Tag Archives: desserts

An ode to Keebler Cookies Magic Middles

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Fudge filled chocolate chip cookies

Rob and I were talking about store bought cookies from childhood and I mentioned the only ones I really liked were magic middles by Keebler and Mystic Mint (which I know may gross some people out, because they can’t accept mint in a dessert, but I loved them). Anyways, Rob had never heard of magic middles, but I told him I remembered them as a chocolate chip cookie with melted chocolate inside. I looked them up and it was more of a shortbread cookie, but I decided to do my own version with chocolate chip cookie dough. Of course, I did not make enough fudge, so I used leftover Reese’s eggs for the remainder of the dough and added mini m&ms so the cookies could be told apart.

Filled with mini Reese’s eggs

Reminders – scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Do not pour directly from the bag and pack it in. Give yourself time with these. The fudge needs to harden a bit (I scooped put individual scoops of 1 1/2 tbs, put them in the fridge. Once I stuffed the cookies with then, I popped them in the freezer to make sure the fudge didn’t leak all over the place).

  • Fudge ingredients
  • 14 oz condensed milk
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • In a saucepan, combine condensed milk and chips over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Grease a sheet of tin foil with butter (I sprayed with butter spray). Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs fudge and place in the fridge for about an hour to firm up.
  • Cookie dough ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of cough and divide in half. Slightly flatten and place a ball of fudge on top.

Top with second half of slightly flattened dough.

Seal edges

I ran out of fudge, so I used mini reese’s eggs for the rest of the dough.

And I used mini m&ms for the Reese’s, so people can tell the difference between them and fudge filled cookies

Chill cookie dough for a few hours or freeze for an hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Bake 12 to 15 minutes (light golden patches on top). Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Very puffy triple chip cookies

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As we enjoy another night of Stanley Cup playoff hockey, I decided to make some chocolate chip cookies. These are made with browned butter and 2 oz of cream cheese. The cream cheese helped them stay thick and they did not spread out at all. You can not taste the cream cheese at all! They stayed nice and puffy and are loaded with 3 kinds of chocolate chips.

A few notes – browned butter is super easy. Place the butter in a sauce pan, cook over low heat . A few minutes after it completely melts, brown specks will appear. Turn off the pan and pour butter in bowl. Let it cool for 30 minutes. Spoon your flour from your flour bag into your container so you get the right amount. And preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp.

1/2 cup butter

2 oz cream cheese (I used low fat)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)

1 tbs cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 kinds of chips!

Directions – place butter in a pan, cook over low-medium heat until there are small brown specks. Cool in a bowl for a half hour. (Otherwise, the chips may melt and you will have marble cookies). Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. In a bowl, combine cooled butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients (you may need to use your hands and mix them like meatballs). Mix in chips. Scoop our 1/4 cups dough. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on the sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes (no longer). Cool completely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

Triple chip mini m&m chocolate cookies

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After some very unusually warm days, it cooled off today, so I thought it would be a good day to bake cookies. I went with a chocolate cookie dough using dark, semisweet and milk chocolate chips (I have a huge bag of each), and mini m&ms. I thought, perhaps, of drizzling melted hershey kisses on top, but not sure that is needed.

Xl bags of 3 kinds of chips

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup (same goes for the baking cocoa). I also recommend chilling the dough for a few hours. And, preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking, so that it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled in fridge for 30 to 40 minutes (it will solidify and that’s ok)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbs water
  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 /2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup mini m&ms
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions – combine butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and water. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough. You may need to flour your hands for this – form tall mounds. Chill mounds of dough for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake 11 minutes. Because these are chocolate, it is hard to tell when they are done. I err on the side of taking cookies out early bc they will continue to cook on the sheet after being removed from the oven. They will firm up and be fine once completely cooled. Plus, gushy cookies are not bad!

Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today. ❤️

When it’s too hot to turn on the oven, you make no bake peanut butter bars

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After back to back days of 90+ degrees, I turned on the AC (the house was 81 degrees). I did not want to turn on the oven to bake, so I opted to make no bake peanut butter bars. The triple chip chocolate cookies will have to wait to be baked another day.

  • Oreo crust ingredients
  • 20 oreos,finely crushed
  • 1 stick of butter, melted

Directions – line an 8×8 pan with tinfoil and spray with butter spray. combine oreos and butter and press into prepared pan.

  • Peanut butter layer
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed gram crackers (approx 1 sleeve of crackers)
  • 1 1 /2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 stick of butter, melted

In a bowl, combine ingredients and blend smooth. Spread over oreo crust.

Topping – in a microwave safe bowl, combine 1 cup milk chocolate chips and 1 tbs vegetable oil. Microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Spread on top of peanut butter layer. Chill in fridge and cut. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Chocolate cookies stuffed with Reese’s peanut butter eggs

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The other day, I picked up a mega bag of the Reese’s peanut butter eggs while at BJs. They truly are, the world’s best candy. I know Reese’s makes their peanut butter cups and other peanut butter variety treats for various holidays (like pumpkins and Christmas trees), but the ones they have at Easter time just seem different. I can make a homemade version of these eggs, but I opted to buy a huge bag for some reason.. so I decided to stuff some into chocolate cookies.

These chocolate cookies use melted chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate for these, but you can use semisweet) and are super fudgy. After making the dough and wrapping it around the candies, I chilled everything overnight to help prevent spreading.

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 for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

I made 12 stuffed cookies with this recipe. You can double it if you want to make more.

