candy cane kiss cookies

the goods:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

20 hershey candy cane kisses

In a large bowl using a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the dry ingredients, then add the milk. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. put confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, then roll each ball in confectioners' sugar to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet, then press a hershey candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie.

brownie peppermint cookies

the goods:

1 box fudge brownie mix

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

vanilla cream frosting:

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crushed peppermints, or candy canes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a cookie sheet and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brownie mix, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add in eggs and milk and stir with a wooden spoon. Add in melted butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract, stir until well blended. Spoon heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

While brownie cookies are baking and cooling, make frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together butter, sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and salt.

When brownie cookies are cooled, frost and sprinkle with peppermints.

monster cookies

the goods:

1 and 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon sour cream

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 and 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup m&m's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Mix until completely combined. Add sour cream, vanilla, and eggs and mix until incorporated. Add baking soda. Slowly fold in oats, mixing well. Then fold in chocolate chips and m&m's. Drop by large tablespoonful onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently press down to only slightly flatten. Press additional m&m's into the tops of each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

monster peanut butter cookies

the goods:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bag Reese's pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat to combine. Slowly ad dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Stir in oats, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes, meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour Reese's pieces onto a plate or into a wide bowl. Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) drop cookie dough into the bowl of Reese's pieces. Gently use your hand to press the dough down into the candies and flatten the dough into a disc, then transfer to the cookie sheet. Bake, six at a time, for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to darken. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

candy corn fudge

I made these Halloween treat plates for our close friends and neighbors and before I delivered them, I snapped some quick pics to share the ideas!

 

the goods:

 

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk

1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

3 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

orange food coloring

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

orange decorative sprinkles

 Line and 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over edges. Butter foil. Set aside.
Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a 2-quart sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 7 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture comes to a full boil. Continue cooking, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in marshmallow creme and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Remove from heat.
Spoon 1 and 1/2 cups hot mixture into a bowl; stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Place into freezer for 5 minutes or until set.
Add white baking chips and remaining vanilla to remaining marshmallow creme mixture in saucepan; stir until smooth. Spoon 1 cup mixture into another bowl; add enough food coloring to reach desired orange color. Stir in orange zest. Remove chocolate from freezer; spread orange mixture over top. Return to freezer for 5 minutes or until set.
Remove fudge from freezer and top with remaining marshmallow creme mixture (microwave for 10 seconds to soften if necessary). Sprinkle with decorative sprinkles. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until set.

 

Remove fudge from pan using foil overhang. Place onto a cutting surface, peel back foil and cut into squares, then slice each square in half diagonally.

m&m cookies

 

the goods:

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1 to 1 and 1/2 cups mini m&m's

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Add flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, stirring to combine. Add chips and m&m's and stir to combine.

With a medium cookie scoop, place dough 1-inch apart from each other. Bake for 10-11 minutes until light golden around the edges. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

butterfinger blondies

the goods:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla2 eggs

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

17  Butterfinger "fun size" bars, coarsely chopped

frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar

5 Butterfinger "fun size" bars

5 Butterfinger "fun size" bars for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in chopped Butterfinger. Spread in baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is just set. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Make frosting: In the cleaned bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add in confectioners' sugar on low speed. Turn speed up to medium and mix until smooth. Fold in chopped Butterfingers.

Spread frosting on cooled blondies and sprinkle with remaining chopped Butterfingers.

Disclaimer: These will send you into a sugar coma. The next time I make these I am planning on topping them with whipped cream instead of frosting just to lighten them up a bit! But I posted the original recipe just in case you're into that sort of thing ;)

cadbury egg cupcakes

the goods:

1 box chocolate cake mix (or your favorite homemade recipe)

3 cans white frosting (or your favorite homemade buttercream recipe)

1 oz. yellow food coloring

48 mini Cadbury Creme Eggs (24 frozen)

Prepare batter according to package instructions. Scoop batter into paper lines cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. Place 1 Mini Cadbury Creme Egg into the middle of each cupcakes (don't sink it too deep or it will burn on the bottom).

Using a small offset spatula, gently spread a thin layer of batter over the top of each egg.

