Cookie Dough Frosted Brownies

     Brownies hold a special place in most people's heart just by themselves.  That warm chocolate chewy goodness we love is a wonderful thing.  The recipe I bring to you today does not try to improve on that.  This cookie dough frosting is just the perfect compliment to the deep chocolate flavor found in this unique brownie base. 

      I need to give my son in law credit for finding this recipe (he found it in Mel's Kitchen Cafe).  When he served these for my daughter's birthday party, I couldn't get home fast enough to make them again! The Cookie Dough frosting is really something special.  It doesn't overpower your taste buds or taste too sweet.  I know you will love them too! 

     First you make the brownies by melting butter and chocolate chips together in a pan over low heat.  (Yes you heard correctly, there are melted chocolate chips in the batter!)  When they are melted take the pan off the heat and stir in the sugar.  Add the eggs one by one until each is fully incorporated.  Add flour and salt and beat until you see bubbles in the batter.  Pour batter into a 13 x 9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn heat to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

While the brownies cool, make your frosting.  Cream the butter and sugars together until light and then add the milk and vanilla.  Slowly add in the flour and salt until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop in small spoonfuls over the top of the brownies evenly. 

Carefully use the back of a tablespoon to slowly smooth the frosting over the top of the brownies.  Enjoy!

I shared this recipe on these wonderful sites!
Pint Sized Baker 
Lou Lou Girls
Nap time Creations  
The Country Cook 
Create & Inspire 

Cookie Dough Frosted Brownies

by Scrumptilicious 4 You!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients (13 x 9 pan)

For the Brownies

• 1 12 oz. bag semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour

For the Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

For the Brownies

Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a pan over low heat.

When they are melted take the pan off the heat and stir in the sugar.

Add the eggs one by one until each is fully incorporated.

Add flour and salt and beat until you see bubbles in the batter.

Pour batter into a 13 x 9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Turn heat to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the Frosting

Cream the butter and sugars together until light.

Then add the milk and vanilla.

Slowly add in the flour and salt until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop in small spoonfuls over the top of the brownies evenly.

Carefully use the back of a tablespoon to slowly smooth the frosting over the top of the brownies. Enjoy!

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Cinnamon English Scones

Have you ever been invited to a tea party?  You know the kind where everyone dresses up and you have to remember your manners?  A wonderful friend at work invited our whole department to her home for a very memorable evening.  She has the kind of home and especially kitchen that most of us only dream about!  She can easily fit 25+ people around tables that are decorated with beautiful dishes and treats that make your mouth water.  She set about teaching us the protocol for the event and how exactly a tea party works.  There is a definite order to eat each delicacy.  

These delicious scones were part of the meal (brought by Julie, another wonderful cook)  and I had to have the recipe!  When served with Mock Devonshire Cream they are to die for!  Some scone recipes seem dry but this one with buttermilk is moist and cinnamony (I added that word to my dictionary!)  and lovely by jove....hehe!
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Cinnamon English Scones

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup cold butter cubed
1 cup buttermilk
7 oz. mini cinnamon baking chips
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. 

Cut in butter.

Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.  Stir in chips.  Turn dough out on floured surface; knead gently.  Divide in half, gently pat into a rectangle 1 inch thick.  Cut into 12 triangles.  This is done evenly by dividing the dough in half horizontally, divide into thirds vertically.  This makes 6 even squares.  Now cut each square from corner to corner to make 12 triangles.  Tip:  Use a pizza cutter to make this part so easy!  Repeat with other half of dough.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. 
 Bake at 425 Degrees F 10 to 13 min.

Recipe source: Julie Woodard

Mock Devonshire Cream

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip the cream on high speed until it forms soft peaks.  Add the remaining ingredients, folding them in until combined and smooth. 

Recipe source:  My recipes.com
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Did you make these?  What did you think?

This recipe was shared with these wonderful sites:
Gloriously Made 
The Country Cook 
The Sits Girls 

Oatmeal Creme Pie Cupcakes

     My son came home from college a couple of weeks ago and showed me a picture of a delicious looking cupcake.  "That's what I want for my birthday cake", he said.  The only problem with it was that it did not come with a recipe.  It was one that was purchased and delicious looking and...now I needed to come up with a recipe for it.  After a search online, we came up with a combination that is amazingly good and fun.  If you like store bought Oatmeal Cream Pies you will love this cupcake version to death!!

