Banana Drop Cookies

So I've been on a health kick lately. I'm trying really hard to train for some 5ks this summer in addition to losing baby weight. We have been doing juicing, blending and increasing our physical activity as a family. The hardest part when I'm trying to eat right is avoiding sweets. I completely and thoroughly enjoy a well-made dessert. I've been on a quest for healthful cookies. It seems like they either aren't truly healthful or they taste healthful (and not in a good way). It's hard finding both. Because we enjoy juicing frequently we always have fruit pulp leftover. We felt guilty throwing this nutritional bi-product away, so I tried thinking of ways to use it. We use it as organic compost for our garden, but I wanted to benefit from the fiber. I decided to try adding some of the pulp to these cookies as a source of fiber and it turned out great. You couldn't even tell that it was in there. If you don't juice, don't worry about adding the pulp to the cookies. It's completely optional.

So as far as the cookies I couldn't believe how yummy they turned out and they are packed with so many good-for-you ingredients. I also love that they are dairy and fat-free (if not using chocolate chips) and packed full of fiber. They are the perfect balance of sweet and chewy and I loved the texture of the chia and flax seeds with the oats. And they are SO moist! If you haven't tried adding chia and flax seeds into your diet, you are missing out on some great benefits. You can buy either at health food stores, but I have found mine at my local Winco and Kitchen Kneads stores for a fraction of the price. Maybe I'll do a post on the nutritional benefits of these lovely seeds for those of you that don't know much about them.

I  really loved the addition of the dark chocolate chips to this recipe. These can be optional if you want these to be more healthful, but I thought a few added a great flavor and made me feel like I was eating regular cookies. If you freeze your ripe bananas and you use them for these cookies, you may need a little more agave for sweetness. I've made these cookies with fresh and frozen bananas and I've noticed that I don't need any extra sweetener when I use fresh bananas.

I hope you enjoy these. I love that I can still have a little something sweet without completely breaking my weight-loss goals. I love storing the leftovers in the fridge--they taste SO good cold!

Here's what you need: Makes 25-30 cookies

3 ripe bananas, mashed with some chunks
1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C almond milk
1 T chia seeds
1 T flax seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 T agave (or stevia)
2/3 C dried fruit, cranberries and raisins mixed together
1/3 C dark chocolate chips or carob chips
2 C oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c fruit pulp, opt

1. Preheat oven  to 350 degrees. Combine mashed bananas, applesauce, almond milk, cinnamon salt, agave and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Add baking soda and stir until incorporated

2. Add chia and flax seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips, oatmeal and fruit pulp if desired. Stir until well incorporated.

3. Spoon on to parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for 15-16 min until top begins to brown.

4. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheet 2-3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and enjoy a cookie while they are still warm. :)

Enjoy and Happy Baking! (And Healthful Eating!)

Here is the printable recipe.

Brave Birthday Food, Part 1

Doing themed birthdays can take some work and require planning and preparation. I did a Brave birthday for my daughter and I found a lot of cute ideas of how to incorporate the theme into the food we served. Just like I've said before, you don't have to take tons of time to be creative and festive. I got most of my ideas from Pinterest and then I tried to think of different ways to serve cute food without having to spend a lot of time doing it. I decided to make my daughter a themed cake from scratch and knowing that would take the majority of my time, I tried to find ways to cut corners elsewhere without compromising the theme.

At the party we served Arrow cupcakes, Bullseye cakes, Bear claws and Target practice pizza. This post will focus on those and then I'll make a separate post about the birthday cake. I also used some cute Brave themed printable food tags from Printabelle. There is a whole Brave themed printable party pack on that website that you can print for free. There were SO many cute party ideas.

The Witches Green Potion: I had planned to make this cucumber lime drink and then completely spaced it during last-minute party preparations. This is one of my all-time favorite drinks to serve at a party. It's easy to make and it is SO refreshing. I get a lot of compliments when I make it. I got this recipe from one of my favorite sites for all things festive: So Festive!. All you need to do is add a few drops of green food coloring (I know it's not the most healthful, but birthdays are but once a year!) and it would make a yummy green potion that fits perfectly in the theme! If you are against food coloring, you could drop some scoops of green sherbet after the ice melts to make more of a slushy drink.

