Tag Archives: vanilla

Oreo cheesecake topped with cookies and cream mousse and chocolate ganache

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After a rough sunday in Miami, I am making a plea to the football gods for my Bills for week 11 and am doing so with this request from my husband and a copycat of the cheesecake factory oreo dream extreme cheesecake.

This does take some time, but is worth it.  I used neufactel cheese, which is lower fat and lower calorie, so I added some cornstarch to help firm up the cheesecake layer.

  • Flourless Cake  ingredients
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 8 tbs butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees.  in a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and butter in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Add sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Blend in eggs well.  Line a 9″ round pan with parchment paper.  Evenly spread batter into pan.   Bake 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool completely

  • Ganache ingredients list
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat cream for 3 minutes.  Add chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir smooth.   Place in fridge.

  • Cheesecake ingredients
  • 24 oz cream cheese (I used neufactel,  which is softer and lower calorie and lower fat)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs flour
  • 6 tbs cornstarch (if you are using neufactel or low fat cream cheese)
  • 3/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 12 to 16 Oreo cookies

Directions – preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 9 inch springform pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, cream cream cheese, sugar and flour (and cornstarch if you are using a lower fat cheese).  Blend in Greek yogurt and vanilla.  Fold in eggs and yolk.  Pour 1/3 into prepared pan.  Top with 6 to 8 oreos and press down gently.  Top with a other third of batter and gently press 6 to 8 oreos on top.  Top with remaining third of batter.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes (middle jiggles a little and edges are set).  Turn off oven.   Crack oven and leave cheesecake in for an hour.  Transfer to fridge for a few hours.

  • Cookies and cream mousse
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Crushed oreos (8 to 10)

Directions – in a bowl, whip cream amd powdered sugar to stiff peaks.  Blend in crushed oreos.    Put in fridge.

When ready to assemble – beat chilled ganache for a few minutes so it is spreadable.   Place flourless cake on a plate.  Spread a thin layer of ganache on top.  Gently place cheesecake on top of ganache layer.   Smooth oreo mousse on top of cheesecake layer.  Use rest of ganache on top and sides.  Store in fridge.

  • Layer list
  • Flourless cake
  • Thin ganache layer
  • Cheesecake
  • Cookies and cream layer
  • Frost entire thing with rest of ganache

Thanks for stopping by today!

M&M Oatmeal cookies, topped with melted milk chocolate

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We had one last bag of leftover candy from Halloween – a bag of plain m&ms.   so I thought “why not bake with them?” 

Note the colors in the middle – red and blue!  Go Bills!

Instead of the usual chocolate chip cookie recipe, I went with oatmeal, for something different.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the individual  doughs for a few hours.  And preheat your oven before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 8 tbs butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 tbs crisco
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbs plus 2 tsp brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2  cups oats (I used quick pats)
  • 1 cup m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco and brown sugar.  Add egg, honey and vanilla.  Blend in flour, salt and oats.   Mix 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.  flatten cookies to desired thickness.

Bake 10 minutes, no longer. Cool completely.

Top with melted milk chocolate.

Store in covered container

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

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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

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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.

Week 4 victory treats – Cookies and cream cookies stuffed with brownies

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Whew!  That was a very stressful Bills win today!  But a win is a win and worthy of victory treats!

I feel like I haven’t made stuffed cookies in a while, so I decided to whip some up.  These are a cookies and cream cookies, with crushed oreos and milk chocolate chips stuffed with brownies.  

You can use your favorite brownie recipe or a mix for these.  After they are completely cooled, I recommend cutting them in squares and putting them in the fridge.  

When baking the cookies – remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   Also, after assembling the cookie dough stuffed with a brownie, chill the doughs a few hours.  And, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 3/4 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs  sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbs flour
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbs cake flour
  • 2  tsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 15 oreos, chopped into pieces
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • Brownie squares

Directions – in a bowl, cream crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Blend in egg, yolks and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.   Fold in chopped oreos and chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.