Bake according to package instructions.

Allow to cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling, mix one can of frosting with the whole bottle of yellow food coloring, and blend well. Assemble your piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe a large circle around the perimeter of the cupcake with white frosting.

Fill in the center of the circle with the yellow frosting.

Top with a Mini Cadbury Creme Egg. Use the egg to cover up any pointy tips of frosting.

fudge with (or without) pretzels

the goods:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (16 ounces)

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup miniature pretzels

Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Place butter, chocolate chips, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until chocolate just melts and mixture is combined and warm but not hot, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, transfer mixture to pan and smooth top; press pretzels on top (you can do the whole pan or just half). Refrigerate until set, 2 hours. Using parchment, lift fudge from pan and cut into squares.

chocolate-candy icebox bars

Not sure what to do with leftover Halloween candy? Look no further!

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

43 chocolate wafers, such as Famous

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cups natural peanut butter

1 cup halved Snickers "minis" candy bars (about 12)

1 cup Kit Kat "snack size" candy bars (about 8), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 bag (11.5 ounces) Nestle Crunch "fun size" bars

Lightly butter a 9-inch square metal baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Butter parchment. In a food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl; whisk in confectioners' sugar and salt. In a medium bowl, microwave butter and peanut butter in 30-second increments, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Stir into wafer crumb mixture and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Fold in Snickers, then transfer to pan. With a small spatula, press mixture evenly into pan. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. In a clean bowl, microwave Nestle Crunch bars in 30-second increments until just melted. Pour over chilled mixture and, with spatula, spread evenly. Refrigerate until set, 20 minutes.

Using parchment, lift confection from pan and cut into bars.

bat brownies

I know, I know, I know... it looks like my 2-year-old decorated these... they could have been way cuter if I had any patience at all!

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for baking pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate chips (1 and 1/2 cups)

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

32 miniature York peppermint patties

York pieces (white ones only) for eyes

chocolate chips and icing pens, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, sugar, and bittersweet chocolate over medium, stirring frequently, until smooth. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in eggs and vanilla, then let cool to room temperature, 10 minutes.

Transfer batter to pan. Press 16 peppermint patties evenly into batter and, with a small offset spatula, evenly spread batter to completely cover patties.

Bake until cake is puffed and just set, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 25 minutes, then top with 16 peppermint patties. Let cool 25 minutes more, then decorate with York pieces dotted with chocolate for eyes and chocolate chips for ears. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, 5 minutes. Decorate with icing pens. Using parchment, lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.

"i scream" graveyard pie

the goods:

16 graham crackers, broken into large pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

1 cup roughly chopped Butterfinger "fun size" bars (about 8)

1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened

1 cup roughly chopped Mounds "snack size" bars (about 8)

2 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted

6 Milano cookies, halved crosswise

candy skulls or bones for decorating

20 chocolate wafers, such as Famous

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. With motor running, add butter in a slow stream and pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9 and 1/2-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, 45 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir vanilla ice cream with a wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in Butterfinger. With a small offset spatula, spread ice cream mixture evenly in crust. Freeze until firm, 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Stir chocolate ice cream until smooth. Fold in Mounds and spread evenly on top of vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, 1 hour.

Meanwhile, with a small spoon, place a dot of melted chocolate at one end of each cookie half. Immediately top with skull or bones and let set.

In a clean food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground. Spread crumbs on top of pie. With a knife, cut slits for "tombstones" and press cookie halves, cut side down, into slits. Serve immediately, or freeze; let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.

chewy caramel mystery cookies

the goods:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup caramels such as Kraft (about 20), halved

1 cup roughly chopped miniature Mr. Goodbar (about 16)

3/4 cup orange M&M's or Reese's Pieces, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in three additions until combined. Beat in vanilla. Fold in caramels and candy bars.

 Using a 1/3-cup spring-loaded scoop, drop dough, 2-inches apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.

Remove from oven; immediately press orange candies onto cookies.

Return to oven and bake until golden around edges and set in centers, 8 minutes more.

Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Repeat with remaining dough on fresh parchment.