Target Practice pizza: My daughter loves Pizza and this was a cute way to incorporate it into the party. If you couldn't tell from the picture, these were pizzas from Papa Murphy's. I called a few days before the party to preorder the pizzas and also asked if they could arrange the pepperoni in the shape of a target. I could have easily done this myself, but I figured they had to put the pepperoni on anyways and it would save me a lot of time the day of the party. My local Papa Murphy's store was happy to help and I think the pizza turned out cute. This saved SO much time.

The Bullseye cakes: These were the easiest things to make! I used the Little Debbie cream-filled snack cakes that I had leftover from when I made the birthday cake. I used some leftover buttercream frosting to draw on the target with a writing tip and piping bag, dyed a little frosting red and used a Red Hot in the center. I got those little cocktail toothpicks that have the wispy stuff at the end and voila! You now have a cute Bullseye cake. I prepped these about an hour or so before the party. You could prep these the day before, but just keep them in an airtight container.

The Arrow cupcakes: I made vanilla bean cookie dough cupcakes (I will post the recipe once it's perfected) with buttercream frosting. This is my absolute favorite recipe for whipped buttercream. It's from Our Best Bites and I love making it and substituting the white sugar with brown sugar. To save extra time you could easily make cupcakes from a cake mix and it would still taste good because the frosting is to die for. I made the arrow toppers from this site, Cue the Confetti, and they were SO easy to make and it really tied in the theme. K loves cupcakes!

I actually made these about 5 days before the party and froze them. I took them out the day of and frosted them. I kept them refrigerated because my frosting required refrigeration,but these could be left out if using a different frosting. This is one of my secrets for cupcakes and cakes--they freeze well so when you make a batch just make extra and toss them in the freezer. They'll keep for a month or two in an airtight container.

Bear Claw cookies: I saw this idea on Spoonful via Pinterest and I had to make them. These took a little bit of time, but they fit perfectly with the theme that I couldn't leave them out. I was in a pinch for time so I didn't follow the recipe on the original website, but rather used a quick recipe for Cake Mix Cookies (that I also use when I'm making homemade Oreos). I got about 25 claws out of this batch. I also made these the day before the party and stored them in an airtight container. You could also make these and freeze them and then thaw out the day of your party.

I'm going to show you how I made these. They look a little more complicated, but they are easy to do.

Here's what you need:
-Any dry cake mix (I used Devil's Food)
-1/2 C shortening
-2 eggs
-2-3 TBS water
*1/2 C of slivered almonds

Just mix all the ingredients (except for almonds) together in a large mixing bowl. Normally you would spoon drops on to a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, but I had to get them into the claw shape first.

Here's how to make the claw:

1. Take a TBS measuring spoon (or cookie scoop if you have it) and a 1/2 TBS measuring spoon to make 2 balls. I did this directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet so that I wouldn't have to transfer them before baking.

2. Push down on both of the cookie dough balls and lightly shape them into the form of a foot.

3. Take 5 slivered almonds and place them into the cookie dough to look like the claws.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven when done and allow the cookie to rest 5 minutes or so before trying to remove them to a cooling rack. If you try to do this step while they are still warm, they will break.

Here's the printable recipe.


Enjoy and Happy Baking! Hope these ideas were helpful to you. I loved how fun it was to plan a Brave Birthday party.

Oatmeal Scotchies

Oatmeal Scotchies
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I love having friends and family who share my passion for food. I love emails and late night chats about the latest recipes we've tried and giving each other pointers. My cousin, Merissa, is quite domestic and I have fun keeping up with all of the food she cooks and bakes. She gave me this recipe to try out and it was practically perfect. She told me that this recipe happened to be a "accidental magic." You know those moments where you are in the midst of making something and you don't have enough of whatever the recipe calls for? Then you just start throwing in a little of this and that in of whatever you have on-hand? Happens to me all of the time. That's one of the fun things about baking and cooking is that a recipe is just more of an outline and not a set of rigid rules; you get to create and make the recipe your very own. That's why I love baking and cooking so much. The butterscotch chips became the "accidental magic" in this recipe.

