When crafting or otherwise obtaining items with the inventory GUI open, recipes and advancements are acquired/unlocked instantly. When most other GUIs are open, they are not granted until the GUI is closed.

GUIs tested: ✓ = Grants instantly, ✗ = Granted only when closing GUI

✓ Player Inventory
✓ Sign
✓ Writable Book (Book and Quill)
✓ Command Block/Structure Block
✓ Pause Menu (game menu, options, resource packs, etc)
✗ Crafting Table
✗ Brewing Stand
✗ Anvil
✗ Enchanting Table
✗ Beacon
✗ Hopper
✗ Dropper/Dispenser
✗ Chest/Trap Chest/Ender Chest/Shulker Box

It looks like this bug may affect GUIs that have their own inventory. Other GUIs such as Sign and the player inventory are unaffected.

Steps to reproduce:

• Start a new world
  Alternatively reset your recipes and inventory _(since 1.12-pre5) _

  /clear @s
  /recipe take @s *
  /advancement revoke @s from recipes/root
    

• Punch wood
• Unlocks planks recipe
• Open inventory
• Craft planks
  Note new recipes unlock instantly (without closing gui) (crafting table, sticks, button, pressure plate)
• Craft a Crafting Table and some more planks
• Close inventory
• Place down Crafting Table and open its GUI
• Craft sticks in the crafting bench (leaving enough planks for making tools)
  Note that nothing unlocks
• Close the Crafting Table GUI
  Note that new recipes unlock (wooden tools, fences, ladders)

Other scenarios: (using summon to simulate picking up items)

• Have sticks in your inventory
• Summon some coal above you before opening your inventory

  /summon Item ~ ~50 ~ {Item:{id:coal,Count:64}}
  

  Note that the torch recipe unlocks instantly (with inventory open)

• Place down/go to a crafting table
• Summon some iron and open the crafting table GUI

  /summon Item ~ ~50 ~ {Item:{id:iron_ingot,Count:64}}
  

  Note no recipe unlocks

• Close crafting GUI
  Note iron recipes unlock
  Note receive advancement "acquire hardware"
• Summon in some string and open inventory

  /summon Item ~ ~50 ~ {Item:{id:string,Count:64}}
  

  Note instantly receive recipes for wool and bows

• Summon some diamonds and open the inventory

  /summon Item ~ ~50 ~ {Item:{id:diamond,Count:64}}
  

  Note diamond recipes unlock
  Note receive advancement "DIAMONDS!"
  Note inventory still open