Peanut butter bars with Reese’s eggs, ground peanuts and peanut butter frosting

Calling all peanut butter lovers!  This is for you.  Peanut butter bars with finely ground peanuts, cut up Reese’s eggs smushed on top and frosted with peanut butter frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount (same goes for the powdered sugar.  Remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup oeanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter crisco, crisco or butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup peanuts, finely ground in a food processor (opt)
  • Reese’s eggs, chopped up (opt)

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 cake pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter crisco, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in peanuts.  Evenly spread into prepared cake pan.  Gently press pieces of chopped up Reese’s eggs on top like so.

Bake for 25 minutes,  no longer.  Let cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 tbs milk (or more)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Combine butter and peanut butter in a small sauce pan.  Over low-medium heat, bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.  You may need to add more milk or powdered sugar to get the consistency you want.  Frost cooled bars.  Store in covered container.

Vanilla cake-like cookies

For my work friends who prefer vanilla treats over chocolate and are not fans of peanut butter.  These are a soft, thick vanilla cookie, with a cake like texture and topped with vanilla frosting.  Frosting is not my strength,  as you can see.  I either make it too thin or too thick.  Regardless,  I think people will enjoy the cookies!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   (Same goes for the powdered sugar in frosting).  Also preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco (or butter, softened)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – in a bowl, cream crisco or butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop out 2 tbs of dough and roll into balls.  Chill doughs  for a few hours in fridge.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies. 

Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Tops will be gushy.  You can firm them up in fridge or let them firm up at room temp.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 4 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, blend powdered sugar and 2 tbs milk and vanilla.  Add more milk ,(or powdered sugar) to get the consistency you want.  Store in covered container.

Crushed oreo cookies stuffed with Reese’s eggs

I know it is June 1st, but I still have a boatload of Reese eggs (that’s what I get for buying the big bag from BJ’s). 

They are good for a while, but thought i would use some up by stuffing them in crushed oreo chocolate cookies.

  I left a few plain without the Reese’s eggs and covered them in m&ms, for the non peanut butter lovers at work.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   I recommend chilling the individual doughs for at least a few hours.  And, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 20 oreos, finely crushed in a food processor
  • Reese’s eggs, removed from wrapper

Directions- in a bowl,  cream crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients then blend in oreos.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and divide in half.  Slightly flatten each half.   Place one half on countertop.

Tops with a Reese egg.

Top with other flattened half

Seal edges so you can’t see Reese egg.

Chill a few hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Melted hershey kiss topped peanut butter cookies

Part of my hat trick of treats for tomorrow for work – peanut butter cookies topped with hershey kisses.  I sprinkled them with sugar before baking for extra sweetness!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend freezing the individual doughs for a half hour or chilling a few hours to keep them puffy.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1 2/3 flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter crisco  and brown sugar.  Add eggs, water, vanilla and peanut butter.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Scoop our 1/4 cups dough and sprinkle with sugar.  Freeze a half hour or chill a couple of hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.  Cookies may seem undone on top, but they will firm up as they cool.  You can also pop them in the fridge to firm them up.  I topped these with melted hershey kisses.  You can leave them plain if you want.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chocolate sugar cookie cake mix bars with fudge frosting

This is a twist on a previous recipe -sugar cookie cake mix bars.   This time, I used all chocolate crinkle cookie mix and devils food cake mix.  Super simply and easy.  I opted for a fudge frosting. But you can use whatever flavor you want.  Sprinkling powdered sugar on to would be good too, I think. 

You can use whatever flavor cookie and cake mix you want.

Remember to preheat your oven so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix
  • 1 cookie mix
  • 2 sticks of butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 sheet with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Set aside.  In a bowl, combine all five ingredients, beat on low-medium speed with a mixer just until blended  (Mixture will be thick).  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Bake 20 to 23 minutes.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 6 tbs butter
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tbs unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a pan, over low-medium heat, melt butter.   Turn off heat, leaving pan on burner.  Add chips, cocoa, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla.  Stir until melted.  Chill 15 to 20 minutes.   Frost cooled bars. 

Store in covered container. Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Frosted lemon cookies

Another lemon flavored treat for work today – lemon cookies with lemon frosting.  I actually used fresh squeezed lemon in the cookie. But opted for bottled juice for the frosting  (I needed to save some time).

I recommend chilling the dough for a few hours.   Also scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  (Do the same for the powdered sugar). And,  preheat your oven.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbs lemon juice (fresh or bottle)
  • 1 tbs lemon zest (not a fun thing to do, honestly)
  • 1 tsp lemon extract (opt)
  • 3.4 Oz package instant lemon pudding
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2  tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, zest, lemon juice and extract.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 12 to 13 minutes (no longer).   Cookies will be gushy.  Pop in fridge for a bit to firm up.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbs lemon juice

Directions – in a bowl, combine ingredients.  Frost cooled cookies.  Store in covered container

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Lemon squares

A request for these were from a friend from work- lemon squares.  They were super easy to make and are topped with a lemon frosting.  

I used fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.  You can use bottled lemon juice if you prefer.  Honestly, zesting a lemon seems like unnecessary work!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also preheat the oven before baking.. and, take these out after 16 or 17 minutes, even if they don’t look completely done.

  • Bars ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp lemon zest (opt)
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line and 8×8 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs, juice and zest.  Blend in flour and salt.  Spread evenly into tapered pants.  Bake 16 to 17 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs lemon juice

Directions – combine and evenly spread over bars.  

Let frosting set before cutting.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Milk Chocolate Chip cookies with finely ground macadamia nuts

I thought it was time for another batch of  chocolate chip cookies.  These are made with milk chocolate chips and finely ground macadamia nuts (I actually ground them in the food processor a little too long, so they were more like a nut butter 😀)

I recommend chilling the individual mounds of dough.  for a few hours or freeze them for 30 to 60 minutes to keep them from spreading. 

I used butter flavor crisco.  You can use regular crisco or butter if you prefer.

Also, you can use a different type of nuts or none at all.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cups)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts (finely ground)

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Blend in chips and nuts.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours. (I froze mine for an hour to speed up the process).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 13 minutes, no longer.  Cookies will be gushy, but bottoms will be golden brown.  gentlt press extra chips on top of cookies.

  Pop cookies in fridge to firm them up.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Frosted brownie cookies

Today’s treat frosted brownie cookies… so simple because they  use a brownie  mix and a few other ingredients.  

You probably could leave them unfrosted, but i think the frosting adds a little extra goodness.

I do recommend chilling the dough and few hours to keep them from spreading too much.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 2 tbs cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tbs chocolate syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, mix all ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheet.sheets.  bake 9 to 11 minutes.  They were a little gushy in the middle, but I did not cook them any longer because I was worried about the bottoms burning).  I did pop them in the fridge to firm them up.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, mix ingredients well.  Frost cookies.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Sugar coated puffy peanut butter cookies

We have a busy day at ESPN Radio tomorrow with an NBA game 7 (Nuggets-Clippers) and and MLB game (Mets Cardinals) so I thought I would bring in large puffy, peanut butter cookies coated in sugar.  I thought of adding melted chocolate on top, but decided to skip it this time.  

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, chill the individual mounds of dough and few hours to help keep them puffy.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 3/4 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup peanuts, finely ground in a food processor

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter.   Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Stir in peanuts.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form into mounds.  Chill a few hours or overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Dip tops of cookie mounds into sugar.  Stagger on cookie sheet, like below.  

Bake 11 to 13 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Wishing you a day of peace, joy and love!