Divide in two pieces and flatten each. 

Top with a brownie square

Place other flattened half on top

Seal edges, completely covering brownie.  Chill a few hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 10 to 14 minutes.  Cool completely..

store in covered container

Week 3 victory treats – vanilla little debbie cookies

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The other treat for the Bills win over the Dolphins – a vanilla version of little debbie brownie cookies.  I made my own white chocolate cocoa powder and used that.  I probably could have bought white chocolate cocoa at the grocery store,  but didn’t feel like going out again, so I made my own.

White chocolate cocoa ingredients

  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup instant milk powder
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Directions – in a food processor, chop up white chips for about a minute.  Add remaining ingredients and run food processor until a fine powder forms. 

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 your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs white chocolate cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions- in a bowl, cream crisco, butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheets. 

Bake 12 to 16 minutes.  Cool completely

These came out a lot larger than I planned!
  • White chocolate frosting ingredients
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, cream butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla.  Blend in melted white chocolate.   Frost cookies.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Oreo brookies

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Our selection committee list yesterday was all about best desserts.   One of our callers mentioned oreo brookies, which are a layer of tollhouse bars, a layer of oreos and a layer of  brownies.  They also have a pg-13 name, but i won’t go into it here.

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.

Someone was a little eager and cut these while they were still hot!
  • Chocolate chip layer
  • 7 tbs butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with pam.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in chips.  Press into prepared pan.

Layer with oreos

  • Brownie layer ingredients
  • 6 tbs butter
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tbs unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Extra chips

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat 1 cup chocolaye chips and butter in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Set aside.  In another bowl, mix eggs, vanilla and sugar.  Add chocolate mixture.   Blend in dry ingredients.   Drop by spoonfuls on top of oreo layer and spread evenly. 

Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.  Bake 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Cool completely. 

Store in covered container.

Week 2 victory Monday treats

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To celebrate the Bills week 2 win over the jets, I present carrot cake cookies.  The exception to these is that instead of grating carrots (which, is not fun), I used carrot baby food.  My mother in law gave me a carrot cake recipe, so it is based on that.

And the special ingredient- mini chocolate chips!!!!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the individual doughs before baking.   preheat your oven before baking and only bake these 10 minutes. You can always pop them in the fridge after they are cooled and frosted to firm them up

  • Ingredients list
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packead into measuring cup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 8 oz carrot baby food
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice or nutmeg
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in egg, vanilla and carrot baby food.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Mix in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Freeze and hour or chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger mounds of dough on sheet. 

Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, blend butter and cream cheese.   Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.  Frost cooled cookies. 

Store in covered container.

Puffy peanut butter cookies

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One of my treats for week one for work tomorrow -puffy peanut butter cookies.  Super simple, sweet and soft.

Remmeber 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 to keep cookies puffy.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cuo crisco
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cup)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg, milk and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.   Roll into extra granulated sugar. Chill doughs a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.   Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Top with melted chocolate if you want. 

Store in covered container.

Marble Chocolate Chip cookies

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I could not decide whether to make chocolate chip cookies or chocolate chocolate chip cookies, so I decided to do both – and make marble chocolate chip cookies.  I know it needed to marble them more, but I believe they are just fine.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from you flour bag/cocoa container into your measuring cups/measuring spoons so you get the right amount. I also recommend chilling the dough so the cookies don’t spread as much.  Also preheat your oven before baking so it cycles to the right temp for baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 2/3 cups plus 2 tbs flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 6 tbs baking cocoa
  • 1 cup chocolate chips, divided

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in 2 2/3 cups flour and baking soda.   Divide dough evenly into 2 bowls.  In one bowl, blend in 2 tbs flour, then mix in 1/2 cup chips.  In the other bowl, blend in cocoa then mix in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

  Scoop out 2 tbs  dough from each bowl.

Combine one of each into one cookie, form a tall mound and chill a few hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 11 to 13 minutes until chocolate chip side has golden patches.  

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.