Chocolate brownies with Peanut Butter cookie dough

There are few things better in this world than chocolate and peanut butter...that is, in my world.  Sure, I have my family and friends, but chocolate and peanut butter does not ever stress me out or give me any "lip."  I can curl up with it on a snowy day and it's happy to comfort me.  OK, I think I just described the definition of stress eating, but I digress...

Yesterday was National Peanut Butter Day. Woo!  I wanted to make something, but I was truthfully too lazy to drag out my trusty KitchenAid.  I wanted to make something I could whip up in a quick hurry.

I had not made brownies in a while, and that is something even my husband with little to no sweet tooth will eat.  I found this recipe for the "best gooey chocolate brownies" and decided to try them.  Then I decided to dress them up with some peanut butter chips.

Now we are getting somewhere.

I thought "hmmm...that's not enough peanut butter yet, what can I do?"  Light bulb!  I have an easy recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  I can throw some of that on top of the brownie mix.

I didn't want the cookies to become too crispy having been baked too long with the brownies, so I baked the brownies about half way and then added the cookie dough.

Oh my goodness, they are going to be wonderful.....the anticipation was driving me insane.  You will have to forgive the photography, I just was not interested in getting a great photo, if ya know what I mean.

Chocolate brownie recipe (from food.com)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (omit if you don't want the crunchy crust)
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

1. 1
   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
2. 2
   Melt the butter and lightly grease a pan of your liking (I used an 8x8 because I like a thicker brownie).
3. 3
   In a large bowl; combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
4. 4
   In another large bowl; combine the sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
5. 5
   Once combined beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each until thoroughly blended.
6. 6
   Gradually add in the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture.
7. 7
   Toss the peanut butter chips in a little flour. (The flour will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.).
8. 8
   Mix the peanut butter chips into the batter.
9. 9
   Bake for 20-25 minutes. (The brownies are done if you stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
10. 10
    (ALSO, THE BATTER IS GOING TO RISE. PLEASE, DO NOT BE ALARMED! ONCE IT SINKS, WHICH TAKES ALL OF 10 MINUTES, I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY MIGHT BE THE BEST BROWNIES YOU'VE EVER TASTED.).

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (from The Girl Who Ate Everything):

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, mix in the chocolate chips. Using your fingers, form 1 1/2 inch balls (dough will be very wet and sticky) and place onto an un-greased parchment lined cookie sheet. You don't want to make them too big because they do spread. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack. Makes around a dozen small cookies.

Snickerdoodles

If you have been reading my blog, Thank You, and by now you know that my husband loves cinnamon.  I am constantly looking for different cinnamon recipes to try for him. He doesn't really have a sweet tooth, but occasionally, he will indulge in a sweet treat.

I found this recipe through ohsodelicioso.com.  It's a snickerdoodle cookie, but it's like a traditional snickerdoodle and a sugar cake had a baby.  This snickerdoodle is crispy to bite into, but it is soft on the inside.  I liked these so very much, and my husband....well, he could not get enough of them.

This dough needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour before baking the cookies.  When I started making this dough, I forgot about this detail.  I usually do my baking before I go to work around noon.  I was making this dough and then got to the "refrigerate dough for an hour" part, and I was heartbroken.  Then, I had to work for 8 hours thinking about these cookies.  I immediately started baking them when I got off work.  Trust me when I tell you they were worth the wait!

Ingredients

• 1 C butter, at room temp
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 3/4 C flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar together with electric mixer. Add eggs.
2. In separate bowl sift flour, tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Slowly combine with butter mix.
3. Chill dough in fridge for at least 15 minutes more if you can.
4. Meanwhile grease cookie sheet and make a cinnamon-sugar mix by combining 3 T sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
5. When dough is chilled, take a small amount and roll into a ball about 1..5 -2 inches wide.
6. Then roll ball in cinnamon-sugar mix to coat and place on cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 deg. Baking time varies depend upon size of dough balls so watch them close. Cool on rack.

Pumpkin spice cookies

It's October, and that means the whole world is going pumpkin spice crazy.  Admittedly, I cannot say I am part of that craze as it's not one of my favorite flavors.  However, far be it from me to deprive my family of the flavor they love so much.

I decided to try this recipe this morning while both my husband and son were at work.  What a surprise they will get when they come home.  They will be singing the praises of Momma from the rooftop!  Hey, a girl can dream.

