Peanut butter cookies topped with melted Hershey kisses

In honor of the Reese’s peanut butter cup

These are an ode to likely the greatest candy in the history of humankind – the Reese’s peanut butter Cup. I have taken a peanut butter cookie, which indeed is tremendous, and plopped melted Hershey kisses on top. These are for my goddaughter Lyndsey’s birthday party. Again, Rob may, or may not, have taste tested a cookie.

Well, well, well. The cookie monster at it again!

Couple of notes – spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup… Chill the cookies if you have time…and preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions – cream Crisco, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter. Add eggs. Blend in dry ingredients. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and roll into mounds. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. On a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners, stagger cookies., bake 10 to 13 minutes, or until bottoms are light golden. Cool completely.

Staggered cookies

To make the topping – in a microwave safe bowl, microwave 45 unwrapped Hershey kisses in 25 second increments until you can stir smooth. Blend in 1 tbs vegetable oil. Spoon on top of cookies. Let set. Store in covered container.

Tres belle!

Thank you for stopping by today. Wishing you an easy day filled with peace, love and hope.

Brownies topped with Oreo filling frosting and melted milk chocolate

Brownies topped Oreo filling frosting and melted milk chocolate

An easy treat for this 4th of July, 2021 – brownies frosted with an Oreo filling and melted Hershey kisses. For me, this originates from a request from my husband, who pointed to one such treat at Barnes and Noble and asked, “can you make that?” So I did.

You can use any brownie recipe or brownie mix you want, using an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. This frosting recipe uses Crisco to duplicate the Oreo filling. You could use butter instead, but it would considerably change the taste.

My decorating skills need work!
  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie recipe, made as directed and baked in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan and completely cooled.
  • 1/4 cup Crisco
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs water
  • 4 to 5 Oreos, finely crushed

Directions – blend Crisco, sugar, vanilla, powdered sugar and water. You may want to add more powdered sugar and /or water, depending on the consistency you want. Mix in crushed Oreos. Frost brownies. Top with melted chocolate. (Microwave 1 cup or so of whichever chocolate you want to use in 30 second increments along with a tbs of vegetable oil until you can stir smooth.

Look at all that sweetness!

Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by! Wishing you all good things!

Rob’s brownie request

These brownies are right up Rob’s alley! These are very thick and extra chocolatey because they are filled with chocolate chips, sprinkled with chocolate chips and powdered sugar on top! I think my hubby was quite pleased with how his request turned out! Of course, he only eats one, so the rest come to work with me!

Oooooohhhhh!!!
  • Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp chocolate extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • Dash salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 for 20 minutes. Line and 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Combine butter and cocoa. Add eggs and extract. Blend in sugar, brown sugar. Add flour and salt. Blend in chips. Mixture will be thick. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Sprinkle warm brownies with extra chocolate chips and gently press down into brownies. Then Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you try these brownies, let me know how you like them! Have a wonderful day and know that you matter and have so much to give to this world!

Spruced up brownie mix brownies

Nothing wrong with using a good old brownie mix!

I got a late request for brownies with chocolate chips from my president taste tester, Rob. So I grabbed a brownie mix and was looking to spruce it up. I know you can make various substitutions (melted butter for oil; cold coffee, milk or heavy cream for water), so I did that here. I also added some baking cocoa and chocolate extract.

Thursday night treats!

Remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Also, line your pan with tin foil and spray it with baking spray. I like to do this with brownies and bar cookies because it keeps the edges softer.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 1/2 cup oil or melted butter
  • 1 tsp chocolate or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Set aside. In a bowl, combine brownie mix, baking cocoa, eggs, cream, oil and extract. Blend in chocolate chips. Evenly spread into lined pan. Bake 13 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Sprinkle hot brownies with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Topped with a dusting of powdered sugar

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you try these, let me know how they turn out. Also remember to be kind. We are all battling something. And some days, the burden people carry can be great. Wishing you peace, joy and love.

Chocolate chocolate chip cake

Chocolate cake with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting!

Today’s dessert from my chief recipe requester-taste tester, Rob, is a chocolate cake with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting. You can use any flavour chocolate cake mix (I used devil’s food today). Remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

Chocolate chips make everything better!
  • Ingredients
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 3.4 oz instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt (or sour cream, fat free or lowfat is fine)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp chocolate extract (or vanilla)
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – Preheat oven to 350 for 20 minutes. Spray a bunch pan with baking spray. Combine cake mix and pudding mix. Blend in yogurt, extract, eggs, oil and water. Fold in chips. Mixture will be thick. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Invert onto cake plate. Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 -2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions – blend cocoa, vanilla and butter. Mix in powdered sugar, then heavy cream. You can add more powdered sugar or heavy cream to get the consistency you want. Frost cake. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!

I appreciate you stopping by. If you make this cake, let me know how it turns out. And remember – be kind. We are all going through a lot, some more than others.

Brownie Cookies with Peanut butter chips

Few combos better than peanut butter and chocolate!

I wanted a 2nd type of cookie to bring into work tomorrow, in addition to my kluber chip cookies, and I wanted something easy, so I went with a brownie mix cookie. And I added peanut butter chips. Really super simple. And they don’t spread out at all. A reminder to spoon your flour from your container into your measuring cup, and, preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking to get the right temp.

