Autumn Leaf Sugar Cookies

Here is a fun idea for a yummy fall treat! 

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut with leaf cutouts! Color some frosting orange and some yellow. Put a little dollop of each color on cookie and blend with knife. Use brown frosting to  create veins in the leaves with piping. 

Butterfinger Blondies

Recipe and Image adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

These are amazing!  Since I made these, I am seriously craving blondies all the time.  Delish!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 10 “Fun Size” bars) 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
• Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
• On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
• Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.
• Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.
• Remove from oven and cool completely.

 

BUTTERFINGER BUTTERCREAM:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 4 “Fun Size” bars)

Directions:

• Cream the butter and shortening together until smooth.
• Add in you powdered sugar on low speed.  Turn speed up to medium and mix until smooth
• Stir in your chopped Butterfinger. (I sprinkled mine on top rather than stirring them in!)
• Spread on your cooled blondies.

Cowboy Cookies

Adapted from Allrecipes

These were some of the best cookies!  I loved the salty addition from the pretzels and the oats gave it a wholesome quality.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup butter
• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup pretzels, broken into pieces

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixture.  Beat well.  Stir in the oats, chocolate, chips, coconut and pretzels.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until browned.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

Gingerbread Butterscotch Cookies

A Nestle Tollhouse Recipe

I make these cookies every December.  I LOVE them.  However, my husband just thinks they are "all right". He has very limited taste buds when it comes to desserts, much to my chagrin.  Thus, I usually only make them once a year, but really I think they are cravable and worthy of being made year-round.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup light molasses
• 1 (11 oz) pkg Nestle Butterscotch flavored morsels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a small bowl.  Beat butter, sugar, egg and molasses in a large mixer bowl until creamy.  Gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended.  Stir in morsels.  Drop by rounded tablespoons on to ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 9-11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.  

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from Old Fashioned Cookies

These are your classic peanut butter cookies. It's a great recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat until just blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Combine with creamed mixture at low speed. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with crisscross pattern using a fork. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on baking sheet and move to cookie racks.

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

Recipe given to me by my friend, Valerie Davis

My friend, Valerie, made these to-die-for cookies for a Relief Society meeting.  I came home from the meeting and told Tim all about them.  And a few days later I made them.  SO DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

• Favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe
• 1 package of Oreo cookies

Directions:

• Make your chocolate chip cookies, according to recipe directions.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take one Oreo cookie and a tablespoon size scoop of cookie dough.  Flatten the cookie dough in your hand and place on one side of the Oreo cookie.  Take another scoop of cookie dough, flatten in palm of hand and place on the opposite side of the Oreo cookie.  Place cookie on baking sheet.  Repeat until all cookie dough is used.
• Cook for approximately 10 minutes.  

Homemade Oreo Cookies

These cookies are delicious and the recipe is sooo easy!

Ingredients:

1 package Devil's Food Cake mix

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

Mix ingredients. Roll into quarter sized balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting and put together to make sandwich cookie.

White Chocolate Chip Orange Cookies

Adapted from Allrecipes

Orange zest + white chocolate chips are an awesome combination.  What else needs to be said?
     

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 orange, zested
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12 ounce) bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and orange zest; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, mixing until combined.
• Fold in chips.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until dough is golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

I've had a sweet tooth lately and this was a great fix.  It's also a great standby dessert since chances are everything you need to make this stellar sweet is already in your cupboard.  Yum!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• Additional coconut for sprinkling on the top of the bars

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
• Combine the flour and salt; whisk and set aside.
• Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
• Slowly beat in the flour and salt mixture until just blended.  Next, stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.  Scrape the batter into the pan.  Make sure the batter is spread evenly, smooth with a spatula.  Sprinkle extra coconut on top of the bars.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until set in the center but still soft.  Do not over-bake the bars!  Let cool slightly before serving.  Cut the bars into squares.

Fruit Pizza

Adapted from a recipe from Kaylee Coil

For the  4th of July, I decided to whip up a dessert that had a little red, white & blue in it.  Plus, Tim requested this yummy dessert.  I have to admit that I take major shortcuts with this recipe...mostly I use Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix.  I have never found a sugar cookie recipe that I like more than Betty Crocker.  I don't know if there is any other cookie mix I can say that about, but as far as sugar cookies go I stick with Ms. Betty.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Betty Crocker sugar cookies mix + ingredients listed on back of package
• 1 (8 oz) package of reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 carton cool whip
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• Fruit! (strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, mandarin oranges, raspberries, etc…)

Directions:

• Prepare sugar cookies according to package directions.  Spread onto greased baking sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Cool completely.
• Beat together the cream cheese, cool whip and confectioner’s sugar until thoroughly combined.  Spread over sugar cookies.
• Peel, chop, slice fruit and sprinkle liberally over the cool whip frosting.  Enjoy!



