Yellow cake mix- sugar cookie bars with fudge swirl frosting

For Championship week Friday. I present yellow cake mix sugar cookie bars with fudge swirl frosting.  How did i get the frosting to swirl?  I pressed chocolate chips on top of the bars immediately after taking them out of the oven and then I was in a hurry, so I frosted them with vanilla frosting while the bars were warm and the melted chocolate chips swirled in with the frosting!

These are super easy.  You can use any cake mix you want and any flavor frosting you want.  I baked these for 25.  I would probably go a little less next time, checking them around 20 minutes.

  • Cake mix, any flavor
  • Sugar cookie mix
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • Chocolate chips (opt)

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 rectangular pan with baking spray. Set aside.  In a bowl, combine cookie and cake mix.  Blend in butter, eggs and vanilla.  Press evenly into prepared pan.  Bake 20 to 23 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Immediately, gently press chocolate chips on top, like below.

Cool completely.  Or frost while warm and get fudge swirl frosting!

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 6 tbs butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

In a bowl, blend powdered sugar and butter.  Add vanilla.  Mix in milk, one tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.  Frost bars. 

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

Carrot cake bars for Championship week Thursday

I got some carrots to make a carrot cake, but changed things up a bit and made carrot cake bars.  I used melted butter, so they are a little chewier than carrot cake.  Also, they have way too much frosting!  But there are worse things in life.  I doubled this recipe and used two 8×8 square pans to bake them in.

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

  • Bars ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (wow, is that fun to do)
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions- line and 8×8 square pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.    In a bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla.  Blend in egg and yolk, then carrots.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Fold in chips.  Evenly spread in prepared pan.  Bake 28 to 32 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and cream cheese.  Add vanilla.  Blend in powdered sugar slowly.   Frost bara.  Chill in fridge. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Celebrating Josh’s MVP.  Treat #3 – frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

To cap off the hat trick of treats celebrating Josh’s MVP, I present sugar cookie bars.   Not everyone loves chocolate, so here is the non chocolate option.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  And preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract ( you can leave it out if you don’t have it)
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.   In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and extracts.  Fold in flour and salt.  Evenly press into prepared pan.  Bake 15 minutes (no longer).  Remove from oven and cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 4 tbs butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbs heavy cream/milk

bowl, a bowl, cream butter and vanilla.  Blend in powdered sugar.  Add cream/milk.   You may have to add more cream/milk and/or powdered sugar to get the consistency you want.  Frost bars.  Cut and store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by.  Please remember to be kind.

Football friday # 21 – sugar cookie bars sheet cake/ sugar cookie sheet cake bars

Ok, another Chiefs playoff matchup awaits my beloved Buffalo Bills.  The AFC championship game on Sunday at 630.  I remember when I was in college, one conference championship game was at 1, the other at 4.  I liked that a lot.  Now, I have to wait all day until 630.  But I am delighted to be in the afc title game for the first time in 4 years.

To celebrate the 21st football friday, I made this sugar cookie thing.  Not sure whether they are sugar cookie bar cake or sugar cookie cake bars.   Either way, I made them in a 15×10 cookie sheet and frosted them warm bc air  started baking late and ran out of patience, so I frosted them warm

  • Sugar cookie bar cake ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 15×10 cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs, water and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.  Bake 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, blend all ingredients well.  Frost bars.  Cut and store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Life is hard for many of us, so remember to be kind.

Go Bills!

Triple chip cake bars

Part of the week 8 celebratory treats for the Bills win over the Seahawks – triple chip cake bars.  I used milk, semisweet and white chocolate chips and a yellow cake mix.  You can use whichever flavor chips and cake mix you want.  Super simple recipe. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix (i used yellow)
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted (5 tbs plus 1 tsp)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×14 pan with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.  Blend in chips.  Moisten hands with water.  Evenly press dough into pan.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes.    Cool completely.   Chill bars a few hours on fridge. 

Chocolate chip cookie bars for Sara’s sweet 16

Tomorrow is my goddaughter Sara’s sweet 16 birthday party.  When I asked her what I could bring, she asked for these.  Very simple to make.   I can’t believe she is 16 already.  Seems like yesterday, I met and held her for the first time.  Time goes by too fast!

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed into a measuring cup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour, scooped from the flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.   Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Mix in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.  Evenly spread in prepared pan.  Evenly sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Gently press down on top of dough.  Bake  17 to 20 minutes (edges will be golden).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I wish you a day of joy, peace and happiness.   If you make these, let me know how they turn out. 

Sheet pan Blondies -Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

What’s better a batch of Blondies/Chocolate Chip cookie bars?  A sheet pan batch!   Because a sheet pan recipe makes so much more.  And if you are going to bake when it’s 100 degrees and humid, you may as well make it worth your while!

Also I wonder what makes a treat a blondie as opposed to chocolate chip?  Perhaps melted butter or extra brown sugar. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled 15 minutes
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 yolks
  • 2 tbs milk/water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount)
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet (13×18 inches) with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, combine melted butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, yolks, vanilla and milk.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Fold in chips.  Evenly press into prepared pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden on top.  Be careful not to overbake or they will dry out. If you feel they are undercooked, just let them cool completley and pop them in your fridge for a while to firm them up.

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

Chocolate filled blondies

I wanted to jazz up some blondies/chocolate chip cookie bars, so I decided to put some milk chocolate chips in the middle for a chocolate layer.

These are very easy to make.  I think I would bake them closer to 20 minutes next time.  I baked these for 22.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and salt.  Fold in mini chips.  Spread half of batter in prepared pan.  Evenly spread milk chocolate chips on top.  With remaining dough, grab handfuls and lightly flatten.  Press on top of milk chocolate chips.  Bake 20 minutes.  Will seem a little gushy.  Cool completely.

Peanut butter frosted Peanut butter bars

For part 2 of the first round of the men’s NCAA tournament and the opening day of the women’s tournament,  I present peanut butter bars with peanut butter frosting and topped with some mini m&ms.  

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, cream crisco, brown sugar, peanut butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.  Bake 22 to 26 minutes ( no longer).  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 6 tbs  butter
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1-2 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2m3 cups powdered sugar

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and peanut butter 45 seconds to 1 minutes.  Add milk and vanilla.  Blend in powdered sugar.  Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.    Frost bars.  Cut and store in covered container.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I wish you a day of peace, happiness and love

Magic cookies (hello dollies cookies)

This is a simple recipe – only 5 ingredients (4 if you want to omit the walnuts). They are like magic cookie bars (or Hello dollies as I call them), but in cookie form. My advice is do not bake them longer than 10 minutes and remember to leave them on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing them so they firm up a bit.

  • Ingredients list
  • 4 sheets of graham crackers finely crushed
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (you can also use different flavors, i.e., milk, white etc)
  • 1/2 cup finely ground walnuts (or other nuts or you can omit)
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut
  • 1 can condensed milk (14 oz)

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl. Combine crushed graham crackers, chips, nuts, coconut and condensed milk. Scoop out 1/3 cups of dough (I used a cookie scoop). I got nine cookies. Stagger on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes (no longer). Let set for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wish you a day filled with peace, joy and happiness. Remember to be kind. ❤️💙