Tag Archives: M&Ms

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them!

I love that there are plenty of excuses to bake around Valentine’s Day. Kid’s class parties, sweet treats for friends, and of course something special just for two. I’ve been spreading the love to some neighbors, doormen and even real estate brokers. And you know what, I don’t hear any complaining;-)

These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

These cookies are fairly easy to make and appear so simple (while pretty), but I assure you they are anything but boring. The vanilla bean paste adds an extra special flavor element to the buttery shortbread cookie and then of course, there are M&Ms. I don’t know what it is about an M&M cookie that is so appealing but they never, ever disappoint. Make these to spread some Valentine’s Day love in your world.

MM Cookies for your Valentine

5.0 from 1 reviews
Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies
 
Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
  • 227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or replace with additional teaspoon of vanilla extract)
  • 2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
  • 265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 320g (1⅓ cups) M&MS
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
  3. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  4. Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt and beat until well combined
  5. Stir in flour; stir in M&Ms
  6. Scoop dough with a medium cookie dough scoop (~2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
  7. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
  8. Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
  9. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them!

I love that there are plenty of excuses to bake around Valentine’s Day. Kid’s class parties, sweet treats for friends, and of course something special just for two. I’ve been spreading the love to some neighbors, doormen and even real estate brokers. And you know what, I don’t hear any complaining;-)

These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

These cookies are fairly easy to make and appear so simple (while pretty), but I assure you they are anything but boring. The vanilla bean paste adds an extra special flavor element to the buttery shortbread cookie and then of course, there are M&Ms. I don’t know what it is about an M&M cookie that is so appealing but they never, ever disappoint. Make these to spread some Valentine’s Day love in your world.

MM Cookies for your Valentine

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies
 
Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
  • 227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or replace with additional teaspoon of vanilla extract)
  • 2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
  • 265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 320g (1⅓ cups) M&MS
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
  3. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  4. Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt and beat until well combined
  5. Stir in flour; stir in M&Ms
  6. Scoop dough with a medium cookie dough scoop (~2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
  7. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
  8. Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
  9. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

Mini cookies loaded with M&Ms. These are the perfect party cookie!

I just love these mini cookies for a party! Plus, M&M cookies are the best.

Now that I’m thinking about a special someone’s first birthday, I’m fully focused on what his first sweet treat should be and what kinds of sweets we will have at his party. I change my mind constantly going back and forth on different ideas, but thought that having a variety of mini cookies at the celebration would be fun.

My whole family was obsessed with these cute little M&M Cookies

The first recipe I decided to try out was this Mini M&M Cookie recipe. They are made from a pretty fabulous brown-sugar based cookie dough that bakes up so nicely. Usually I find that a larger cookie is best for maximizing texture quality, but this dough really worked well this way. Crispy edges? Check. Chewy middle? Check. Sweet and delicious? You bet!

Mini M&M Cookies!!!!!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Mini M&M Cookies
 
Mini cookies loaded with M&Ms. These are the perfect party cookie!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: ~5 dozen cookies
Ingredients
  • 262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 5g (1 teaspoon) salt
  • 3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
  • 170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
  • 350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
  • 15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
  • 170g (~1½ cups) mini M&Ms
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
  2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
  3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
  4. Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
  5. Fold in M&Ms
  6. Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
  7. Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
  8. Scoop cookie dough with small cookie dough scoop (~1 teaspoons) onto prepared baking sheets
  9. Bake cookies ~10 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
  10. Set aside to cool
  11. Texture of cookies best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week at room temperature or one month frozen if stored in an air-tight container
Notes
Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

 

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

No Churn Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Mega M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

M&M Cookie Dough Cups

M&M Cookie Dough Cups

Mega M&M Cookies

Big chocolatey cookies full of Mega M&Ms.

Mega M&M Cookies!!!

I’m very aware that I eat my feelings. Tired, sad and stressed always lead me to chocolate, carbs, ice cream, cookies or all of the above. I try not to go overboard and realize that this isn’t the healthiest way to deal with emotions. But frankly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with a cookie or two to lift the spirits.You must make these cookies... puffy, chocolatey and full of MEGA M&Ms

The last month or so has been a bit of a roller coaster and after a particularly rough ten days my daily dose of chocolate was part of what was keeping me sane. I was overdue for some baking and decided to make something that could fulfill everything I was craving; warm, chocolatey and comforting carbs. Baking, photographing, and then also eating these cookies made me feel just a bit better. The bright colored M&Ms and pretty napkins were another visual way to boost my mood. I took advantage of a few minutes when the sun was actually out to take capture that.