Look at all those chips!
  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 tbs water
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Combine brownie mix, flour, egg, oil and water. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 mounds of dough. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger dough on sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. (No longer. They will seem doughy, but will continue to cook on sheet after removed from oven. Don’t overbake. You don’t want burned bottoms). Store in covered container.

Kluber Chip Cookies

Kluber Chip cookies

I needed another name for yet another chocolate chip cookie and Corey Kluber of the Yankees had a no hitter this week, so I am naming these in his honor. I know a lot of people have complained about the amount of no hitters, but I appreciate them and think they’re great. Hence, the cookies!

These are made with bread flour, so they are a very thick cookie. I also used 3 kinds of chips – semisweet, milk chocolate and white chocolate. Remember to spoon your flour from you container into your measuring cup to get the correct amount, and preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so you get the right temp.

Triple chip gooey goodness!
  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup semisweer chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup white chips

Directions – preheat oven to 375cream butter, crisco, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Divide into 12 scoops of dough. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake 12 to 16 minutes (light golden patches on top and lightly golden on the bottom). Cool completely. Store in covered container.

C is for Corey and cookie!

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you are having a good day today. If not, know that things will get better. Also remember that you are loved and you matter. And, be kind. We are all going through something and we all need kindness.

Fudgy Brownies with chocolate chips

The more chocolate, the better!

Today’s recipe is brought to you by my chief recipe requester and taste tester, my husband, Rob. He asked for brownies with chocolate chips. Just brownies with a cup of chocolate chips mixed in before baking. My mom does that with her brownies and Rob loves them. Honestly, I never thought of doing that myself. I also added a ganache on top. You can leave them plain, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, or another frosting. Instead of pulling out a brownie mix, I went homemade this time. And finally, Rob only eats one treat, so the rest are coming to work with me tomorrow to ESPN Radio.

Remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so you get the right temp, and to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from your container into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. Too much flour can make for a dry brownie. Blech.

  • Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbs milk or water
  • 1 tsp chocolate extract (or vanilla)
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs, extract and water /milk. Fold in dry ingredients. (Batter will be thick). Add chips. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 16 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.

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

Directions – combine in a microwave safe container. Microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Then, stir for 1 minute. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Let gamache set. (To speed up the setting of the ganache, you can put them in the fridge for a half hour). Store in covered container.

Someone cut these before the ganache set 😏

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you make these, let me know how you like them. Sending you love and peace today. And, remember to be kind. We are all going through something, some more than others. Life is really hard, some times. ❤

Mega triple chip cookies

Right out of the oven!

What better way to celebrate a random Thursday in May than with a mega chocolate chip cookie. Needed a synonym for big, so mega was my winner this time. I had no time to chill the dough, so I went with Crisco this time because I find butter can make the cookies spread if the dough is not chilled. I used a mix of all purpose flour and cake flour because I realized I have two boxes of cake flour. (You can also sift together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour with 1 1/2 tbs cornstarch and make your own cake flour. Rob also asked for triple chips (milk chocolate, white chocolate and semisweet). Remember to spoon your flour from your container into your measuring cup to get the correct amount and preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2/3 cup white choc chips
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
The bigger the cookie, the better!

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Cream Crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Dough may take a while to come together. Mix in chips. Divide dough evenly into 9 pieces. Line a cookie with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on the prepared sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes. (Golden spots on top). Let cool completely on cookie sheets. Store in covered container.

Who needs a cookie?

Hostess cupcake-like Whoopie pies

Hostess cupcake whoopie pies

Dear friends, I was a baking fiend today. I made a small yellow cake with chocolate frosting for my mother in law. Then, I made XL cupcakes with various frostings, and then, I made these hostess cupcake-like whoopie pies. And I used cake mixes for all of them! But the frosting, fillings and squiggles are all homemade. Rob wanted hostess cupcakes, but those are such a disaster for me, who can not decorate at all, I went whoopie pie instead. Still has the fluff filling, chocolate frosting and squiggle. I would say with less mess, but not really. I ended up with chocolate cake batter on the elbow of my Josh Allen Bills hoodie. Now, I am sitting on the deck with Gracie and Rob, still with chocolate on my elbow. Listening to the birds.. And I swear one sounds like he is singing “Derek Jeter”

A reminder to take your butter put an hour or so for the fluff filling and squiggle so it softens up. Also preheat your oven for 20 minutes for baking so you get the right temp.

  • Whoopie pie ingredients
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup oil

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. combine ingredients and mix well. Dough is thick. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Scoop out either 1 1/2 tbs of dough or 3 tbs (I did both sizes). Stagger on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes for smaller cookies, 7 to 9 for larger ones. Cool completely.

  • Filling ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

Directions – combine fluff and butter. Blend in powdered sugar. Add vanilla. If mixture is too thick, add a little milk.

  • Chocolate frosting ingredients
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
  • 2 -3 cups powdered sugar
  • Milk

Directions – combine butter and cocoa. Add powdered sugar. Blend in enough milk to get the consistency you want.

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

Directions – combine butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla, then enough milk to get the consistency you want for your squiggle! Scoop into a sandwich baggie and cut out a small corner. Now put the whole thing together

Lay cookie flatside up
Cover with filling
Top with another cookie, flatside down
Frost
Add your squiggle, or in my case, a blob!

Store in covered container.

Remember to be kind because everyone is battling through something. Also know that you matter and you are loved.