When you can’t decide between a brownie and chocolate cake

My husband requested a funni bone treat today, which is a chocolate cake, with a peanut butter filling and a chocolate ganache on top. I asked if he wanted a brownie or chocolate cake base and could not decide, so I combined them! I used a chocolate cake mix, a brownie mix, eggs, water and oil. I used a cookie sheet 18×12. A warning – this makes a large sheet of brownie cake!

  • Brownie cake ingredients
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 cups water

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line an 18×12 cookie sheer with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine cake mix and brownie mix. Blend in oil and water. Fold in eggs. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 16 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely. Cut into rectangles .

  • Peanut butter fudge filling
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 bag peanut butter chips
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions – over medium-low heat, melt butter, sugar and evaporated milk, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Add chips and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar. Set aside to firm up.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a microwave she bowl, microwave cream for 90 seconds. Add chips, swirling cream to cover then. Lwt set 5 minutes. Stir smooth.

Now to the assembly steps!

Slice a piece in half, horizontally
Spread peanut butter fudge layer on one half
Top with other half of brownie cake piece
Frost with ganache

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I wish you a day of peace, happiness and love. Remember to be kind. Even a small act of kindness can make a big difference for someone.

Hot cocoa brownies with fluff filling and topped with chocolate ganache and a squiggle!

Hot cocoa brownies

We spent this snowy Saturday shovelling, letting Gracie in and out approximately one million times, and watching hockey. Rob requested hostess cupcakes,so I did a little tweak – hot cocoa brownies, with hostess filling, chocolate ganache and a squiggle. The squiggle is never my forte. You can say the same for my decorating and picturing taking.

Topped with a squiggle (really it is a blob)

Reminders – scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Brownies ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled at room temp for 10 minutes
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup hot cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. in a bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in chips. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely.

  • Filling ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

Directions – in a bowl, blend butter and fluff well. Add vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar,slowly. Add milk, a tsp at a time, to get the consistency you want. Spread over cooled brownies

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – place chips in a bowl. In a saucepan, heat heavy cream just to a boil. Pour over chips. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir smooth. (If you need to, microwave mixture for 20 seconds and that should allow you to stir it smooth). Spread over fluff filling

  • Squiggle ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1-2 tsp milk

Directions – blend together well. Scoop into a plastic sandwich bag and cut out a corner. Now squiggle on top of chocolate layer! If you can do a squiggle, more power to you. My abilities only allow a blob. Store in covered container.

Chocolate chip bars

Chocolate chip bars

Chocolate chip bars. A classic. A request from my hubby, Rob. Something else for me to make as I attempt to figure out our new stove. Brownies and bar cookies have been a bit of a disaster so far, but I think I have figured it out. The issue was the pan, i believe. Hopefully, no more problem treats!

All those chips!
  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. In a bowl, cream Crisco, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg, water and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. If mixture seems too dry, try mixing it with your hands, or add another tbs of water. Fold in chips. Press into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you day is a good one, filled with peace, joy and love. And remember to be kind. You will need someone to be kind to you when you are having a tough day.

Brownie stuffed peanut blossoms topped with melted Hershey kisses

I tried to drown my sorrows from Monday night Football into baking. I opted for peanut butter cookies, stuffed with brownies and topped with melted Hershey kisses. They made the house smell wonderful, but in the end, I am still mad about the game and probably will be until Friday. Poor Rob and Gracie.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbs milk
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 batch of brownies, baked and cooled and cut into 1″ pieces

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. In a bowl, cream Crisco, peanut butter,brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs,vanilla and milk. Blend in dry ingredients.

Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs dough and slightly flatten.

Place a brownie square on top

Scoop out another 1 1/2 tbs dough, slightly flatten and place on top of brownie piece.

Seal edges.

In prepared cookie sheet, stagger cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes (light golden patches on top) cool completely.

In a microwave safe bowl, place 45 unwrapped Hershey kisses. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil. Microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Spoon over cookies. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Let me know if you make these! I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with peace, joy and love. And remember to be kind! We all need kindess!

Oreo brownie cookies with chocolate ganache

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!

A reminder to scoop your flour from your flour bag into you measuring cup. Also,form your dough into high mounds and chill these overnight. And,preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp for baking

Still trying to use up my extra large box of Oreos,so I decided to finely crush them up, toss them in my brownie mix cookies. Then frost them with chocolate ganache (a fancy name for melted chocolate) and top with more finely crushed Oreos. These came out a little flatter than I prefer, so I may add a little more flour and a tbs of cornstarch next time to see if that helps them stay puffier.

😋
  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbs water
  • 3 /4 cup finely crushed oreos

Directions – combine brownie mix, flour, vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Blend in crushed Oreos. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dpugh. chill at least a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completley.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl,heat both types of chips for one minute. Set aside. In another microwave safe bowl, heat cream for one minute. Pour over chips, let set 10 minutes. Stir smooth. Frost completely cooled cookies. Top with crushed Oreos. Store in covered container.

I went a little crazy with the ganache!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with joy and love. Remember to be kind. We are all fighting a battle… Some are more difficult than others.