Butterfinger Cookies

Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Sweet Pea is all about  dessert/baked goods, which I LOVE to drool over.  I don't allow myself to make too many of her recipes because when I bake I tend to overeat.  {I absolutely succomb to my sweet tooth and then feel a tad bit guilty about it the next day.}  Anyway, as soon as I saw Sweet Pea's recipe for Butterfinger cookies I KNEW that I must make them.  They were to die for, as expected.

  PB + Butterfinger = a bite of Heaven.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (2.1-ounce) Butterfinger candy bar, chopped (scant 1/2 cup)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat peanut butter, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped Butterfinger candy.
• Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling. Using 1 1/2 tablespoons dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms to form balls., roll the ball in the sugar, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing 1 inch apart. Using bottom of glass or measuring cup, press cookies into 1/3-inch-thick rounds.
• Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, reversing sheets halfway through. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 2 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from twopeasandapot.blogspot.com

At one of the final get-togethers with friends during Medical school one of the girls brought these fabulous cookies.  I went home and told my husband about them.  Then my husband got the chance to try them when he helped one of the other graduating students move out of their apartment and this same girl dropped by with a plateful of these beauties.  He came home and told me about them and started bugging & begging me to make them.  They are that good.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 lg. eggs
• 1 T. vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:

• Cream the butter and sugar together until very light and smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and incorporate well.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in 2 cups chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Peanut Butter Oat Cookie Bars w/ Snickers

Adapted from Tried & True Recipes from the Ladies of the Innsbrook Ward

It has been so long without a post!  My dear sister added a new little bebe to her family and is busy learning how to juggle two kiddos...meanwhile I moved to a new state!  My hubby is starting his medical residency and we have been busy, busy, busy getting settled in here.  Plus, we don't have the Internet hooked up yet.  {I am sitting outside a Starbucks right now taking advantage of the free wifi.}  Anyway, this little dessert is so yummy and so addictive.  The PB frosting is my favorite and the Snickers on top add just a little bit of something extra special to the recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Oat Bar:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt 
• 1 cup flour
•  1 cup oats

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• Approximately 20 Snicker’s fun-size bars

Directions:

• Cream butter and sugars together in a bowl.  Add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix all dry ingredients together and add slowly to bowl. 
• Spread on greased pan.  Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
• While the PB oat bars are cooking, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, peanut butter and confectioner’s sugar until very smooth.  When the PB oat bars are cool, spread with frosting.
• Coarsely chop Snicker’s bars.  Sprinkle over frosted PB Oat Bars.  Serve!!!

Caramel Cookie Bars

Adapted from Allrecipes

 Let's be honest, you can tell that I am often too impatient to eat the dessert to take a decent picture.  BUT I don't want to go without adding the dessert to this little blog either, so please overlook the mediocrity of this picture and just know that this dessert is a yummy and very ooey-gooey treat.  Best served a la mode!

Ingredients:

• ½ bag (7 oz) caramels
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups oats
• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 package (6 oz) chocolate chips

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease rectangular pan 13x9x2.
• Heat caramels and milk in 2 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth.
• Stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and egg in large bowl.  Stir in butter with fork until mixture is crumbling.  Press half of the crumby mixture in pan.
• Bake 10 minutes.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer.  Drizzle with caramel.  Sprinkle with remaining crumbly mixture.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.      

Graham Cracker S'mores Cookies

Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

I get daily emails from Sweet Pea's Kitchen of her newest recipes.  I actually get emails from multiple food/recipe blogs, but I think I look forward to this email the most.  Her recipes are often sweet, baked goods which I dream about making all the time, but my waistline can't afford it more than once every week or two.  The main problem is I just can't stop after one cookie/brownie/cupcake/etc...  If I could, then I would definitely bake more often, but instead I allow  myself to drool a bit each morning when I open Sweet Pea's email.  As soon as I opened this recipe from Miss Sweet Pea, I knew I HAD to make it.  And it really did turn out sensational.  I loved the hint of cinnamon in the cookie and would really consider just making the cookies by themselves if I didn't have the rest of the s'mores ingredients.  Anyway, this is delicious!  Give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 package graham crackers, broken into squares
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12 ounce) bag semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 2 – 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper. Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, mixing until combined.
• Fold in chips and marshmallows. Place tablespoons of dough on each graham cracker square. Press down slightly with fingertips.
• Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top.
• Return pans to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 more minutes or until dough is golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Outrageous Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Allrecipes