These aren't your "cakey" oatmeal cookies, but rather are chewy and so buttery. Most oatmeal cookies have  just chocolate chips, but these have a mixture of semi-sweet and butterscotch. The butterscotch chips are amazing! It takes oatmeal cookies to new heights. I also love the incorporation of pecans with the chocolate. These have so much chocolaty chunk goodness that it's practically sinful. I also added a little bit of cinnamon. It's just enough to add that finishing touch.

Here's what you need:
-1 C butter, softened
-1 C brown sugar
-1/2 C white sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-1 1/4 C all-purpose flour *High-altitude bakers: add 1/3 C extra flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
-3/4 tsp. baking soda
-3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
-3 C quick oats
-1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
-3/4 C butterscotch chips
-1 C pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. *Sea-level bakers preheat to 325 degrees

2. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and beat mix until well-incorporated. Add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until incorporated. Add the oats, baking chips and pecans and stir by hand until all incorporated.

3. Drop mixture by the spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet or lightly greased baking sheet.

Chocolaty Chunk Goodness
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4. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Edges will be slightly brown and top will still look under baked. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cute gifting idea.
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These will keep in a cookie jar or an air-tight container for a week or so. I also like making a double batch and either freezing the baked cookies or the frozen scoops of dough for a quick treat when company comes over.

To make from frozen cookies: scoop dough out on to a baking sheet as if you were going to bake them, but put them in the freezer instead. Once scoops of dough are frozen, transfer them to a gallon Ziploc bag. I like to write the name of the cookie and the baking temperature and time amount right on the front. Then all you have to do is pop them onto a tray and bake. I like to put the frozen cookie dough on to the baking sheet and let them sit in the oven while it preheats. Bake about 2 minutes extra from the recommended baking time.

You can also bake the entire batch of cookies and once the cookies are completely cooled, you can put them in an airtight, freezer-safe container with waxed paper separating the layers. Or I have placed 2 cookies in a sandwich bag and put several of those bags into a Ziploc bag for freezing. Any way works well, it's just personal preference.



Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making cookies with my Mom is a very fond memory from my childhood. We had so much fun baking together and these cookies just remind me of home. A couple of months ago my girls and I spent the weekend at my parent's house. There is just something so comforting about going me. The last time we spent the weekend we had a PJ party and my Mom made these chocolate chip cookies with my oldest daughter. It was so sweet to watch them bake together the way my Mom baked with me. My daughter loves being in the kitchen and I hope she will remember these times with her Gran. My youngest was also trying to get in on the baking fun. She was a good helper loading the dishes. :)

Not all chocolate cookies are created equal and this recipe my all-time favorite. The cookies are chewy, full of chocolate, buttery and they aren't flat. Seriously, I hate flat cookies. The butter is what makes these cookies amazing, so make sure you don't substitute it with margarine (BTW "margarine" is a swear word in my kitchen..). Also, these don't bake very long and when you take them out they will look under-cooked and slightly doughy, but after they are cooled they will be perfectly chewy. I hope you love these cookies.

This dough also makes a perfect base for other cookies. I love using this recipe and using white chocolate chips and pecans. You can also substitute milk chocolate chips for any other favorite baking chip that you like or have on-hand. I also like using the mini mint chocolate chips from Ghirardelli and adding a few drops of green food coloring to the dough to make green cookies for St. Patty's Day.

Here's what you need:

-1 C butter (2 sticks), room temperature

-1 C brown sugar
-3/4 C white sugar
-2 eggs (If doubling the batch use 3 eggs)
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I usually double this)
-3 C all-purpose flour
-3/4 tsp. baking soda

-3/4 tsp. salt
-(1) 12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips
-1 C nuts, optional (I like walnut, pecans or chopped almonds)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and nuts and stir to combine.

2. Take 2 teaspoons and spoon cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mine usually bake 11-12 minutes. The edges will start to look golden and the cookie will look like it's not baked enough. This is how it's suppose to look. **If baking from frozen dough, let the cookies thaw in the oven while it's preheating and then bake 2 minutes longer.

