Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These are a classic and an easy treat to whip up!  Play around with the pudding mix flavors and different chips or nuts for your own fun bar!  The 'secret' pudding ingredient helps keep them soft and chewy!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1 Cup Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1 - 3 oz Pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
12 oz Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat together sugars, pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.  Slowly mix in flour and baking soda until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonfuls into an un-greased 9x13" pan.  Spread out dough in pan as best you can (it will spread some while baking, does not need to be perfect).  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top and edges are just browning.  Do not over-bake.  Let cool, cut, and serve!

Tip: line bottom of pan with parchment paper for easy release (and cutting).

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There are TONS of recipes for chocolate chip cookies out there, but I had to share this one with you all!  There is a little "secret" ingredient at the end that makes these one of the best!  Little chewy, little bit crunchy, and a whole lot of YUMMY!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 Cup Shortening (Crisco)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
2 1/3 Cup Flour
1 Tsp Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 - 11.5 Oz Bag Chocolate Chunks (or any large chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream together shortening and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and eggs.  Add dry ingredients until blended, then stir in chocolate chunks.  Place rounded tablespoons of dough on parchment lined pan.  Lastly (the important step not to miss), sprinkle a bit of coarse sea salt over each cookie.  Bake for 11 minutes (don't over bake - should just be starting to brown on edges).  Let cookies cool on pan for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

I whipped up this recipe with some things I had on hand and I love the way they turned out.  Even better, there was no electric mixer needed!  Nice and light, but super moist and just the right amount of chocolate!  I've included some substitutes for making this a bit healthier next to the applicable ingredients if you desire - measure the same.  These will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for a couple days.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

1 Cup White Flour (substitute: wheat flour)
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Sour Cream (substitutes: vanilla or plain Greek yogurt)
1/4 Cup Oil - I used a canola/vegetable blend (substitutes: applesauce or melted coconut oil. Measure coconut oil in melted form and let cool slightly before using)
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Ripe Bananas, mashed (approximately 3 bananas)
3/4 Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (substitute: dark chocolate chip or any chip you desire)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with 12 liners and lightly spray liners with cooking spray (these like to stick - skip the liners, grease, and lightly "flour" tins with cocoa powder).

In small bowl, whisk (or use a fork) together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside.  Mash up bananas and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, oil, vanilla, and brown sugar.  Stir in mashed bananas and flour mixture until just combined.  Then, stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly among the 12  muffin liners.  Bake for 18-25 minutes; until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of muffin.  Allow to cool 5 minutes, then remove, and finish on a cooling rack.

Enjoy warm or cold!

Chocolate Chocolate Banana Bread

Before I became a stay-at-home-mom, I worked in a business office with it's own cafeteria.  The cafeteria used to make delicious, chocolate chocolate chip muffins people would vie for.  You often felt like you won the lotto if you made it to the cafeteria in the morning and one was left for you!  So, when I came across this recipe, I couldn't help but give it a try!!

This bread is a dense, chocolate, banana infused slice of yummy!  We couldn't get enough of it and the kids really enjoyed slathering on some leftover cream cheese frosting from some cupcakes we made earlier that day! 

This recipe makes 2 - 8x4" loaves, but can easily be split to make a single loaf.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chocolate Banana Bread

2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
2/3 Cup Oil
2 1/2 Cups Mashed Banana (approximately 5-6 bananas)
2 Tsp Vanilla
3 Cups Flour
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
2 Cups ((12 oz bag) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray bottoms of loaf pans.  In medium bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and oil - beat on medium speed until combined.  Slowly beat in mashed banana and vanilla.  In a separate bowl mix together (I use a wire whisk) flour, cocoa, soda, and salt.  On medium speed, beat in flour mixture with banana mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and then divide batter between pans.  Bake for 60-75 minutes - until a toothpick comes out clean from center.  Remove from oven, let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and finish cooling on wire rack.

Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes

This recipe is brought to you by Krysta and her cupcake craftiness!  She has contributed many other yummy recipes to MCC over the last couple of years and this one sure won't disappoint!  If you're a fan of chocolate, coffee, salted caramel, and cupcakes (who isn't?), you better whip up a batch of these!

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes


The Best Chocolate Cake Ever: (Adapted from kevinandamanda.com)
1 Devils Food Cake Mix (I used chocolate fudge)
1 Small Box Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Cup Greek Yogurt (can substitute with sour cream)
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips
1 Packet Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee (I used caramel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix everything together except the chips. Whip until somewhat fluffy. Batter will be THICK. Stir in chips and pour batter into cake pan of choice (I use cupcakes - it will make 24 cupcakes at LEAST).  Bake as directed on the back of the cake box (I use as a guide and usually add a few minutes - typically takes 22 min for cupcakes).

When cooled completely, use a sharp knife and cut in a circle around the middle of the cupcake to “core” the cupcake for the filling.