                                     Here is a look at the yummy inside and a side view!

To start this recipe please make the batter for the White Almond Wedding Cake found here.  
It is simple to make and starts with a cake mix so don't be afraid....this is not hard!  Here are the ingredients:

1 (16.25 ounce) package white cake mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups water

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites

• 24 Oatmeal Creme Pies
  Now use this link (click here for directions to make the batter.)
  
  
  When the batter is ready, spoon one tablespoon into the bottom of each of 24-36 cupcake liners.  (this batter will actually make about 36 cupcakes for this recipe because of the cookie inside.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
       Now remove enough oatmeal creme pies for your desired amount of cupcakes.  You will need to press them down a little with the palm of your hand to make them thinner so they don't take up all the room in your cupcake.  Press them down then cut them with a circle cutter that is the size of the midway point of your muffin tin cup. (Please remember to reserve the extra 1/2 inch wide ring of the oatmeal pie in a bowl for use later in the frosting.)  
  
  
       You want the cut pie to fit snugly on top of the batter you just put in the cup.  You also don't want it to be too small because it will sink to the bottom.  I found that a lid from a bottle of chicken bouillon was the perfect size to cut my pies with.  After setting the pie on top of the bottom layer of batter, add one more tablespoon batter on top of the pie.  You can add batter up to 1/2 inch from the top of the cup.  These don't rise much at all because the cookie in the middle doesn't change in size.  Bake at 350 degrees  for about 18 minutes.   
  
  
  
   The cup here that has a cookie showing still needs the batter spread around to cover it up completely before cooking.
  
  
   Now for the Oatmeal Creme Frosting!  It really makes this cupcake special!
  
  

  Oatmeal Creme Frosting

  
  
  7 Oatmeal Creme Pies (I used the leftover rings from 24 pies, about 2 cups)
  1 1/2 cups butter (softened to room temp)
  1   7oz Marshmallow fluff  
  2 tsp pure Vanilla extract
  5 cups Powdered sugar
  2 Tablespoons Heavy whipping cream
  2 tsp. Cinnamon
  pinch of salt 
  
  
  Put creme pies in your food processor and process a few seconds until it looks crumbly. (You can use a blender if you don't have a processor).  Using your cookie paddles for a Bosch or the paddle attachment on your Kitchen Aid cream the butter until it looks light in color. 
  
  
   Add the jar of marshmallow fluff and vanilla and mix until blended.
  While mixing these together add the whipping cream and cinnamon.   
  Now add the oatmeal pie crumbs and mix only a few seconds until they are throughout the batter.
  
  
  Fill a decorating icing #14 bag (I used a 1M star tip but a round one may work better) with frosting.  Decorate the tops and get ready to enjoy a delicious treat!  
  

  
  

  
                                                             Happy Birthday Son!
  
  
  Cupcakes inspired by; http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2011/04/oatmeal-creme-pie-cupcakes/
  Frosting recipe source: http://beyondfrosting.com/2013/09/29/oatmeal-cream-pie-cupcakes/ 
  
  
  This recipe was shared with these wonderful sites!
  A Dish of Daily Life 
  Gloriously Made
  Tidy Mom
  The Country Cook 
  Inspire Me Monday 
  Pint Sized Baker 
  Memories By The Mile 
  Lou Lou Girls 
  Create Link Inspire 
  Retro Pin Party

Apple Fritter Cake

Apple Fritter Cake

This apple fritter cake is so melt in your mouth delicious!  I wanted to restart my posts, (it has been a few months since I last posted...i.e. house remodel etc.) with a super wonderful treat.  This has it all!  If you ever crave an apple fritter but don't have time to take a whole day to make them, try this cake!  It is much easier and has the same cinnamony (I know, I know that isn't a word!), chunks of apples goodness you get in a fritter. 

This recipe seems to have a long list of ingredients but it really does work up pretty fast.  If you have a hand chopper like this one here , it really makes it easier to get your apple pieces small without a lot of work. 

I found this recipe on Cookies and Cups and loved it!  I only made a few changes to fit my style of cooking and taste so here it is!