  • Ingredients
  • 5 tbs butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips (i melted them in a microwave proof bowl in 30 second increments until i could stir smooth)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Reese’s peanut butter eggs, unwrapped

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in melted chocolate. Fold in dry ingredients.

Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs dough, slightly flatten

Top with a Reese’s egg

Scoop out another 1 1/2 tbs dough,, slightly flatten and place on top of Reese’s egg

Make sure egg is completely covered with dough

I chilled these overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, stagger cookies

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, not much longer, so to not burn the bottoms.

Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Fudgy Brownies

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Fudgy brownies

I got a request from Rob for brownies and thought these would fit the bill. I was looking for something that baked in 20 minutes or less.

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

  • Ingredients
  • 10 tbs butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave butter, sugar, baking cocoa and salt for 30 to 45 seconds. Stir. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add flour and beat only for 40 strokes. Fold in chips. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes (a toothpick inserted in the center of brownies comes out basically clean. Cool completely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a wonderful day with lots of love and joy!

Smores whoopie pies

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Smores whoopie pies

I was looking for a little something different to bake and bring into work tomorrow morning, and I noticed I have a couple of containers of marshmallow fluff, so I thought, “Why not smores whoopie pies” The whoopie pies are a graham cracker cookies, with a fluff frosting and melted milk chocolate chips as the center.

A reminder to scoop your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Also, preheat the oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Whoopie pie ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheer with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine milk, vinegar, baking soda and vanilla. In another bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs. Blend in milk mixture, flour, graham cracker crumbs, and baking powder. Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs dough and roll into balls. Stagger on the prepared cookie sheet, as seen below.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. I would not do any longer than that because you don’t want the bottoms to burn. Cool completley

  • Marshmallow fluff filling ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup fluff
  • 2 tbs milk (or more if necessary

Directions – cream all ingredients together

  • Chocolate filling – melt 1 cup milk chocolate chips with 1 tbs vegetable oil for 45 seconds. Stir smooth. If you need to, microwave in 15-second additional increments until you can stir it smooth.

Assembly – place cookies flat-side up, on one cookie place 1 tbs fluff filling, place 1 tbs melted chocolate.

Put them together to form your whoopie pies.

Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I wish you a wonderful day. Enjoy March Madness and the NCAA hockey tournament as well!

Fudge topped, oreo stuffed blue velvet cookies

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Fudge topped, oreo stuffed blue velvet cookies

I wanted to make some red velvet cookies, but take it up a notch – so I decided to stuff them with oreos and top them with fudge and mini m&ms. I didn’t have enough red food color,so I opted for blue food color. When I added the baking cocoa it made for a very dark blue cookie. I don’t have this red velvet thing down very well, but I think these cookies will still be good. 😋

Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. If you pour directly from the flour bag, the flour gets packed into the measuring cup and that can make for a dry cookie. I chilled the cookies overnight before baking, to minimize spread. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp.

  • Cookie ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold and grated with a cheese grater or cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbs food color
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 tsp cornstarch

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in food color. Stir in dry ingredients. Scoop out 1/4 cup of dough

Divide in half and flatten each half, enough so an oreo will fit with a little extra around it

Place an oreo between the two halves

Completely cover cookie

Chill cookies for at least a few hours. When ready to bake,preheat oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on sheet (they do spread a bit).

Bake 15 minutes, no longer. As they are cooling, make the fudge topping. The topping may seem a little greasy when warm, but the fudge firms up nicely.

  • Fudge topping ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 cups milk (or semisweet) chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, over low heat, combine butter, sugar and evaporated milk. Stir occasionally to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in chips until melted. Add vanilla. Spoon on top of cookies and press in some mini m&ms.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I wish you a wonderful day, filled with peace, love and joy. And remember to be kind. We all need a little kindness.

Milk chocolate chip mini m&m chocolate cookies

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These are not just large cookies, they are not extra large. I feel they are 2XL. They are basically a cup of cookie dough bc they were the 3rd thing I baked today, after brownies and milk chocolate chip cookies. I made them big and cooked them at a higher temp to finally finish baking.

Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. I chilled these overnight. They did not spread out at all,so you could flatten the mounds before you chill them. Also preheat your oven to 410 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the eight temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini m&ms

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips and m&ms. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Flatten to however thick you want the cookies. Chill a few hours or overnight. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Preheat oven to 410 degrees for 20 minutes. Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake for 10 minutes (no longer because you are baking at a higher temp than usual for cookies)

Thanks for stopping by today! If you make these chocolate mounds of goodness, let me know how they turn out.

XL milk chocolate chip cookies with ground macadamia nuts

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To occupy my time before the Bills game tomorrow, I decided to bake a couple of things. Three to be exact, for Damar Hamlin, who continues to recover after a cardiac arrest event during a game on January 2nd. These are milk chocolate chip cookies with ground macadamia nuts. Not sure why I decided to grind them up (with my old school nutgrinder), but I did. These are pretty big cookies. I used 1/2 cup scoops of dough and chilled them overnight so they did not spread out too much.

Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup. Chill your dough. And preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so the stove cycles to the right temp. Also, do not overcook these. They will seem doughy, but will firm up and be ok after they cool. Or if you eat them warm, is there anything wrong with gushy cookies?

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • Finely ground macadamia nuts (opt)

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips and ground nuts. Scoop out 1/2 cups of dough and roll into balls. Chill a few hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on prepared sheets. Bake 11 to 15 minutes. I did mine for 13 and a half. Cool completley. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you make these, let me know how they turn out. Wishing you a day filled with peace and joy. #gobills