Here is the recipe from Cookies and Cups:

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

How to Make
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and both sugars together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add in both egg and additional yolk into butter along with vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the
sides as necessary.
4. Mix in Pumpkin Pie Spice, baking powder and salt until combined.
5. Reduce speed on mixer to low and mix in flour until dough comes together.
6. Chill dough for at least an hour.
7. When ready to bake, line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375°
8. Mix coating ingredients (light brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice) together in a bowl, set aside.
9. Roll dough into large balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and then roll into the sugar/pumpkin pie
spice mixture, coating completely.
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and
transfer to wire rack to cool.

I did not follow this recipe to the letter, but I think the results will be the same...and here are my results:

Sugar Cookies

No matter if you call them sugar cookies or sugar cakes, the fact remains that they are delicious.  I have a few recipes for these cookies, but I am always willing to try more.  My personal preference is more of a soft pillowy cookie....unless I am going to frost the top.  Then, I make a recipe with a crispier cookie.

This is a new recipe for me, and it seems to blend the two ideas together.  It is soft and crispy at the same time.

The recipe I found was named Amish Sugar Cookies.  I'm not sure what makes them Amish, but that's really not the point.  These cookies are good.

The recipe does not call for milk, but have a glass on hand when the cookies come out. It's the perfect compliment to a warm cookie!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 

1 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract (I would add a bit more for a bolder tasting cookie)

4-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

1. In large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugars. Beat in eggs until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Easy recipe, no milk, no flour...peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies

By now you know how much of an absolute peanut butter enthusiast I am.  I cannot, for the life of me, understand how people do not like peanut butter.  Just the mere thought of it makes my mouth water.

I stumbled upon this recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  It could not have been more simple.  There are only 5 ingredients!  There is also no milk and no flour!  I made these for my son's percussion group where there are some kids with lactose allergies and gluten allergies.  They almost created a black hole inhaling these cookies!

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp baking SODA
1 cup brown sugar....packed firmly (use light brown sugar)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

That's it!  Throw it all in a bowl and mix!  Scoop by tablespoon onto a lined cookie tray.  Oven should be 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake these for 7-9 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from tray.

These cookies are sooooo good.  They are gluten free and lactose free....so they are healthy right?  That's the rationale I use anyway.

Happy baking!

Almond cookie recipe

I am always looking for a new cookie recipe to try.  Even the best chocolate chip recipe gets tired after a while.

We had a few friends over to our house this past weekend.  I was trying to find some recipes that would allow me to prepare the food early in the week and then freeze the food until the weekend.  I found an easy recipe for almond cookies.  They are much like butter cookies or shortbread cookies.  I personally do not eat almond, so I could not test these for myself.  I was hostage to the opinions of others.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl blend the butter, sugar, and almond extract. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture 2 Tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture until completely combined.

Roll into small balls and flatten slightly. Cook for 7 minutes (they will not look done) at 400 degrees on a lightly greased pan or parchment lined pan. Cool cookies until they are just warm and place sliced almonds on top of each cookie.  (I only ha slivered almonds, but these worked just was well.)  

Now, it's time for the almond glaze....

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 teaspoons water

For the glaze: Combine powdered sugar, almond extract, and water. Drizzle a spoonful of glaze on top of the almonds and cookie.

Well, the cookies baked up beautifully, they froze beautifully and then defrosted beautifully.  I couldn't quite understand my guests as they tried to talk with cookie crumbs in their mouths, but I heard a lot of "Mmmmmm" and saw lots of head bobbing, so I am going to assume they were good.  

Oreo crumble crispies

Did you ever get an uncontrollable craving for something sweet?  Well, I had one the other day.  I was looking through Pinterest and it hit me....MUST HAVE SWEETS.  I found this recipe for Oreo crispies and thought it would be perfect.

What you need:
1 can crescent rolls (8 triangles total)
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
6 Double Stuff Oreos
1/2 cup flour

glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk

Here we go:
1 - preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2 - prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat - do NOT grease
3 - crumble Oreos by food processor or by placing them in a bag and crushing with a rolling pin
4 - combine Oreo crumbs, brown sugar, white sugar and flour
5 - cut the cold butter into the Oreo mixture to form a crumble
6 - separate the crescent roll dough on your prepared cookie sheet - I pressed them down a little for more surface area :)
7 - Add the Oreo crumble to the crescent triangles
8 - Bake for 8-12 minutes at 400F
9 - Let cool completely and then cut into smaller pieces if you wish.
10 - make the glaze by combining all ingredients together and then drizzle over the Oreo crumble crescents.


I have tried to detail the steps to be thorough.  Please don't be put off by the number of steps.  This is super easy and equally as quick to put together....and very well worth it.

I am now thinking about different cookie combinations to use.  Nothing personal Oreo, I'm just always looking for something new and exciting.  Maybe peanut butter cookies with a chocolate glaze?