First you start by making the filling.  Get out a medium size sauce pan and put in: 

• 2 cups chopped Apples, (Granny Smith have a stronger flavor that works well in this)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp water
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

 Heat this on medium until the apples soften.  The other ingredients will "melt" into a liquid and bubble.  I had to add as much as 2 Tablespoons more water to keep the liquid from getting too thick before my apples softened.  It should just look thickened  but not gummy.  This takes 3 or 4 minutes.  Stir constantly.  Set this aside to cool.

Now make your cake:

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare your 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

Add this in your mixer:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened but not melted
• 3/4 cup sugar

Beat until fluffy.  Then mix in:

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs            

 Now in another bowl mix your dry ingredients,

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

and measure out 

• 1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used Sour Cream)

 Now starting with the dry ingredients, alternate mixing the dry and wet into the bowl until it is just combined.

Spread 1/2 of this batter in the bottom of your pan. 

Now evenly drop teaspoons of your apple mixture over the top of the batter.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

and sprinkle 2/3 of this over the top of the apple mixture.

Drop the remaining batter over the top of the pan in tablespoonfuls. 

Now it will be easy to spread it together to cover the top of the cake.  Sprinkle this batter with the remaining brown sugar mixture.

If you are using a glass pan as I did you will want to bake this at 325 degrees for 25 minutes and then check the center with a toothpick that comes out mostly clean.  Add more time if needed.  When it is done, remove from oven and poke with a butter knife every couple of inches to allow glaze into the cake.

While cake is baking mix glaze in a small bowl:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

 Wisk together until smooth and pour over hot cake.

Let cake cool about 20 minutes.  
Now cut a piece of amazing apple heaven! 

If you love this like I do, please comment and let me know! 
This recipe was shared with the following sites!

 A Peek Into My Paradise
Foodie Fridays 
Inspire Me Monday
Pint Sized Baker
Yesterfood
Lou Lou Girls
Nap Time Creations

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

     These are my tried and true cinnamon rolls.  I have made these for my family through all their growing up years and they never failed to please.  They are less time consuming than most recipes because you put the dough together one day and pop them into the fridge.  The first rise happens overnight while you rest!  Take them out the next day and they are ready to roll out and shape into regular rolls or cinnamon rolls.  Let them rise on the cookie sheet, cook, and ice and you have the most melt in your mouth rolls you have ever tasted!   Your family will love you!  What are we waiting for?  Let's cook!

 

Light Refrigerator Rolls  

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons yeast (instant)

1/2 cup room temperature water

4 eggs

7 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup cold water

     In a large bowl, cream shortening, sugar and salt.  Add boiling water and stir until mixture is smooth and most of shortening is melted.  Let this cool until it is just warm.  Add yeast and 1/2 cup warm water.  Beat eggs and add to mixture.  Add flour alternately with cold water and stir with a large spoon until mixture is well combined and smooth.  It will be quite sticky but will come together when stirred.  If you have a well fitting lid, place this on the bowl.  If you don't have a lid spray the top of the dough lightly with non stick spray and cover the bowl with plastic.  Place bowl in the fridge overnight to rise. 

     The next day, take dough out and place on a floured surface.  Sprinkle with flour and sprinkle rolling pin with flour also.  Roll dough into a rectangle that is about 3/8ths inch thick.  

     This is where I don't have a lot of measurements.  I take a 1/2 cup of butter and melt it in a cup in the microwave.  Pour it over the dough covering as much area as possible.  Use a pastry brush to spread the butter over the surface until a thin layer covers it.  Mix about 1 cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon well and then sprinkle this over the dough until it is covered with as much as you like.  Sprinkle raisins over the surface if you are adding them.  

     Starting with the longest side, begin rolling the dough and continue until it is rolled into a tube. 

Prepare baking sheets by spraying with cooking spray.  Cut a piece of thread about 1 yard long and fold it in the center to double it.  Slide the thread under the dough and bring to the top about 1 inch from the end.  Cross the thread and pull until it cuts through the dough.  This is much better than using a knife to cut the dough because it won't mash the dough but cuts it leaving it in a circle shape. 

     Lay the cinnamon roll dough on the cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.  Let rolls rise until double in size.  Cook at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until light brown.  Take out to cool.  