These big chocolatey MEGA M&M cookies will cure any craving

And most importantly for you, this recipe was a success. The chocolatey base and gigantic chocolate candies (where have these Mega M&Ms been all my life?) will cure any chocolate craving you might have. Oh yeah, and they are fast and easy, too. You don’t need to chill the dough at all before baking them.

Head over to my friend Katie’s blog for the recipe! You don’t want to miss it. This is my first post as a contributor to Meyer’s Styles.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)

Vanilla ice cream loaded with monster cookie dough (peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough with M&Ms and chocolate chips!). You will enjoy cookie dough in every bite!

Monster COOKIE DOUGH Ice Cream <-no machine, no eggs, so easy!

I think the deep freeze is over (said crossing fingers and knocking on wood). And in case it’s not obvious, I (and everyone else in the northeast) am more than ready. I’m ready for shorts, flip-flops (okay, I’d settle for being outside without a puffy coat), walks with L and warm weather food. I’m ready for ice cream, lots of it.

Monster COOKIE DOUGH Ice Cream <-no machine needed!

Okay, let’s be real. I’ve been eating ice cream all winter long. Maybe not quite as much ice cream as I ate last summer, but plenty still. The main difference is that I currently eat it with the heat turned up while wearing a massive sweatshirt and wool socks. Last week, when I remembered that I had some heavy cream about to expire, I was inspired to go churn up make some super easy and delicious ice cream once again. I asked on Facebook and Twitter what flavor I should make and Erin suggested monster cookie dough. Genius much?

Monster cookies are typically peanut butter oatmeal cookies loaded with M&Ms. How could that possibly be a bad thing? And what tastes good as a cookie almost always tastes better as cookie dough. So translated into ice cream we are in clear delicious territory. Not to mention that this ice cream really is LOADED with cookie dough. No searching with the spoon to find the little chunks (don’t pretend you don’t do that). Seriously, cookie dough in every bite.

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)
 
Vanilla ice cream loaded with monster cookie dough (peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough with M&Ms and chocolate chips!). You will enjoy cookie dough in every bite!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: Makes ~1½ quarts
Ingredients
  • 16 fluid ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
  • 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
  • 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
  • 1 recipe for oatmeal cookie dough (see below)
Instructions
  1. In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
  2. While whipping cream, pour sweetened condensed milk into a separate large bowl and mix with vanilla
  3. Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture; fold in cookie dough
  4. Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan
  5. Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

 
Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)
 
Edible Monster Cookie Dough
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 65g (~1/4 cup) creamy peanut butter
  • 14g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 28 g (~2 tablespoons packed) light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 25g (~2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • 5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 60g (~¾ cup) rolled oats
  • ½g (¼ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
  • ½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
  • 56g (~1/4 cup) mini M&Ms
  • 53g (~1/4 cup) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla
  2. Gradually stir in oats, cinnamon salt just until combined
  3. Stir in M&Ms and chocolate chips
  4. Set aside to make ice cream

Monster COOKIE DOUGH Ice Cream <-no churn!

 

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

No Churn Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

monster cookie dough ice cream!!!!!

M&M Kit Kat Cake {Appreciation Post}

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, MATT!!!!!

Surprise 30th Birthday Party

Above photo from his surprise party this past Saturday night

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda over at i am baker suggested a day where bloggers write a significant other appreciation post.  Since she happened to pick Matt’s birthday, I figured it was the perfect excuse to participate.  Scroll down for some fun Q&A with my husband.

MandM Kit Kat Cake - quite the showstopper and easier than you would think!

To Matt- Whew, 30.  It seems like just yesterday we were meeting for the first time.  Me at the ripe old age of 19, you at the much older age of 20.  I remember the first time we met, thinking you were so cute.  Then the second time we met, when you didn’t remember me.  I tried to be cool and pretend like I didn’t remember you either.  I tried not to like you.  We all see how that worked out.

I’d like to say that I can’t believe we made it here, as real (or almost real) live adults.  But that would be a lie.  I knew from the start that I wanted to be with someone like you long-term.  I just didn’t know I’d be lucky enough to end up with you. 

This past Saturday night we celebrated your birthday.  You, me, your closest friends, and most of our family.  It made me happy to see you so happy.  I hope that party showed you in some small way how much I appreciate you. 

