Frosted Chocolate pop tarts bars

I loved pop tarts as a kid, specifically the chocolate frosted ones.   I saw that Taylor Swift made a homemade version of pop tarts,  so I thought, “why not”?  It was funny, my chocoholic husband asked for a brown sugar version.  Those will be on the way soon.

Remember to scoop your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Also freeze the uncooked bars for 30 minutes before baking to keep the fudge filling in place.  And, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.

  • Fudge filling list
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, combine chips and cocoa. heat cream to a boil.  Pour over chips.   Add butter, stir until melted.  Mix in vanilla.  Set aside. 

  • Bar ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions – line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.   in a bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Press half of dough every into prepared pan.  Spread fudge filling on top.   Evenly press remaining dough on top of filling.  Freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool completely

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

Directions- in a bowl,combine powdered sugar, cocoa, water and vanilla.  Blend in melted chips.  Frost cooled bars.  Store in covered container.

Sugar Cookie Brownie Bars/Brownie Sugar Cookies bars (frosted and topped with M&Ms)

To kick off NFL week 14, I decided to mix a brownie mix, with a sugar cookie mix, add some eggs, melted butter and vanilla and bring this concoction into work.  Not sure whether to call them sugar cookie brown bars or Brownie sugar cookie bars.  And I frosted them with vanilla frosting and tossed some m&ms on top.

I did not realize it was national cookie day, but these treats should suffice.

You can use whatever cookie mix flavor you want and if you find a blondie or chocolate chip bar mix, you can certainly swap out the brownie mix.  

Remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 1 cookie mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions- preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 pan with baking spray.  Set aside.   In a bowl, combine mixes, blend in eggs, butter and vanilla. Spread evenly into pan.  Bake 22 to 28 minutes.  (Toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs).  I don’t recommend baking these longer than 28 minutes.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar.  Add heavy cream, one tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.  Blend in vanilla.  Frost bars.  Toss some m&ms on top. 

Store in covered container

NFL Sunday, week 13 – Chocolate chocolate chip cake with crushed oreo frosting

If you love chocolate, this cake is for you.  It uses a chocolate cake mix (I used dark chocolate fudge, but any one is fine), and a handful of other ingredients.   The frosting is a buttercream with finely ground oreos. If you don’t have black cocoa, regular unsweetened baking cocoa is fine.  I think I will make a golden oreo version of this with a white cake mix another time.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 1 box chocolate instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
  • 1/2 cup black cocoa
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bundt cake pan with baking spray.  Set aside. In a bowl, blend cake mix, pudding mix and cocoa.  Blend in eggs, oil, greek yogurt and milk.  Fold in chips.   Batter will be thick.  Spread evenly into prepared bundt pan.  Bake 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Remove from oven.   Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Then pop cake onto a plate and cool completely.

I felt i left this cake in a minute too long, so I found a syrup recipe to help moisten it up.  This is used before you frost it.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa.  Whisk constantly over medium heat just until it boils.  Remove from stove.  Pour in a pan and cool completely.   Brush on cooled cake.

  • Oreo buttercream frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 to 6 tbs heavy cream
  • 14 oreos, finely crushed (i used a food processor)

Directions – in a bowl cream butter and crisco.   Slowly blend in powdered sugar.   Add vanilla and 4 tbs of heavy cream.  Mix more cream, one tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.  Blend in crushed oreos.  Frost cake.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Cookie dough topped, frosted brown sugar cookies

Another treat for my non chocolate loving friends at work.  A brown sugar cookie, with a brownie sugar cookie dough frosting and topped with pieces of edible cookie dough.

Remember to spoon your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount, chill the individual mounds of dough for a few hours, and preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions – In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add egg, oil and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form tall mounds.  Chill at least a few hours in the fridge.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.   Cookies may be gushy.  You can pop them in the fridge to help firm them up.  Make sure they are completely cooled.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1,/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup flour (heated in a microwave safe container for 30 seconds)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.   Add flour and powdered sugar. Mix in vanilla and cream. 

  • Edible cookie dough ingredients
  • 4 tbs butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1,/2 cup flour (heated in a microwave safe container for 30 seconds)
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add cream, vanilla and salt.  Blend in flour.  Mix in chips.  Scoop out tsp of dough and roll into balls.

Frost cooled cookies and topped with pieces of cookie dough. 

Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Frosted Churro Cookies

One of today’s treats are frosted Churro cookies.  Basically a sugar cookie sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and topped with buttercream frosting.  I actually have an electric, plug in churro maker – similar to a foreman grill.  Yet I have never used it!  one of several kitchen gadgets i bought but rarely use, or have ever used

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right eight amount.   chilled them smushed doughs overnight to keep them thick.  Preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2 1/2 -2 3/4 cups flour
  • Water (might need a tbs or 2 if dough seems too dry)
  • Cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, oil, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Add a tbs or 2 of water if dough seems too dry.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.   Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with pam.  Dip bottom of glass in sugar.  Slightly flatten.  Sprinkle top of cookie with cinnamon sugar.   Chill a few hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

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

Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Frost cookies. 