     As rolls are cooling make some icing.  I use any unused melted butter plus another 1/2 cup of melted butter in a bowl.  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make icing that is not too thick and easy to spread.  While the rolls are still warm but not hot, spread the icing on.  Do not cover rolls until they are completely cooled.  Enjoy!

This recipe has been shared on these wonderful sites!

Buns in My Oven 

What's Cookin Love? 

Smart Schoolhouse 

Kitchen Meets Girl 

Ladies Only Blog Share 

A Conquered Mess 

Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies!

     Can you even look at that without your mouth watering?  If you look closely you will see chocolate chips in the deep chocolate cookie and you might also notice that the chocolate on top is melted semi-sweet chocolate with butter added to give it creamy soft melt in your mouth goodness!  Then the mint...oh the mint!  This really is the Ultimate!

     You don't have to wait any longer because I will give you the recipe right now.  And you can rest easy because these are very easy to make in fact they start with a shhhhhh!  (Cake mix).  We don't have to let that little secret out now do we?  

       I have to say that when I found these cookies on Your Cup of Cake I had reason to celebrate.  I was looking for a cookie that would be fancy enough for a friends wedding. We  also needed one that had  mint color in it because that is one of the wedding colors.  This cookie fit the bill and is one of my new favorite cookies too! The flavor is amazing! Thanks Lizzy from Your Cup of Cake!  I did make a couple of changes in the frosting and adapted the recipe somewhat so here it is!

Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies

1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (16.5 oz).
2 eggs (room temperature- set in a cup of warm water for 5 minutes)
1/2 cup real butter - melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips

     Mix all ingredient together in a bowl with a spoon.  Use a medium cookie scoop to form dough and place 2" apart on a silpat mat or parchment paper placed on a cookie sheet.  Cook 9 to10 minutes and remove promptly.  Cool until firm enough to move to a cooling rack.  This will produce a cookie that is firm and slightly flat.  I like this because it makes a good surface
to put all the layers of icing and chocolate topping and mints.

*** If you like a rounder, softer cookie do not melt the butter but instead bring it to room temperature and add it that way.  Also do not add the brown sugar, it makes the cookie spread more and the cookie will be more rounded if you leave it out. I made this recipe both ways doing everything else exactly the same.  Here are the results:

 

American Buttercream Frosting

2/3 cup Crisco shortening
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla (good quality)
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
2 to 3 Tablespoons milk
green food coloring (I used Wilton leaf green paste) 

     Whip butter and shortening with a wisk attachment until smooth and light yellow.  (about 1 minute).  Change to paddle attachment. 

Add 1 cup pdr. sugar and mix it in.  Add another cup pdr sugar and mix it in. 
Add vanilla and peppermint.  
Add 1 Tablespoon milk and mix. 
Add 2 more cups pdr. sugar beating each in separately.  
Add one more Tablespoon milk and mix. 
Add amount of food coloring desired and mix. 
Add remaining milk if you want your icing to be thinner.  (I only add 2 total Tablespoons of milk).   
Cover icing bowl with a damp towel until ready to use.  Recipe from Glorious Treats.

Chocolate Topping

1 1/2 cup Semi sweet Chocolate Chips. (I used Costco 80% Cacao semi sweet chips)
1/4 cup butter

Melt both together in the microwave in a bowl.  Start with heating on high for 30 seconds and then stir.  Continue heating and stirring every 15 seconds until smooth .

After cookies have completely cooled, use a decorating bag and round tip to pipe the mint icing onto the cookie leaving about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the cookie top showing around the outside border.  Use a knife to spread the icing evenly but leave the outside ring untouched so that it is smooth and even.  When chocolate has cooled to just warm use a spoon to set a small amount on top.  Spread with a knife leaving about 1/8 inch border of green icing.  Sprinkle Andes Mints pieces on top while chocolate is still tacky but not too warm or mints will melt.

This recipe has been shared on the following sites:



Anyonita's Nibbles
Kitchen Meets Girl
The Recipe Critic
Smart School House
What's Cookin Love?
Buns in My Oven
Made in a Day
Epic Mommy Adventures
The Country Cook
Totally Tasty Tuesdays