, frozen yogurt bites and other small dishes that round out a meal or fill a lunchbox. A recurring thread is making good use of what is already in the kitchen, whether that means ripe bananas, leftover vegetables or sourdough discard.

What sets her recipes apart is the "why" behind each step. Instead of a bare list of instructions, you get a short explanation of why an ingredient is swapped, why a batter rests or why a pan needs to be hot, so the result is easier to repeat and adjust. Times and serving sizes appear right in the titles, which makes planning simple. Browse her latest recipes below and pick something for tonight or for the weekend.

Latest recipes:

Fluffy Air Fryer Churro Bites with Cinnamon Sugar

Fluffy Air Fryer Churro Bites

4.33 (6 Ratings)

All-purpose flour, butter, and egg create these Fluffy Air Fryer Churro Bites. Rapid air circulation makes a crisp outer shell without frying in 32 min.

Shattering-Crisp Air Fryer Onion Rings

Crispy Onion Rings Air Fryer

4.75 (4 Ratings)

Golden and crunchy Crispy Onion Rings Air Fryer. A quick salt soak stops the batter from slipping so they stay coated. Try this homemade snack today.

Crystal Clear Homemade Iced Tea with Maple Syrup

Iced Tea with Maple Syrup

4.67 (6 Ratings)

Brew and chill black tea bags to create a crisp Iced Tea. Pure maple syrup and lemon juice balance the flavor in 2 hours 15 minutes.

No-Knead Crispy Focaccia Bread

No-Knead Crispy Focaccia Bread

4.83 (6 Ratings)

Salty and airy Focaccia Bread. Cold fermenting the dough creates big air pockets for a light crumb. Serve it as a side for dinner parties.

Ratatouille Zucchini Boats with Eggplant

Ratatouille Zucchini Boats

4.33 (6 Ratings)

Jammy vegetables define these Ratatouille Zucchini Boats. This guide includes quick recipe details for easy prep. A great option for meatless dinners.

Roasted Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

4.50 (6 Ratings)

Weeknight dinner cooks will love these Zucchini Boats. A salting tip in the fixing common issues section prevents mushy shells for a firm, cheesy result.

Farmley Date Bites Recipe in 9 Minutes

Farmley Date Bites Recipe

4.50 (4 Ratings)

Pitted dates, honey, and raw almonds create this Farmley Date Bites Recipe. The section on what each ingredient does helps you prep these in 9 minutes.

Fudgy Vegan Gluten Free Brownies with Dates

Vegan Gluten Free Brownies Dates

5.00 (6 Ratings)

This recipe includes a breakdown of basic recipe specs. These Vegan Gluten Free Brownies Dates are ideal for anyone seeking a refined sugar-free treat.

Moist GlutenFree Sticky Date Cake

GlutenFree Sticky Date Cake

4.80 (5 Ratings)

A dense, fudge-like dessert is this GlutenFree Sticky Date Cake. Review the bake details to ensure a moist crumb before you start baking.

Gluten Free Date Squares with Almond Flour

Date Squares with Almond Flour

4.67 (6 Ratings)

Date Squares made with almond flour stay chewy and sturdy. This guide includes a section on what the ingredients do to avoid crumbling. Ready in 40 minutes.

Almond Joy Stuffed Dates with Coconut Butter

Almond Joy Stuffed Dates

4.60 (5 Ratings)

Medjool dates, coconut butter, and dark chocolate make these Almond Joy Stuffed Dates. Learn what each ingredient does in this 45 minute treat.

Chocolate Date Nut Bars with Dark Chocolate

Chocolate Date Nut Bars

4.25 (4 Ratings)

Chill a no-bake base to create these Chocolate Date Nut Bars. See the section Why These Bars Work to get this chewy snack ready in 2h 10min.

Fudgy Chocolate Date Brownies

Chocolate Date Brownies

4.83 (6 Ratings)

Medjool dates, almond butter, and cocoa powder make these Chocolate Date Brownies. Includes an ingredient swap table and takes 30 minutes total.

Date Fudge: Rich and Chewy

Date Fudge with Almond Butter

5.00 (2 Ratings)

Health-conscious snackers will love this Date Fudge. Our guide to the cooking process shows how to get a rich, chewy result without using a stove.

No-Bake Date Oat Balls with Peanut Butter

Date Oat Balls

4.50 (4 Ratings)

Looking for a tasty snack like Date Oat Balls? These chewy treats take only 15 minutes and include a simple preparation guide to get you started.

GlutenFree Date Cookies with Almond Flour

GlutenFree Date Cookies

4.83 (6 Ratings)

Many gluten-free treats rely on expensive binders. These GlutenFree Date Cookies use natural date stickiness; see the section Why These Cookies Work.

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates

5.00 (6 Ratings)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates provide a salty sweet treat. Use the step-by-step instructions to get the chocolate shell right. Ready in 1 hour 45 minutes.

Date Oat Cookies: Chewy and Golden

Date Oat Cookies

4.75 (4 Ratings)

Rolled oats, cinnamon, and dates make these chewy Date Oat Cookies. Check out the quick details on these treats and bake them in 22 minutes.

Fudgy Date Brownies with Almond Flour

Date Brownies with Almond Flour

4.67 (6 Ratings)

Date Brownies provide a rich, fudge-like treat without refined sugar. Includes a table explaining each ingredient's role. Ready in just 30 minutes.

Guilt-Free Peanut Butter Dates

Peanut Butter Dates

4.33 (6 Ratings)

Peanut Butter Dates satisfy your sweet tooth with natural fruit. This guide provides clear step-by-step instructions for the filling. Ready in 20 minutes.

Sticky Date Cake with Caramel Glaze

Date Cake for 12 Servings

4.40 (5 Ratings)

This Date Cake delivers a dense, moist crumb. Our guide includes a detailed step by step process to get the texture right. Ready in 55 minutes.

Best Oven Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter

Best Oven Baked Salmon

4.40 (5 Ratings)

Get the Best Oven Baked Salmon with a rich honey garlic butter baked salmon glaze. Includes a temperature chart for juicy results. Ready in 20 minutes.

Simple Baked Salmon Fillets with Lemon

Simple Baked Salmon Fillets

4.17 (6 Ratings)

Simple Baked Salmon Fillets are a fast dinner win. Try these easy baked salmon recipes for a moist result. Includes a temperature chart for flaky fish.

Easy Oven Baked Salmon with Honey Butter

Easy Oven Baked Salmon

4.00 (7 Ratings)

This Easy Oven Baked Salmon is tender and flaky. Try this Honey Garlic Butter Baked Salmon fillet with our temperature chart for best results in 20 min.

Easy Garlic Roasted Salmon with Melted Butter

Easy Garlic Roasted Salmon

4.20 (5 Ratings)

Make Easy Garlic Roasted Salmon for a tasty dinner. This Garlic Butter Baked Salmon includes a budget swap table to keep costs low. Ready in 25 minutes.

Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon in 25 Minutes

Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon

4.33 (6 Ratings)

This Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon uses a high-heat sear. Try this pan seared lemon garlic butter salmon with our temperature chart. Ready in 25 minutes.