3. Take them out (no longer than 12 minutes) and let them rest on the cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a cookie rack and allow to cool (if you can resist warm cookies).

These will keep in a cookie jar or an air-tight container for a week or so. Not that they have ever lasted that long at my house. I also like making a double batch and either freezing the baked cookies or the frozen scoops of dough for a quick treat when company comes over.

To make from frozen cookies: scoop dough out on to a baking sheet as if you were going to bake them, but put them in the freezer instead. Once scoops of dough are frozen, transfer them to a gallon Ziploc bag. I like to write the name of the cookie and the baking temperature and time amount right on the front. Then all you have to do is pop them onto a tray and bake.

You can also bake the entire batch of cookies and once the cookies are completely cooled, you can put them in an airtight, freezer-safe container with waxed paper separating the layers. Or I have placed 2 cookies in a sandwich bag and put several of those bags into a Ziploc bag for freezing. Any way works well, it's just personal preference.

Enjoy and happy baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Biscoff Cookie Truffles

Biscoff Cookie Truffles
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Okay, so it's no secret that I love Biscoff Spread. Seriously, that stuff is amazing and addictive. I try and find reasons to use it when I bake because I completely love it. I recently won a case of (8) jars for free during a promotion on the Biscoff Facebook page, so it was fun to think of ways to incorporate it into some of my recipes. I'm usually very conservative in using it because it is kind of expensive, but I love this stuff. But I figured I could use a couple jars just to play around with. Check out some of the other recipes I've used with Biscoff Spread: Biscoff Bars and Biscoff Spiced Cream Frosting for the Butterscotch Spice Cupcakes.

Have you ever tried Oreo cookie truffles? They are one of my favorites. They were my inspiration behind this recipe. What could be better than Biscoff cookies mixed with Biscoff Spread and a little cream cheese and vanilla? Heaven.

I made these for a family party and they were a big hit. The texture is a little more oily than when you make Oreo truffles, so I discovered if you let the mixture sit an hour or so, it gets a little soft. Then make sure they are really chilled before dipping and it works much better. I also dipped these with white chocolate, but they would also taste great dipped in chocolate. I also love the combination of Biscoff and butterscotch, so I drizzled melted butterscotch chips on the top. You can customize it with whatever flavors you prefer.

Here's what you need:
Makes about 25 truffles

- (1) 8.8 oz pkg of Biscoff cookies,
-5 oz cream cheese, room temp
-1/2 C Biscoff Spread
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-pinch of salt

Dipping:
-7 oz. white almond bark (found in the baking isle of most grocery stores)
-3 oz butterscotch chips, separated
- 1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1. Take Biscoff cookies and put them in a food processor and pulse until they are a fine crumb. Put crumbs in a medium mixing bowl with cream cheese, spread, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and mix  until thoroughly incorporated.

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2. Take a tablespoon scoop and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 30-45 minutes until completely chilled.

Biscoff Truffles
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3. While truffles are chilling, melt almond bark either in a chocolate melter, double boiler or for a few minutes in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 15-30 seconds. You may need some extra coconut oil to thin it out if it's too thick for dipping. I prefer using the chocolate melters.

Mmmm. Chocolate.
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4. Once truffles are chilled, take a dipping utensil and dip truffles and place back on parchment paper. Continue dipping each truffle.

5. Once all truffles are dipped, place back in refrigerator and melt the remaining 2 oz. of butterscotch chips. Use some coconut oil to thin out chocolate so it's easier to drizzle. Drizzle butterscotch chocolate on top of each truffle. Chill truffles until ready to serve. You can also store them at room temperature in an airtight container.