Salted Caramel Creme Filling:
1 Jar Archer Farms Salted Caramel Fudge Dessert Topping (bought at Target)
1/2 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

Whip dessert topping in mixer 2-3 minutes until fluffy - slowly add whipping cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Put into gallon ziploc bag and refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Cut the corner off the bag and pipe into cored cupcakes.


Espresso Buttercream Frosting: Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double this recipe)
1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2½ Cups Powdered Sugar
1½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
1½ Tsp Espresso Powder (I used 1/2 packet starbucks VIA caramel)

Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.  Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Oh man, this cake is dense and wonderful!  If you crave peanut butter and chocolate as much as I do, you better run and make this one!  We've nicknamed this one the "two glass of milk" cake because you're going to need a big 'ol jug of milk to go with it (or a nice cup of coffee)!

As you can tell by the puddle around the cake, I got a little carried away with the glaze.  Who doesn't love glaze though?!  I also was a little impatient and didn't let the cake cool, but man it was worth eating it warm!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Cake:
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (do not use natural)
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
3 Cups Sugar
6 Large Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Glaze:
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter and flour a 10" tube pan well (or use baking spray generously).  To prepare cake; in medium bowl, whisk or sift flour, baking powder, and salt - set aside.  In the bowl of your electric mixer cream peanut butter and butter, then add sugar and beat for 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time and vanilla - beating until well combined.  Add flour mixture a little at a time, until just combined.  Pour into prepared tube pan, then tap on counter gently to remove any air bubbles.  Bake for one hour, then check to make sure it's not browning too quickly (if it is, place some tin foil loosely over the top) and continue baking for another 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes, then flip and let finish cooling completely.

To make glaze; mix all ingredients with a whisk until smooth.  Slowly drizzle over cooled cake.  Then sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.  Glaze will take a bit to set, but the process can be quickened by putting the cake in the fridge.

*Note: To make this truly sinful, try cutting up Reese's peanut butter cups instead of the chocolate chips!

Rolo Turtles

Thanks to pinterest, I came across these beauties and decided I wanted needed to make them!  These are a super easy Christmas treat.  Watch out though, they're dangerously addicting!  My kids also loved helping to make them!

Enjoy!

Rolo Turtles

Pretzels (I used the square snaps)
Rolos (to save time, buy the ones by the checkout - you won't have to unwrap them)
Pecan Halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place pretzels on a cookie sheet (line with parchment paper if desired), leaving a little room between each pretzel.  Place one rolo on each pretzel.  Put in the oven for 5 minutes - chocolate will look shiny, but not completely melted.  Once out of the oven, place a pecan half on each rolo - making sure not to push down too hard and make a mess.  Be careful not to burn yourself on the pan or hot caramel.  Let cool for 10 minutes, then place in the fridge to finish setting.  Once completely cooled, store in an air tight container.  These will keep longer in the refrigerator, but can be kept at room temperature.  If storing in the fridge, pull out 30-60 minutes before serving to soften the caramel.

S'mores Bars

Mmmmm...who doesn't love an ooey gooey s'more from the campfire on a beautiful summer night?!  But what happens when it's the dead of winter in the frozen tundra and you have a hankering?  S'mores bars to the rescue!!

Enjoy!

S'mores Bars

8 Cups Golden Graham Cereal
5 Cups Miniature Marshmallows (we like things gooey, so we just used the entire bag)
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup
5 Tbsp Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Miniature Marshmallows - if desired

In large bowl, measure cereal.  Butter/grease 9x13" pan.  In large microwaveable bowl, microwave marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter uncovered on high 2 to 3 1/2 minutes - stopping and stirring every minute until melted and smooth.  Then stir in vanilla.  Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal, quickly tossing until coated - stir in additional marshmallows if desired.  Press mixture evenly into pan (trick: take a sandwich baggie and put your hand in it, butter the side you're going to press with.  press cereal with baggie and "walah" smooth bars and no sticky fingers/spoon!).  Let stand for about a hour before cutting and serving (speed up the process by putting bars in refrigerator).

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wow...that's a mouthful of a name for a cookie isn't it?!  As you all can probably tell, I have a thing for anything with peanut butter and chocolate.  For example, this recipe, this recipe, and this recipe!  I also have a thing for cookies. :) Throw the two together and I have to control myself from eating a whole batch and drinking a gallon of milk with them! 

This is a big batch (makes about 4+ dozen) and could easily be halved.

Enjoy!