Monday night football!!!! A mini Oreo stuffed in a sugar cookie stuffed in a brownie.

Mini Oreo stuffed inside a sugar cookie stuffed inside a brownie

Big game for the Bills – against the Titans on Monday Night Football. So I upped my treat game -a mini Oreo stuffes inside a sugar cookie stuffed inside a brownie, with a chocolate blobby of frosting on top., why the frosting? I do not know. It seemed like the right call. Is it necessary? I believe the answer is yes.

😋
  • Ingredients list
  • 2 boxes of brownie mix, plus ingredients listed on the boxes
  • Sugar cookie mix, plus ingredients listed on box/bag
  • Mini oreos

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. In a bowl, combine brownie mixes and ingredients listed on boxes. Spread evenly into prepared pan. In another bowl, combine sugar cookie mix and ingredients on box. Scoop put 1 tbs cookie dough and cover a mini Oreo. Repeat process. I think I did about 16 of these. Gently press into brownie dough in pan in 4 rows of 4. Bake 28 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of brownie dough comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completley. Cut. You can frost these if you would like. Store in covered container.

Stuffed cake mix cookies

Stuffed cake mix cookies (you can see the brownie peaking through)

These are a super easy treat, guaranteed to wow anyone! I used brownies to stuff these cookies. And I cut them in 2 inch squares. You can also use Oreos, mini candy bars, etc. I used a white cake mix, but feel free to mix it up. These cookies can be made in no time!

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cake mix, any flavor
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 2 to 4 tbs water
  • Oreos, cut up brownies, mini candy bars etc
These are magical! The brownie is peaking through!

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. In a bowl, combine cake mix, egg, oil and enough water so the dough comes together and you can work with it. Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs dough, slightly flatten. Place an oreo/brownie Square, mini candy on top. Scoop out another 1 1/2 tbs dough, slightly flatten. Place on top of oreo/brownie Square, mini candy etc. Mould dough around it. Scatter on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes. They will seem undercooked, but should be light golden on the bottom. Cool completley.

Double chocolate, triple chip brownies

Double chocolate, triple chip brownies topped with powdered sugar

These brownies, dear friends, are one of the first treats I remember making my myself. They are an old Nestle tollhouse standby. I actually meased it up by melting 2 cups of chocolate chips instead of one, but I have never gotten any complaints, so I stuck with that “mistake”. Rob wanted me to add a combo of white, milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips, so I did. These aren’t super fudgy, but not cakey either. I think you will like them.

All that chocolate!

Reminders – preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Also, scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp chocolate extract
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. in a microwave safe bowl, Melt butter and 2 cups chocolate chips in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Mix in sugar. Add eggs and extract. Blend in flour and baking soda. Fold in remaining chips. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completley. Store in covered container.

Someone stole one already!

Thanks so much for stopping by. May your day be filled with peace, joy and love. And remember to be kind. Someone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, and they need your kindness.

Peanut butter brownies with milk chocolate chips

These are a peanut butter lovers delight! It is a dense, almost fudge like peanut butter brownie. I tossed in some milk chocolate chips and topped them with melted Hershey kisses! I use peanut butter chips for these.

A reminder to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup and preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes so you get the correct temperature for baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 10 oz bag peanut butter chips
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • Dash salt
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and pb chips in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth. Add sugar and brown sugar. Mix in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Blend in flour and salt. Fold in chips. Mixture will be thick. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until you see light golden patches on top. Cool completely. Top with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

Hope you have a wonderful day filles with peace, love and happiness!

Black and White Brownie cookies (aka half moon cookies)

Black and white brownie/half moon cookies

I know the classic black and white, or half moon cookie, has a vanilla cookie base. But today, I decided to mix it up and go with a brownie base. I also decided to use my whoopie pie pans! Honestly, they are one of the baking tools I have, but rarely use. (Others include a churros maker and mini cake pop maker, both which operate like a foreman grill, and breadmaker).

Whoopie pie pan getting used for the first time in a long time

I used a mix for these, but you could probably use your favorite homemade recipe and add the flour and baking cocoa. Remember to scoop your flour from,you flour bag into your measuring cup and preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Also, if black and white cookies are not your thing, make whatever flavor filling you want and make whoopie pies.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie recipe, prepared
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa

Directions – preheat oven to 350 for 20 minutes. Spray a whoopie pie pan with baking spray, or line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking liner. Combine your brownie recipe, along with flour and baking cocoa. Mixture will be thick. Scoop out 2 tbs dough and spread evenly in whoopie pie pan or to a 2 1/2 inch circle. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Tops may seem undone, but that is ok. Cooking too long will dry them out. Let cool completely.

Chocolate frosting – in a microwave safe bowl, combine 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 4 1/2 tbs butter. Melt in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Flat side up, frost 1/2 of cookie. Let set 10 minutes.

Let the chocolate side set for 10 minutes

Vanilla frosting – combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbs corn syrup and 2-3 tbs heavy cream. Frost other side of cookie. Store in covered container.

The finished product

Thanks for stopping by today! If you make these, let me know how they turn out. Remember to be kind. We are all battling something. And don’t forget you matter and are loved!

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