Biscoffy Goodness
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Yummy cookie center
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Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Red Velvet Cereal Treats

Red Velvet Cereal Treats
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I love Valentine's Day. I love making little treats that look festive and that taste great. My little girl loves cereal treats. Cereal treats are decent, but these are SO addictive. I could not stop eating them. Red Velvet anything is worth the calories. This recipe takes cereal treats to a whole new level. This was a super fun (and tasty) activity to do with her for the holidays. She had lots of fun using the cooking cutter and making the heart shapes. This will definitely make the cut of fun things to do together to celebrate Valentine's Day. I also LOVE doing my cereal treats in the microwave. It makes them come together quick and clean-up is a breeze. I don't even remember the last time I did cereal treats on the stove top. Give them a try in the microwave and I think you'll love it.

 

Here's what you need:

 

-6 TBS butter, plus a little extra for greasing your pan
-(1) lb. bag of mini marshmallows
-3/4 C Red Velvet cake mix
-3 drops of red food coloring, optional
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-8 1/2 C chocolate rice cereal (i.e. Cocoa Pebbles, DynoBites, etc.)

Garnish:
-1/2 C white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
-1 drop cinnamon oil (about 1/16th tsp), optional


1. Butter a standard-sized baking sheet and set aside.

2. In a large microwave safe bowl (I use a large Tupperware bowl) melt 6 TBS of butter. Once butter is melted add vanilla and food coloring if desired. I think the food coloring adds the perfect color "punch" to this recipe. Stir together. Add marshmallows and coat with butter mixture. Add cake mix and stir to incorporate.

3. Microwave mixture on high for 1.5-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Once mixture is melted, add your cereal and stir to combine.

Melty marshmallow chocolatey goodness
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4. Pour mixture onto your baking sheet and press down with buttered hands.

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5. Once mixture is cooled, use a cookie cutter and cut out heart shapes. Take another baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper and place the hearts on top. **If you are in a hurry you can just skip this step and just cut into squares.

So cute for Valentine's Day
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6. Use a chocolate melter if you have one (it's like a mini crock-pot that melts chocolate and keeps it at a constant temperature). I have 2 of them and they are my favorite to use. I love that it keeps the chocolate at a constant temperature and I don't have to worry about using a double boiler or running the risk of my chocolate seizing in the microwave. If you can invest in one, I highly recommend it. It also works great for dipping chocolates. If you don't have one, then you can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15-30 second intervals. It takes about 3-4 minutes and you want to make sure that you stir often. Once chocolate is melted, add coconut oil and cinnamon oil and stir to combine. I always thin out my chocolate with coconut oil. It makes it SO much easier to drizzle.

7. Drizzle white chocolate over cereal treats.

 

So yummy!
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Once the chocolate is set then they are ready for eating. You can put them in a cute, decorative bag and it's a perfect little gift for a friend or loved one for the holiday.

Squares or Hearts? Both are cute!
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Here's the printable recipe.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Peppermint Bark Cereal Treats

Peppermint Bark Cereal Treats
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I love this time of year because I can find so many yummy mint-with-chocolate treats. Seriously, mint and chocolate is such a yummy combination. And it always reminds me of the holidays. I am Dove Peppermint Bark chocolates. Peppermint Bark anything is so delicious.

This time of year is so busy and it seems like the holidays just creep up on me. We spent some time in Florida last week visiting some close friends and I was on the beach and realized that we hadn't done any neighbor or friend gifts! I wanted to do something quick, easy and festive. Here's a fun twist on traditional cereal treats. The very marshmallowy, minty, chocolately, and super festive. One batch does a cookie sheet sized pan, so you only need to do a batch or two and you'll have a bunch to go around.





Here's what you need:
-1 lb. of mini marshmallows (I love using the peppermint kind if you can find them)
-5 TBS of real butter (plus a little extra for buttering your pan)
-1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
-1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil (The oil is more potent, but I love the flavor.)
-9 C of rice cereal (Rice Krispies or any off-brand)
-a few drops of red food coloring (if not using peppermint marshmallows)

Peppermint Bark Drizzle
-1/2 C semi-sweet baking chips
-1/2 C white baking chips
-1/4 tsp. peppermint oil, divided
-3-4 crushed peppermint candy canes
-1-2 TBS of oil (can use vegetable, canola or coconut. I prefer coconut)


1. Butter a standard-sized cookie sheet and set it aside.

2. Place butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until completely melted.

3. Remove bowl from microwave and add vanilla, peppermint oil and food coloring. Stir to incorporate into butter. Stir in your marshmallows and coat with butter. Make sure you measure the peppermint oil. This is different than peppermint extract. The oil is STRONG and a little bit goes a long way. I like using the oil because it doesn't have any fillers and it has a true peppermint flavor. Unless you get a good brand of extract, sometimes it tastes more like mint toothpaste than true peppermint.