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Butter, Softened
2 Cups Peanut Butter (1-16oz jar will do the trick)
1 1/2 Cups Sugar (Plus some for rolling the dough in)
1 Cup Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Peanut Butter Chips
1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In another large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until fluffy.  Add the sugars and beat until smooth.  Then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Add milk and vanilla extract.  Add flour mixture and beat thoroughly.  Stir in chips.  Roll rounded teaspoonfuls in sugar and place on pan.  Flatten with a fork in crisscross pattern (like picture above) or flatten with a spatula/bottom of a glass, back of spoon, etc.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (do not overbake - cookies will appear underdone).  Let cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring over to cooling racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Goodness!

Today is my birthday and birthdays call for yummy treats!  I love peanut butter, I love chocolate, and when you put them together - bliss!

I made these beauties with this recipe - one box of mix gave me over 40 cupcakes!  I just use my ice-cream scoop (or Pampered Chef Large Scoop) for uniformly sized cupcakes.  Instead of chocolate chips, I took a bag of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and diced them up.  Before I folded the peanut butter cups in, I tossed them lightly in flour to keep them from sinking in the batter while baking.

I could probably eat the cupcakes just by themselves, but to take them to that next level I decided to top them off with some peanut butter frosting!  I made this frosting and then at the end added 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter.

Ohhh these are soo tasty!!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

These beauties are incredible!  No one (even your picky kids OR spouse) will taste the vegetables in these! They bake up soft and cake-y and have the most wonderful flavor. 

If you just grate the zucchini, it will be more noticeable in the cookie.  I use my food processor and grind it up a little more after grating so it's less visible.  Either way, you won't notice a texture difference in the cookie.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

1 Cup Grated Zucchini
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Cocoa
12 Oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (Optional - I don't use them)

Combine zucchini, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter until blended.   Add egg and vanilla into zucchini mixture.  Add remaining ingredients - folding in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired).  Chill dough for 1 hour.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.  Don't over-bake cookies, you'll want them soft to the touch, but not gooey in the middle after cooling.

Yields approximately 30 - 2" cookies.

Wacky Cake & Chocolate Frosting

I love this recipe for so many reasons - it's so easy, I usually have everything in my pantry, it's ooey-gooey goodness, and did I mention it's easy?!  Another added bonus it this is egg-free for those with allergies.  I've included my favorite frosting recipe for with this, but you could easily use pretty much any kind of frosting your heart desires!

Enjoy!

Wacky Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Vinegar
2 Tsp Vanilla
2/3 Cups Oil
2 Cups Cold Water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together well. Make three "wells" in the dry ingredients - add vinegar, vanilla, and oil into each well. Pour cold water over everything and mix well. Pour into 9x13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

I usually always heat my ingredients on the stove. Also, depending if I want the smooth (ganache-like) frosting shown in the picture above or a fluffy chocolate frosting changes how I complete the recipe. To make the glossy, thinner frosting above - once butter, cocoa, and buttermilk are heated whisk in (sifted) powder sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth - pour onto hot cake. If I want the fluffier stuff (which is just as delish) I mix everything in my mixer with the whisk attachment until really smooth and fluffy!

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Cocoa

6 Tbsp Buttermilk (I've used heavy cream with no problems)

2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tiny Pinch Salt

(optional) 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Put butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in bowl - heat in microwave until boiling. Pour hot mixture in mixing bowl; add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt - beat until smooth. Pour over hot cake (right after removing from oven). If using nuts sprinkle over frosting immediately.

 

Baked Fudge

The Pioneer Woman does it again with this recipe...man, we go together like butter and cream because I think we both use it just as much! lol  If you're looking for a simple, yummy, scrumptious, knock your socks off dessert to serve some guests or just a treat to devour on the couch in your jammies, this is it!

Enjoy!

Baked Fudge

2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
2 Heaping Tbsp Cocoa
2 Tbsp Flour
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat eggs until light in color.  Beat in sugar until just combined.  Add cocoa, flour, butter and vanilla gently until well-combined.  Pour batter into 4 large ramekins or 8x8 baking dish.  Set into another pan filled about 1/2 way with water (known as a "water bath").  Bake 40-50 minutes until the crust is crispy and the batter is just starting to set.  If you put a toothpick in it, it'll come out "dirty," but the batter won't be runny.  If you have second thoughts when you pull it out, just put it in for another 10 minutes.

Serve with sweetened whip cream or ice-cream if desired.  :)

Double Chip Crunch Cookies

I have had this recipe for a long time.  My good friend Laura introduced them to me years ago- we were the girls in high school making cookies and brownies for our friends!  :)  I loved them so much, that when I went away for college my freshman year, I begged her to make them for me!!  Of course, she made them and I still remember getting the package of cookies and not wanting to share them with a soul!  This is definitely one of my top cookie recipes!

Enjoy!

Double Chip Crunch Cookies

1 Cup Butter, Softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2 3/4 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup English Toffee Bits
1 1/2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Cups Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating well.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, stir well.  Add dry ingredients slowly to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.  Stir in toffee bits and chocolate chips. 