I love these PB chocolate chip cookies.  I love the combo of peanut butter and chocolate period, but these are especially good.  As a twist, I'll sometimes leave out the chocolate chips and frost with a yummy peanut butter frosting recipe that I have.  {I'll make sure to post it someday!}  Also, I think next time I might try adding some peanut butter chips in addition to the chocolate chips for an extra dose of PB!

Ingredients:

·         ½ cup butter

·         ½ cup sugar

·         ½ cup peanut butter

·         1/3 cup brown sugar

·         ½ tsp vanilla extract

·         1 egg

·         1 cup flour

·         1 tsp baking soda

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         ½ cup oats

·         1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix all ingredients one at a time.  Drop by the tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza

Adapted from Allrecipes

So, you are supposed to make this on a pizza pan, but I wanted to make it into 2 dishes so that I could keep one for the Superbowl party we had and another to take to our ward Linger Longer.  This was super easy to throw together, which was great since I had to clean my house for the party too.  :)

Ingredients:

• 1 (18 oz) package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ cup whipped topping
• 2 cups cold half-and-half
• 1 large package instant chocolate pudding mix
• ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

• Press cookie dough onto an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-16 minutes or until center is set and cookie is lightly browned.  Cool completely.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and whipped topping until blended.  Spread over crust. 
• In a bowl whisk cream and pudding mix for 2 minutes.  Let stand until soft set.  Spread over cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with nuts.  Refrigerate until serving.

Cake Mix Cookies w/ Butterscotch Chips

Source Unknown

Cake mix cookies are great if you are in a rush and need to  make a treat.  We were going to a party at Pump It Up {an inflatable toy gym} for my birthday.  The only food we could bring was baked goods, so I hurried and made a batch of these cookies.  Cake mix cookies can be made with any cake mix, and any type of frosting or chip.  {Ex:  Oreo cookies are made with Devils Food Cake mix and Cream cheese frosting.}  This one was made with yellow cake mix and butterscotch chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 box cake mix {I used yellow cake mix}
• ¾ cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 8 oz chips or frosting {I used butterscotch chips}

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix all ingredients well.  Drop by the Tablespoonful onto a baking sheet.  Cook for approximately 9 minutes.
• Frost, if desired.

Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars

Adapted from Makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com

One of my friends made these shortbread bars and brough them to our Girl's Night Out {watching The Bachelor}.  They were so yummy that I went out and bought the ingredients the very next day!  This is my kind of dessert!

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 lb. salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbls. Vanilla
•  4 cups flour

For the filling:

·         1 bag (14 ounces) caramel candies, unwrapped

·         1/3 cup milk or cream

·         1/2 tsp. vanilla

·         1 Tbls. coarse Sea Salt (optional)

Directions:

·         Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  In a large mixer, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla. Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.

·         Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Spread about half of the crust dough in the pan to form the bottom crust.  Bake crust for about 20-25 minutes (until lightly golden brown.)

·         Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. 

·         While bottom crust is cooling and the remaining dough is chilling, make with filling.  Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave safe bowl. Add cream and vanilla. Cook on high for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to cook in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir until all the caramel is melted. 

·         Pour over crust layer. I didn't quite melt all of my caramel because I was a little impatient. I wanted to hurry up and bake these so I could eat them!  Sprinkle the caramel layer with Sea Salt if you chose to use it. 

·         Crumble the remaining dough over the caramel layer and bake for 25-30 minutes (until filling is bubbly and top layer is lightly golden brown). 

·         Now here's the hard part... let cool. I wanted to cut into them right away because they smelled so yummy.

Snickerdoodles

Adapted from my Mother-in-Law's recipe

These are one of my husband's favorite cookies.  So, when I asked him what kind of cookie he was feeling like, this is what he picked.  They are particularly fantastic with soft, so stick towards a little less cooking time and let them finish cooking on the baking sheet after removing from the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine or butter
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¾ cup flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix together thoroughly margarine, sugar and eggs.  Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.  Add to sugar mixture.
• Roll into balls and then roll into mixture of the sugar and cinnamon. 
• Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 9-10 minutes.