Sunday, December 28, 2008

M&M Peanut Butter Cookie Cups



I am always looking for cute new ways to make cookies that aren't just the classic flat circle. These are so adorable and perfectly bite-sized. The original recipe comes from Picky Palate but I changed a couple things to make it easier and so that I could just use ingredients already in the pantry.
  • 1 cup peanut butter

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 cup chocolate chips

  • 3 tbsp heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup mini M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place peanut butter, sugar and egg into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Scoop dough evenly into a 12 count mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin pan. Cook for 15-18 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted smooth. Stir in heavy cream until silky and smooth. You can return back to microwave for 15 seconds to get a thinner consistency. Spoon chocolate over top and sprinkle with mini M&M's.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark



This is probably the easiest dessert recipe ever. Only three ingredients and it only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Every time I make this it disappears in a day, so double or triple the recipe so you can keep some for yourself and share the rest with friends.

  • 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter

  • 6 oz white chocolate chips

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave for about 1 -2 minutes or until smooth. Make sure to take out bowl carefully and stir every 20-30 seconds.

In a pan lined with parchment or wax paper, spread out a thin even coat of the heated chocolate mixture.

In another microwave-safe bowl, heat white chocolate in the microwave the same way as the above mixture. Drizzle the white chocolate over the peanut butter/chocolate mixture.

Place into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until chocolate has completely cooled. Break into pieces and store in a ziploc bag.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars



This is a perfect little snack time treat. If you want to make it a little healthier, leave out the chocolate chips and cut back on the sugar and just have them be oatmeal cookie bars -- sweeter than a granola bar, but not quite as unhealthy as a regular cookie.

This classic oatmeal and chocolate chip recipe is perfect for the holidays or any time of the year and will go great in your treat bags!

  • 2 1/4 cups rolled oats

  • 1 1/4 cup flour

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 egg white

  • 1 tbsp vanilla

  • 1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat to 325°F. Line baking pan with parchment paper.

Whisk oats, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in egg, then egg white, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread out dough into the pan to make an even layer.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the bars are lightly golden brown. Let cool. Cut bars into squares and store in an airtight container.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Snickerdoodles



This is one of my Dad's favorites -- I make a plate and its usually gone in a day. These cookies are nice and soft on the inside and sugary and slightly crisp around the edges. Although you have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands a little dirty, they are definitely worth it!
  • 1 stick butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 2 3/4 cups flour

  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp Cream of Tartar

  • 1/4 tsp salt


  • 4 tbsp sugar

  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until well-combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in flour, baking soda, salt, and Cream of Tartar. Mix until just combined.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into small balls about the size of a ping-pong ball and then lightly press them to be in the shape of a thick, flat disc. Cover both sides with the cinnamon sugar mixture and place onto a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart from each other. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until barely golden-brown. Let cool for about 3-5 minutes and then remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack. Store in an airtight container after completely cooled.


Makes 2 dozen large cookies.

Original recipe from Pillsbury.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Coconut Macaroons


Every year I am dying for some new cookie recipes to add to my Christmas cookie list and so I am part of the Food Network 12 Days of Cookies recipe special. Basically every day for 12 days beginning December 1 they email you a cookie recipe from one of their chefs.

This was Day 1 and I thought it was perfect because NO FLOUR! And although I am usually not a huge coconut fan, in dessert I always make an exception.

  • 15 oz shredded coconut

  • 2 oz sweetened condensed milk

  • pinch kosher salt

  • 1 tsp. vanilla

  • 4 egg whites

  • 5 oz sugar

  • 12 oz chocolate chips

  • 1 oz shortening

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture. (I added mini chocolate chips to the top too!)

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Monday, December 22, 2008

Oreo Fudge Bars


I often frequent the blog of the Baking Blonde and she always posts such yummy looking desserts. I thought this was the perfect cookie inside a "cookie" type dessert for the holidays. The great part is you can make these a day or two in advance as long as you wrap them up well and then you have one more recipe checked off your list!

  • 16oz. package of Oreo cookies

  • 1 stick butter, melted

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM. Set aside 6 Oreo cookies for the toppings.

In a small food processor, grind the rest of the cookies. If you don’t have a food processor, just pound with a rolling pin until the cookies are fine crumbs. Add the salt to the crumbs and stir to combine. Melt butter and gently stir together with the cookie crumb mixutre. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Coarsely chop the remaining cookies into chunks and set aside.

Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt 3/4 cup semi-sweet and 1/2 cup milk chocoalte chips together with the condensed milk and vanilla. Stir frequently until smooth. Spread evenly over the prepared cookie crust. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and the Oreo cookies chunks over the top of the filling. Press down gently into the chocolate topping.

Bake for 20-22 minutes oven. Allow to cool on counter for 1 hour. Chill in fridge until completely cold and set before cutting into bars.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas Treat Platters


Every single year I want to put together treat plates that have lots of different cookies, bars, treats, and snacks to give out to family and friends and every single year I get so busy and so I usually make two different cookies and call it a day. This year I am going to try to make a lot of different recipes ... some new and some that I can recite off the top of my head.

These recipes will be coming in the next week or so as my I bake my heart away ...

  • Coconut Macaroons

  • Classic Sugar Cookies

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

  • Eclairs and Cream Puffs

  • Snickerdoodles

  • M&M Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

  • Black and White Cookies

  • .... and maybe a few surprises too .....

I hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!