Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Instead of making a carrot cake, I thought I would make carrot cake cookies.  With mini chocolate chips.  And cream cheese frosting.   I have to be honest, I don’t make carrot cake treats too often because grating carrots is not fun, although I do have a delicious carrot cake recipe using carrot baby food.

On the topic of carrots, you must grate them.  Don’t buy the shredded carrots from the grocery store.  They won’t work in this or most carrot treat recipes.

If you want to use chocolate chips, I find  the mini ones work best.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount (same for the powdered sugar in the frosting).  I recommend chilling the individual doughs for a new hours to keep them puffy.  And, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 cups grated carrots

Directions – in a bowl, cream crisco sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots then mini chips. Divide into 12 equal mounds of dough. Chill for a few hours.   When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 15 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

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

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and  cream cheese.  Add vanilla.  Slowly blend in powdered sugar.  Frost cookies.   Store in covered container in fridge until ready to serve.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Rocky Road Cookies

I know rocky road is a favorite ice cream for a lot of people, so I decided to make it in cookie form. 

Who doesn’t love chocolate, milk chocolate chips, finely ground almonds  and tiny marshmallow bits, and a cookie dough made with black cocoa so it tastes like an oreo? I would imagine very few people!

If you don’t like almonds, you can, of course, leave them out.

Below is a container of  marshmallow bits

Remember to scoop your flour and dark or unsweetened baking cocoa from the container into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  After scooping out the dough (1/4 cup), I chilled them for a few hours before baking to help keep them puffy. And, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs corn syrup
  • 2 1/2  cups flour
  • 2/3 cup black or unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup almonds, finely ground
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup mini marshmallow bits

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and corn syrup. Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips, nuts and marshmallow bits.   Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and place in fridge for a few hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookie doughs on prepared sheet. 

Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Wishing you a day filled with peace,  joy and love.  Remember to be kind!

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!

Magical mermaid graffiti sprinkle cookies

What the what?  I know, a weird name for a cookie.  I saw these sprinkles at price rite and thought “how magical for a cookie.”  So I made a funfetti like cookie dough with cake batter extract and vanilla extracts and poured in a container of magical mermaid graffiti.  Perfectamundo, to paraphrase Arthur Fonzarelli. 🙂

Of course, if you don’t have cake batter extract, you can use vanilla or almond extract. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also chill the dough for a few hours.  And, preheat the oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp cake batter extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2.5 Oz container of sprinkles

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and extracts.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in sprinkles.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough. 

Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 11 to 13 minutes.  (Bottoms will be lightly browned).  Cookies may be a little gushy.. but let them cool down and pop them in the fridge to firm them up. 

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp cake batter extract
  • 2 tbs milk.

Directions – in a bowl, combine ingredients and mix well.  Frost cooled cookies. 

Store in covered container. 

Blondies with Chocolate Chips

I do not know whether these are called blondies, toll house bars or chocolate chip bars.  They are basically a chocolate chip cookie in bar form.  Always a  big hit and super easy to make. 

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 so it cycles to the right amount.

And wait until these are cooled before cutting them.  This is on either Rob or Gracie.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×9 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and sugar.  Add eggs, yolk and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips and spread evenly in pan.  Sprinkle  remaining 1/2 cup chips on top and gently press into dough.  In preheated oven, bake 25 to 30 minutes .  No longer.  Cool completely.  Cut and store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Smores cookies

My latest treat for work was a request from my hubby, Rob, who saw these smores cookies in a store.  A graham cracker like cookie, topped with melted chocolate and a toasted marshmallow.

So that is what I made today.  I have to be honest, putting a toasted marshmallow on top was no easy on some of these and I have no idea why!

A little messy with the marshmallow on top

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. And, I recommend chilling these individual doughs a few hours or overnight.  I might make these a little bigger next time and make them a little flatter too.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco (or butter flavor crisco)
  • 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • Milk chocolate
  • Large marshmallows

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, and brown sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients and graham cracker crumbs. 

Scoop out 2 tbs of dough, roll into a ball and slightly flatten.  Chill a few hours or overnight.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stagger cookies on sheet, like below.

Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  They will be a little gushy on top.  It is ok.  Let them cool a bit and pop them in the fridge to firm them up. 

While their cookies are baking, melt your chocolate.  I melted some milk chocolate chips for most of them.  I ran out of that and called an audible and melted some Reese’s eggs for the final 6.

To toast marshmallows – preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  I sprayed a little pam on the parchment paper.  Bake these 5 to 7 minutes or until the marshmallows are as toasted as you want.

Take a cookie and lay it on a flat surface.

Top with melted chocolate.

I sprayed my hands with pam and place a marshmallow on top.  Sometimes I did a fine job.

Other times, I did not.

Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I wish you a day filled with happiness, joy and love and remember to be kind

Stuffed monster cookies for Championship week Saturday

Keeping my Championship week treat baking going with stuffed monster cookie#.  These have peanu butter, oats, milk chocolate chips and are stuffed with a) Reese’s pb cups

b) double stuff oreos or c) golden oreos. 

The oats make them healthy, right?

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 doughs for an hour or two.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup oats (i used instant)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 cup mini m&ms
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions -in a bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients and oats.  Fold in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 1 tbs dough and slightly flatten.

Top with a Reese’s pb cup or oreo

Scoop out another tbs of dough, slightly flatten and place on top.

Seal edges.

Chill and hour or two.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies.

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

A peanut butter cup peaking through

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!

A Friday treat (not friday football.  Football and I are on a break right now)

Usually, on Fridays during football season, I bring in a Friday football treat.  But this post contains just  a Friday treat because football and I are taking a break. 

I did have something cool happen today though and it was football related.  Our midday show had Damar Hamlin on as a guest and I told one of our hosts, Joe, to tell Damar I love him.  He did and Damar replied “shout out to Christine.”  Made my day.

This is a simple chocolate cookie cake with a sweet chocolate frosting.  Both are easy.  And I sprinkled some mini m&ms on top.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from your containers into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. 

  • Cookie cake ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Directions- spray a ten inch springform pan (or cake pan) with baking spray, then line with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Press evenly into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven. Now make the frosting.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
This is what happens when the cookie cake is cut before the frosting sets

Directions – in a saucepan, combine butter, milk and sugar over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.   Let mixture come to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add chips.  Let stand a minute or two.  Store smooth.  Pour over cookie cake (even if it is warm).  Let frosting set as cookie cake cools  completely.  Cut and store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Wishing you a day of peace, joy and love (also wishing for Josh Allen to win NFL MVP tonight)