So let’s celebrate YOU today.  We might not have any cake left, but I think this post and a fancy dinner will do.

MandM Kit Kat Cake - quite the showstopper and easier than you would think!

I took Amanda’s questions and did a little face-to-face interview with Matt.  Here is what went down.

Lauren: What is my favorite blog called?

Matt:  Young Married Chic or Bakerella or the one you get the swiss meringue buttercream from (Sweetapolita).  I don’t even think you have a favorite blog, fyi.  Note from L – I probably don’t have a favorite blog but it was impressive that he at least remembered two names of other blogs!

L: What is my favorite prop?

M: Prop? For what?

L: Photography

M:  The coffee table.  It’s the background to every picture you take.  Note from L- should I take that as a hint?

L: What is the weirdest thing you have seen me do for a blog post?

M:  Weird?

L: If you could have your own blog what would you call it?

M: I had a blog for about four weeks.  I wasn’t that enthusiastic about it.  I really enjoyed the act of eating, more than waiting to eat while taking a picture of the food. The blog  was called Matt Eats Food.

L: What do you do for a living and what are your hobbies?

M:  I’m a numbers guy and I like to play golf every chance I get.

L: Who does the dishes?

M: How do you define “doing the dishes”?  If it is actually emptying the dishwasher, then it’s Lauren, but if you define it as actually putting things away after they’ve been emptied from the dishwasher, then it is me.  Note from L- some things need to dry before putting them away, just saying. 

L: What is your favorite recipe from my blog?

M: I liked the Black Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes, the Meyer Lemon Shortbread Bars, and the Blueberry Pretzel Clusters.   I also liked the Blueberry Blintz Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes and the Salted Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars.  Note from L- I gave him some help with the titles.

L: What do you wish I would post about?

M: Steak, garlic mashed potatoes, chicken parm, and your top ten favorite golf courses.

L: Anything else you want to tell my blog readers?

M: I’m really impressed with how many close friends you’ve made through blogging and how nice so many of the people out there are.  That being said, there are some real crazy ones, too.

MandM Kit Kat Cake - quite the showstopper and easier than you would think!

Finally, the cake.  I first saw the M&M Kit Kat Cake on Lori’s blog a couple of years ago.  M&Ms and Kit Kats just happen to be Matt’s favorite candies (Crunch bars and then Twix being next in line), so I knew that it would be the perfect thing for a special occasion.  Saving this cake for his surprise party seemed to be the right choice because guests were oohing and ahhhing at it like crazy.  Little did they know the cake was extremely easy to put together.  I used one of my favorite yellow cake recipes (double the cupcake recipe and bake in 9-inch round cake pans) and Sweetapolita’s perfect whipped chocolate buttercream (you can halve the chocolate frosting ingredients).  The result was a show-stopping cake that tasted pretty amazing.  I can’t tell you how many people asked if I really made that cake (Maybe my friends forget what I do for a living).

Want to see some of the other significant other appreciation posts?

And don’t you worry, more surprise party details coming soon!

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

The best M&M Cookies!!!

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

I have so much I want to say and tell you about what is going on here at Keep It Sweet Desserts, but my thoughts are coming through in a pretty chaotic stream of consciousness so I’ll hold off until things calm down a bit!

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

For now, though, I can say, I am SO happy I planned ahead and sent out my Food Blogger Cookie Swap packages early this year.  If I had waited, my cookies would have been who knows what and my photos rushed and blah.  I took these photos a few weeks ago when I was enamored with the wonderful chew in the cookie and fragrant aroma coming out of my kitchen.  For the swap, I wanted to make something that combined some of my favorite elements of a cookie, chew and salt.  While the brown butter flavor was only slightly apparent in the final product, the texture of these cookies and overall taste more than made up for that.  I sent my cookies to Angie, Crystal, and Michelle, I just hope they agreed!

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

And of course I enjoyed receiving cookies in the mail for myself (such a nice change of pace!) from some wonderful bloggers.  Caroline (who I already adore) made wonderful florentines.  I was so impressed that she packaged them without them breaking at all!  Felice sent great Rosemary Lemon Shortbread cookies, the smell was amazing!  And finally, I got some terrific Cherry Chocolate Pecan Oatmeal Cookies from Cher.  What better way to find new blogs than by exchanging cookies?!