Store in covered container. 

Week nine victory Monday treats – chocolate football sandwich cookies

Chiefs- Bills, Mahomes-Allen round 10!   Stressful as always, josh played great and Mahomes worked his impossible magic, as usual.  I stood the last 5 minutes of the game and am pretty sure I did not breathe.   Anyways, to celebrate i made football theme chocolate cutout cookie sandwiches – a football, a helmet and a jersey.  And i used a vanilla buttercream for the filling.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from their containers into your measuring  up so you get the correct amount. Also, preheat your oven to 350 before baking.

  • Cookie ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Sprinkle some flour on a clean, flat surface.  Roll dough to desired thickness and cut (i prefer mine on the thick side).   Place on prepared cookie sheet.  They don’t spread a ton, but don’t crowd them on the sheet.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

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

In a bowl, combine butter and vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar.  Add milk, a tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.   Place a spoonfuls between two cookies. 

Store in covered container.

Go Bills!

Victory Monday week 8 treats # 2 – white chocolate brownies with 🎃 sprinkles

For all my non chocolate loving coworkers – white chocolate brownies, with Halloween sprinkles and vanilla frosting.   Super simply and easy.

I added  some of my homemade white cocoa powder to these.  You can absolutely leave it out.  

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag so you get the right amount.   Preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 8 tbs butter
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sprinkles

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and white chips in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.   Add sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in flour and salt.  Mix in sprinkles.  Spread into pan.  Bake 20 to 23 minutes (you will see light golden patches on top).  Cool completely. 

Frost with vanilla frosting if you want.  I combined 2 tbs butter, melted, 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream

Halloween Cutout Sugar cookies

This is the sugar cookierecipe I use for all my holiday cutout cookies – halloween, Thanksgiving,  Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, football ( i know football is not a holiday but if i have cookie cutters for something, it is a holiday for me)   This recipe  is from a friend of my family.  They bring back a lot of wonderful memories of baking with my mom when I was younger.  And these were my dad’s favorite cookies and he loved the dough too!

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

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups crisco
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
A plethora of pumpkins!

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Slowly blend in dry ingredients.    Sprinkle flour on your countertop and roll out dough to desired thickness.   Cut out cookies.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

A gaggle of ghosts
  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 to 3 tbs heavy cream (depending on consistency you want)
  • Food coloring or sprinkles

In a bowl, combine ingredients. Frost cookies and sprinkle with sprinkles.  Store in covered container.

Frosted funfetti cookies, Halloween style, and happy birthday Rachel!

These are a request from my coworker friend Rachel for her birthday.  These are funfetti cookies, Halloween style.  I used these  Halloween sprinkles in the cookies.

And used these on top of the frosting.

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 a few hours before baking.  And, preheat the oven before baking.

If you don’t have cake batter extract, you can substitute vanilla for it.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp cake batter extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup 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 of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on it.  Bake 11 to 13 minutes.  They will likely be a little gushy on top.  Pop them in the fridge to firm them up.

For the frosting i added 1/4 cup homemade white chocolate powder (ground up chocolate chips, powdered milk, powdered sugar and granulated sugar).  Of course, you can leave it out.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp cake batter extract (or vanilla)
  • 2 tbs heavy cream or milk

Combine and frost cookies.  Sprinkle with sprinkles! 

Store in covered container.

M&M sugar cookies (made with brown sugar because I ran out of granulated sugar)

I wanted to make m&m sugar cookies and frost them.   All well and good, but i did not realize I was out of granulated sugar.   That has NEVER happened to me.  Not sure how I let that happen.   So I just subbed in brown sugar entirely for the granulated sugar.  And, I went and bought 2 huge bags of granulated sugar for future baking.

So I am only bringing in half of these tomorrow, with vanilla frosting.  The other half I will bake in a few days and frost them with chocolate frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount (same goes for the powdered sugar).  chill your individual doughs and form them even taller before baking to keep them puffy. And preheat your oven before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 powdered sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tbs water
  • 2 tbs vanilla
  • 5 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and water.  Blend in dry ingredients.   (It was a little humid the day i made these, so I added an extra cup of flour.  Your call if you want to do that).  Blend in m&ms.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet, form mounds a little taller.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes.  Bottoms with be lightly golden, tops might be a little gushy, but will be fine.   Cool completely.   

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

Directions- in a bowl, blend all ingredients well.  Frost cooled cookies.   Store in covered container.

Thank you for stopping by today!