Falling every September 28, National Good Neighbor Day was first established by President Jimmy Carter in 1978—the same year that we opened our doors at Bob’s Red Mill!
After all these years, we still believe that community is worth building on purpose, and that homemade food is one of the simplest ways to bring a little more Moregetherness to the table.
So this year, bake something and share it with your neighbors! We've got seven recipes to help, from 25-minute gluten free cookies to a pull-apart party bread stuffed with garlicky herb butter and gooey melted cheese.
These almond chocolate chip cookies are richer in flavor than standard ones, and they hold up at room temperature for days. Plus, you’re getting 25 cookies in 25 minutes, made in just one bowl.
Our Almond Flour and the base of coconut oil and maple syrup give them a naturally tender, slightly golden crumb, while keeping them both dairy free and gluten free. The dark chocolate chips and toasted sliced almonds make them that much more distinctive than your ordinary cookie.
Stack them on a plate once cooled, or bring them over warm from the oven. Whoever gets these is almost definitely going to ask for the recipe—and sharing it is half the fun of Good Neighbor Day.
These confetti blondies are some of the most cheerful snacks you can deliver to a neighbor's doorstep.
Our Brown Sugar Blondie Baking Mix bakes up rich and chewy, with a deep butterscotch flavor that tastes like you spent all afternoon babying the batter. The confetti sprinkles go a long way here, too! They turn a straightforward blondie bar into something that’s fit for a special occasion, like getting to know the people in your community.
Cut them into squares for simple sharing; for a little extra flair, cube them and thread onto skewers with fresh strawberries and marshmallows for a colorful, snackable treat that travels easily.
Either way, these are sure to disappear fast, and you can expect neighbors to ask when you plan to bake up another batch.
These s’mores brownies are a crowd-pleaser that’s sure to bring a smile to your neighbors’ faces.
Start with a buttery graham cracker crust pressed into the pan, followed by our Fudgy Brownie Mix baked over the top. Top them with marshmallows that are torched or broiled until golden and charred at the edges.
The two-hour refrigerator rest time before slicing makes gifting simple. Cut the bars while they’re cold and include a note instructing them to let them come up to room temperature on the counter before enjoying.
Bake them in the afternoon, chill through dinner and drop off a plate in the evening.
Not every neighbor wants another plate of cookies, and these cheesy bacon jalapeño corn muffins offer something much more savory and filling.
Our Golden Cornbread Mix forms the base, folded together with sour cream, crumbled bacon, diced jalapeño and a generous handful each of cheddar and pepperjack. Twelve muffins to a batch means you can easily bring half next door and keep the other half (we won’t tell).
Leave the jalapeño seeds in for heat or remove them for a milder muffin that works for a wider range of people. Either way, the combination of cornbread, bacon and melted cheese makes a memorable first impression.
These cherry pie bars bring all the joy and nostalgia of a classic summer treat—the sweet-tart filling, the flaky buttery crust and the way it smells baking through the house—baked in a format that's perfect for sharing. A 9 x 13-inch pan yields 18 bars, which makes it easy to share this recipe with the entire neighborhood or just a lucky few.
Our Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour builds the crust, but the recipe also gives you the option to swap to our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for any dietary needs.
Fresh or frozen cherries work equally well, which makes shopping for this one easy. Plan for four hours of cooling before slicing! This makes an ideal morning project for an evening delivery.
This beautiful cranberry cream cheese coffee cake looks like a gift before you even consider how to present it.
Our Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Mix gets that much tastier with fresh or frozen cranberries, bright orange zest, a buttery crumb topping and a tangy cream cheese drizzle piped across the top once it's cooled.
With just 10 minutes of active prep time, this cake looks like a festive gift without you needing to fuss over assembly or icing.
Bring this one over on a tray with parchment underneath and a handwritten note. With its warm, cozy aroma, slices will disappear in the blink of an eye.
This rustic party bread, made from our Artisan Bread Flour and Active Dry Yeast, is baked until golden. Once cooled, you’ll crosshatch with a sharp knife and stuff every crack with garlicky herb butter and creamy mozzarella. It goes back into the oven wrapped in foil until the cheese is fully melted, then uncovered for a final few minutes until the top is bubbly and golden. Deliver it warm, with marinara on the side and watch as hands reach in immediately!
Just be aware that this bread is a two-day project. The dough rests overnight in the refrigerator, which develops flavor and gives you a little freedom as to when you move to the next step.
Once made, the bread itself keeps for up to two days. The result is all but guaranteed to turn neighborhood acquaintances into new friends.
A few small additional touches can elevate these recipes from a thoughtful baked good to a gift your neighbors will never forget.
When it comes to personal touches, there really is no right or wrong. How you share your baked treats, whether that’s in a whimsical container or accompanied by a couple of hand-picked flowers from your garden, can make the gesture feel truly heartfelt.
A humble mason jar looks adorable when tied with a pretty ribbon. Even everyday parchment paper feels endearing with a couple of sprigs of lavender or rosemary tucked on top.
A handwritten note makes the gesture feel personal and intentional—even simply writing “Happy Good Neighbor Day!” can go a long way.
If you're feeling generous, include the recipe! Sharing how you made something is its own form of connection. In a way, you’re inviting the other person into your kitchen and might even inspire them to bake for another neighbor.
A little forethought about who's on the receiving end makes the whole gesture feel specific, and specific always feels better than random.
The almond chocolate chip cookies are gluten free and dairy free, so they’re a thoughtful choice if you know a neighbor has dietary restrictions (just ask whether they have a nut allergy first). Both the cherry pie bars and confetti blondies include seamless swaps with our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. And if the neighbor in mind is more of a savory person, the jalapeño corn muffins or party bread will land better than anything sweet!
The confetti blondies, s'mores brownies and cranberry cream cheese coffee cake are all built on our Signature Blends Baking Mixes, which means the expert flour blending is already done.
You just add the pantry staples, the finishing touches and the care. The results taste homemade because the ingredients are exactly what we'd reach for if we were starting from scratch.
Good Neighbor Day is the perfect excuse to bring your neighbors together, but you don't have to wait for September 28 to roll around. Instead, invite your neighbors over for a casual, come-as-you-are get-together and share some homemade snacks, drinks and conversation. Hosting a Neighbor Hour is a simple way to turn the spirit of Good Neighbor Day into an everyday tradition of Moregetherness.
The neighbors who feel most connected to their communities are the ones who show up more than once—perhaps with something at the holidays, a loaf when someone moves in or a plate of muffins just because. In fact, that spirit of small, regular giving is what inspired our Little Free Bakery recipe collection! If you want this to become a longstanding habit, you’ll find plenty of inspiration there.
Just pick a recipe, bake a batch and keep building Moregetherness across your entire neighborhood all year round.
Which recipe are you bringing to your neighbors this September 28?
