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!

Brownie stuffed M&M chocolate chip cookies for Championship week

This is a big week – championship week in men’s college basketball, amid the start of NFL free agency, and races are tightening in the NHL and NBA ahead of the postseason.  So I felt stuffed cookies were in order.  Specifically – M&M chocolate chip cookies stuffed with a brownie.  Sounds about right. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 3.4 Oz instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups M&ms
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • One batch of brownies cut into small cubes

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, butter crisco, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in pudding mix.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 1 tbs dough and slightly flatten.  Place a brownie cube on top.  Scoop out another tbs of dough and slightly flatten.  Place on top of  brownie cube and seal edges to hide brownie.  Chill and few hours or over night.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies doughs on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer. 

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

Brookies topped with melted milk chocolate

I could not decide between making brownies or chocolate chip cookies, so I made both –  brookies!  And I topped them with melted milk chocolate! These were not too hard to bake… just took a little more time because I made two doughs. 

Remember to scoop your flour from  your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   Also make sure your oven is preheated before baking. 

  • Brownies ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbs vegetable  oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tps salt
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 tbs cocoa
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a saucepan over low heat, combine and melt butter and 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips stirring occasionally until smooth.  Add sugar, then eggs, one at a time and blend well.  Stir in vanilla and oil.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Fold in chips.  Line a 9×9 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  Evenly spread batter in prepared pan.  Set aside.

  • Cookie ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add vanilla and egg. Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips.  Scoop out spoonfuls of dough and gently place in spots on top.  Spread evenly with spatula. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, no longer.   Cool completely.  Top with melted chocolate.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brownie cookies

These cookies are super simple, sweet and chocolatey.   All you need is a brownie mix, 2 eggs, some melted butter and a cup of chocolate chips.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with non-stick baking liners or parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs and butter.  Blend in chocolate chips.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough.  Stagger on prepared sheets.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.    If you feel they need to firm up a little more, pop them in the fridge for an hour or so.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Golden oreo stuffed Funfetti cookies

I thought I would mix things up after baking a LOT of chocolate treats lately.  Today, I present funfetti cookies stuffed with golden oreos (although I did sneak some double stuff chocolate oreos in a few).

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, i chilled them individual stuffed doughs overnight to try and keep them from spreading.

Ingredients list

12 tbs butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup 🌈  sprinkles

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar, brown sugar.  Blend in egg, yolk, and extracts.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in sprinkles.  Scoop out 1/4 cup dough.

Divide dough  in half and flatten each half. 

Place oreo on top of one half. 

Place other flattened half on top. 

Seal edges. 

Chill doughs a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Store in covered container

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I wish you a wonderful day filled with peace, joy and love.

Frosted smashed red velvet cookies

I attempted to make red velvet cookies for today’s treat, but I did not have enough red food color, so I added some blue to try and make them purple velvet.  That did not really work.  But I think they are still good!  I frosted some with a vanilla buttercream and others with a chocolate fudge frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from their containers into the measuring cups so you get the right amount.  Also, after scooping and smashing the dough into individual parts, i chilled them  to keep them from spreading too much, but if you don’t have time, that is fine.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 11/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbs water
  • 5 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa powder
  • 1 top cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs food coloring

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs, water and oil.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 3 tbs of dough and roll into a ball.  Using a glass that’s been sprayed with pam, lightly smash each dough ball.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Chill and few hours.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheets.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes,  no longer.  Let cool slightly and pop into fridge to firm them up.

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

Blend well.  Add more powdered sugar and/or milk to get the consistency you want. Frost cookies.

  • Chocolate fudge frosting
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 tbs milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions- in a saucepan over low-medium heat, combine butter, milk and sugar, stirring occasionally.  Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and add chocolate chips.  Pour in a bowl and place in the fridge to thicke .  Frost cookies.

Store in covered container. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Wishing you a day filled with love, peace and joy.

Black cocoa/crushed oreo puck cookies

In honor of the four nations faceoff championship game, I wanted to make black cocoa cookie resembling a puck.  These are puffer than pucks, but they’ll be just fine.  These also used finely ground oreos. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   I also recommend chilling the individual mounds of dough for a bit before chilling.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 cup black cocoa
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 top salt
  • 20 double stuff oreos, finely crushed (30 if using regular oreos)

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in crushed oreos (i used my hands).  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill and hour.  Preheat oven to  350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheets.  Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Extra large chocolate chip cookies with extra chocolate chips (and crushed chips ahoy)

What better way to kick off the week than with extra large chocolate chip cookies with extra chocolate chips? These include finely ground chips ahoy cookies.  A neat addition.  

These are 1/4 cup of chocolate chip cookies dough with extra chips pressed into the top before baking. I didn’t opt to chill the dough before baking so they spread a bit more than I prefer, so maybe next time I chill them a but before baking.

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

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed into your measuring cup)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs water
  • 2 cups chips ahoy cookies, finely crushed in a food processor
  • 3 3/4 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 2 top baking soda
  • 1 top baking powder
  • 1 top salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs, water and vanilla.  Blend in half of flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt and crushed chips ahoy.  Mix in rest of flour.  Fold in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Gently press extra chips in tops of cookie dough.  Chill individual doughs.   When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!   Wishing you a wonderful day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Mini chip/mini m&m cutout cookies

Since it is Valentine’s Day, I wanted to use my heart shaped cutouts.  Instead of a traditional sugar cookie cutout, I opted for mini chip/mini m&m cutouts.  Full size chips can not be used here.  They  would make the dough impossible to use cookie cutters on.

This yellow multi shape cookie cutter is an old classic!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, this dough does not need chilling. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs water
  • tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 cups flour
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup mini m&ms

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, eggs, water and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and m&ms. Sprinkle flour on  your countertop.  Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut with cookie cutters.  line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 to 9 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Cookie love!

Frost with buttercream frosting or melted chocolate chips. 

Store in covered container.  Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a day filled with peace, joy and love.