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookie is slightly browned.  Let cool slightly before transferring to cooling racks.

Texas Sheet Cake

It seems I'm on some kind of cake kick.  What can I say?  I really enjoy a good slice of moist cake.  :)  This cake is more like a "cake" brownie though!  I've had this recipe in my arsenal for quite some time - it's a perfect recipe because I usually have everything on hand when a craving arrives.

Enjoy!

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Salt

Frosting:
5 Tbsp Milk
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Butter
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray jellyroll pan (I use Pampered Chef's Stoneware Bar Pan) with nonstick cooking spray.  In small bowl; combine flour and sugar - set aside.  In medium saucepan; heat water, butter, and cocoa powder over medium heat; bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Whisk in flour mixture.  Add eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and salt; mix well.  Pour into pan.

Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.  Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: Place milk, cocoa powder and butter in microwave safe dish or small saucepan.  Heat and whisk until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla; whisk until smooth.  Spread over warm cake.

Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

The BEST Chocolate Cake!

I have made this recipe over and over again in different variations and it's NEVER failed me.  I discovered this recipe as I was out looking for new fonts at Kevin & Amanda's blog and then stumbled over to Amanda's cooking blog where I saw THIS and knew I just had to make this cake!  Don't expect you'll be able to stop yourself at just one piece!  Obviously, you can make whatever kind of frosting you prefer, but I love a nice smooth cream cheese frosting to offset all the yummy chocolatey-ness of this cake.  Instead of chocolate chips I've used cut up peanut butter cups, mint chips, etc.  You can pretty much alter this cake in many ways to suit your tastebuds! :)

Enjoy!

The BEST Chocolate Cake

1 Box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 Small Box Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix (No Sugar Free or Fat Free Allowed!)
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix everything together, but the chocolate chips - batter will be THICK.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread into prepared pan of choice (9" round, 9x13, bundt, etc).  Use the back of your cake mix as a guide for the amount of time to bake, then add approximately 10-15 minutes.  Test cake for done-ness, but remember you may get chocolate on your toothpick because of the chips.  You don't want to over bake this or it'll lost some of its moistness!  Let cake cool and frost away!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies w/an unexpected {Healthy!} TWIST!

I'm so happy to be a guest-poster on Molly Crocker Cooking! Thanks Molly for inviting me!! :)

I am a sucker for chocolate chip cookies. I have a favorite go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe that never fails to produce the BEST chocolate chip cookies. Today, I couldn't find that recipe, so I experimented with something a little different, and these cookies did NOT disappoint!

With a healthy addition of oats and whole wheat flour as well, these definitely moved to the top of my recipe arsenal!

Enjoy!
*krysta*




Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal-Pecan Cookies

1/2 c Butter, melted
1/2 c Shortening
1 c Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 c Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
3/4 c Rolled Oats
1 1/2 c Whole Wheat Flour (I used Stone Ground)
2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (you can add more if your dough seems sticky.)
1 tsp Baking Soda
Dash of Salt
1 (12 oz) bag Chocolate Chips (I used a mix of Milk Chocolate and Semi-Sweet.)
1 (6 oz) bag Pecan Halves, toasted & chopped

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Toast Pecan Halves and Chop - set aside.

Cream butter, shortening and sugars - then add eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Shape dough into 1" balls (I just use my small Pampered Chef cookie scoop with the rounded part facing up). Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned; remove from oven. Let the cookies rest on the pans for another couple minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Temptations

These cookies (also known as peanut butter blossoms) are incredibly addicting - you won't be able to stop popping them in your mouth!  One batch is usually perfect for us, otherwise we would all have a tummy ache! :)  We make them all year round, but these make a great addition to your Christmas cookie assortment.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Temptations

Approximately 40 Miniature Reeses's Peanut Butter Cups  (11 oz Bag)

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.  Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups.  Line mini-muffin tin with paper cups, if desired.

Cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter - then add egg and vanilla until fluffy.  Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended.  Shape dough into 1" balls (I just use my small Pampered Chef cookie scoop with the rounded part facing up).  Place one in each paper-lined or ungreased muffin cup.  Do not flatten.

 

Bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and lightly browned; remove from oven.  Immediately press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Note: If making peanut butter blossoms, cook for 10 minutes, remove pan from oven and press candy kiss on top - cool for 5 minutes or so on pan before transferring to cooling rack.

Chocolate Nibblers

One of my best friends shared these with me...they are so darn easy AND you won't be able to stop eating them!  You can change up the cake mix for any kind you like  - they may just spread a little more than the chocolate does.  Enjoy! :)

Chocolate Nibblers

1 Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Cake Mix
1/2 Cup Oil
2 Eggs
Powdered Sugar

Stir together cake mix, oil, and eggs until combined.  Scoop balls of dough, roll in powdered sugar and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8 minutes.  Cool slightly before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.