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 2 dozen medium-sized cookies or 1 dozen large cookies
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1⅞ ounces (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 5½ ounces (2/3 cup) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 x-large egg at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 7 ounces (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup M&Ms
  • Sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and set aside to cool
  2. Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined
  3. Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well mixed
  4. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed; do not over mix
  5. Slowly stir in M*Ms
  6. Chill dough for 24 hours for best results (minimum of 2 hours) before baking
  7. When ready to bake,pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
  8. Scoop cookie dough with a medium (~2 tablespoons) or large (~4 tablespoons) cookie dough scoop on to prepared baking sheets
  9. Bake cookies until firm: 7-8 minutes for medium and 9-10 minutes for large
  10. Allow to cool before serving

 
Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Oh, and want to know what’s keeping me busy lately?  Mostly this, a ton of this, and quite a bit of this.  Yes, I may or may not be turning into an actual baked good.

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

The fudgiest blondies loaded with everyone’s favorite sweet and salty candies.

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

When I asked my Father-in-Law what he wanted for his birthday dessert, his only request was chocolate covered pretzels.  Sweet and salty, who doesn’t love those?

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

But come on, it is a birthday dessert!  And since chocolate covered pretzels are what I make as an afterthought when I have extra melted chocolate, I just had to make something else.

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

So I threw together something else sweet and salty that required just a little more time and effort than the pretzels (of course I made those too) and was thrilled with the result.  What I love about blondies is how flexible they can be.  You can load them up with whatever you are in the mood for.  Since Halloween is just a couple of weeks away, these would be the perfect way to use up any extra candy or the inevitable post-holiday candy sale purchases.

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies
 
The fudgiest gooey blondies loaded with everyone's favorite sweet and salty candies.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 12-16 servings
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 12⅜ ounces (1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
  • 7 ounces (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 x-large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup honey roasted peanuts
  • ½ cup M&Ms
  • ⅓ cup chopped Heath Bars (~8 minis)
  • ¼ cup Reese's Pieces (I used mini but regular sized would work, too)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside when butter is completely melted
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
  5. Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
  6. Fold in peanuts and candy until evenly distributed throughout batter
  7. Pour into prepared baking pan
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
  9. Set aside to cool before cutting
Notes
Blondies will stay fresh for several days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container.  They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

 

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

Sweet and Salty Party Cookies (with caramel corn!)

Sweet and Salty Party Cookies (with caramel corn!)

 

Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

Magic Cake Bars for Easter

SONY DSC

For the record, Matt wanted me to take a picture of my hand over the cake and pretend it was the hand of our little niece or nephew helping in the kitchen. 1) We don’t have any nieces or nephews 2) No one wants to see my hands after twelve hour days in the kitchen and 3) Seriously? My hands aren’t THAT small.

SONY DSC

This is one of those desserts that you can make last minute for Easter with minimal time in the kitchen, just enough time to get some help from your little ones (if you have any).  And even though it is super simple, this is one of the most addicting things I’ve made in a while.  Moist cake with a crispy crunchy topping.  What’s not to love?

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Head over to Fox to get the recipe!

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Disclaimer:  I love box mixes and pre-made cookie dough, especially when I am as busy as I have been over the last couple of months.  However, all of the baked goods that I sell on my website or provide for any type of catering service are made completely from scratch.

M&M Cookie Dough Cups

MandM Cookie Dough Cups (egg-free!)

Some things are too delicious not to share.

These M&M Cookie Dough Cups had the potential to be perfectly done and pretty, but my impatience got the best of me and most of the cups ended up jagged and a little funny looking.  Luckily they tasted so good I forgot how funky looking they were while I was eating them!  Next time I’ll take my time to get a prettier productSmile

MandM Cookie Dough Cups (egg-free!)

M&M Cookie Dough Cups
Makes ~16 cups

Ingredients:
16 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup M&Ms

Directions:
Prepare chocolate cups: Line muffin tins with paper cup holders and set aside.  Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between
Once chocolate is completely melted, paint a layer on the inside of each paper cup holder with a paintbrush or the back of a spoon; the thicker the chocolate layer, the easier it will be to peel your paper
Set chocolate cups aside to cool in fridge and prepare cookie dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for a few minutes or until light and fluffy; add vanilla and beat for another minute
Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in flour on low speed until combined; stir in M&Ms
Set cookie dough aside
Carefully remove paper liners from chocolate cups; scoop cookie dough into each cup using an ice cream scoop
Store cookie dough cups in fridge until ready to serve

 

MandM Cookie Dough Cups (egg-free!)