holiday blondies

the goods:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (or melted), plus more for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup m&m's (red and blue for 4th of July, orange and brown for Halloween, green and red for Christmas, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter paper.



In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; stir just until moistened.



Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.



Arrange candies in rows (2 rows per color) on top of dough.



Bake until top of cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.



Set pan on a wire rack to let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board, cut into squares.

chocolate-caramel sandwich cookies

the goods:

cookies:
10 tablespoons (1 and 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

frosting:
1/4 cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.; stir in egg yolk.



In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.



Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until a dough forms. Drop dough by level teaspoons, 1 inch apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.



Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 8 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough using fresh parchment. Tap baking sheet on counter to flatten cookies.



Make frosting: In a bowl, beat together caramel and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.



Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.



Pop em' in your mouth and enjoy!

warm chocolate pudding cakes with caramel sauce

the goods:
cake:
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for ramekins
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for ramekins
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

caramel sauce:
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

whipped cream, for serving


Butter four 6-ounce ramekins, then coat lightly with sugar, tapping out excess.



In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, combine butter and chocolate. Stir until melted.



In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, yolks, flour, and salt.



Add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.



Fill each ramekin three-quarters full with batter; place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 15 minutes.



Meanwhile make the caramel sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high until melted and brown at edges, 3 minutes. With a heat-resistant spatula, pull melted sugar toward center until all sugar is melted and caramel is a deep amber in color, 3 minutes more.
Immediately whisk in butter, salt, and vanilla.
Whisk in cream.
Pour into a heatproof container and let cool.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until center of cake is soft but not wet when pressed, 27 to 30 minutes.



Let cool 5 minutes.



Top cakes with caramel and whipped cream.



Pour a BIG glass of milk.



Or put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of cake to cut the richness.

ultimate chocolate chip cookies

the goods:

3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 and 1/4 cups (2 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups packed, light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped



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



In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, 6 minutes.



Reduce speed to medium-low and beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture just until incorporated.



Fold in chocolate chips and chunks.



Using a 1/4 cup ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange 9 unbaked cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.



Bake until edges are light golden brown, 17 to 18 minutes.



Transfer cookies to a wire rack to let cool.



Bake remaining dough using new parchment each time.



Milk is a necessity!

apple cranberry crisp

the goods:
filling:
unsalted butter, for baking dish
2.5 pounds sweet, firm Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

crisp topping:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 or 10x10 baking dish.



In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, vanilla, and orange zest and juice.



Transfer to a baking dish.



In a medium bowl, combing crisp ingredients. Pinch together with your fingers until coarse crumbs form.



Sprinkle crisp topping over apple mixture.



Bake until topping is browned and juices are thick and bubbling around edges, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

lemon-zucchini cornmeal cookies

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1 medium zucchini, grated on small holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)



Preheat oven to 325 degrees.



In a medium bowl, mix butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.



Stir in vanilla, lemon zest, and salt.



Add flour and cornmeal.



Mix until mixture is crumbly.



Add zucchini and stir until a thick dough forms.



Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.



Bake until cookies are light golden brown at edges, 25-30 minutes.



Let cool completely on wire racks.



Serve with milk!