4. Microwave on high for about 1.5-2 minutes, stirring in 30 second intervals. Once marshmallows have melted, stir in rice cereal. Stir completely until cereal in completely covered in the marshmallow mixture.

5. Butter your hands and press cereal treats into an even layer on your buttered cookie sheet.

6. Use a chocolate melter if you have one (it's like a mini crock-pot that melts chocolate and keeps it at a constant temperature). I have 2 of them and they are my favorite to use. I love that it keeps the chocolate at a constant temperature and I don't have to worry about using a double boiler or running the risk of my chocolate seizing in the microwave. If you can invest in one, I highly recommend it. It also works great for dipping chocolates. If you don't have one, then you can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15-30 second intervals. It takes about 3-4 minutes and you want to make sure that you stir often. Use 2 separate bowls and melt the white and dark chocolate. Once your chocolate is melted, add in 1/8 tsp. peppermint oil into each bowl and stir. Add in a tsp at a time of oil into each bowl until it reaches your desired consistency. I like the chocolate a little runny so that it drizzles easier.

7. Drizzle dark chocolate and then white chocolate over cereal treats. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and then drizzle with remaining white and dark chocolate.

Chocolate Drizzles
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8. Let the chocolate set and then cut into squares.

Plated with Pretzel Turtles
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You can also arrange them in a bag and tie with ribbon for a quick gift.

Gift Idea
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Enjoy and Happy Baking.


Here's the printable recipe.

Biscoff Bars

I've mentioned before that I'm a total Biscoff Junkie! I am totally addicted to this stuff. I thought life was good when I discovered the cookies. Then I didn't know life could get any better when I found out there was a spread! Biscoff spread tastes just like the cookies, but it has a smooth, creamy texture like peanut butter. I seriously love this stuff--I love it so much that you will always find 3 jars in my pantry at all times. If you haven't tasted the cookies they are cinnamony, spicy, gingerbread-like pieces of heaven. The spread is all that rolled into a creamy spread. Biscoff spread tastes great on toast, graham crackers, made into frosting or just eaten by the spoon. You can find the spread at most local grocery stores located by the peanut butter.

Biscoff Bars
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I was talking with my cousin and we got to talking how Biscoff would make great cookie bars--like peanut butter bars, but substituting peanut butter with Biscoff. My mom has a rockin' Peanut Butter Bar recipe that is my "go-to" recipe when I need something quick and delicious when company comes over or for potlucks. Her recipe was easily adapted to create these lovely Biscoff bars. They are sweet, nutty, buttery, slightly chewy and have a hint of cinnamon. The topping is the best part. You might have to make it in the presence of others because you will want to eat it...by yourself. I love the complement that butterscotch gives to the Biscoff spread. It was a match made in baking heaven.

These would be a perfect addition to any holiday gathering, to potlucks, serving to company or just for dessert when you want to eat something sinful. These whip up pretty quickly so it's a great recipe to have on hand when you need something quick. No one has to know that these didn't take you all day to make, although they will taste like you spent the day slaving away. That's what I love about cooking and being domestic---you don't have to spend tons of time to make great-tasting things. I think this will be a great recipe to add to your baking repertoire.

Here's what you need:
-1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick)
-1/2 C sugar
-1/2 C brown sugar
-1 egg
-1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
-1/2 C Biscoff Spread (plus about 1/2c-3/4 c more for topping)
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 C all-purpose flour
-1 C quick-cooking oats

Topping
-1/2 C-3/4C Biscoff spread
-1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
-3oz butterscotch chips
-4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
-2/3 C toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add egg and mix. Add Biscoff spread and vanilla and mix. (Don't forget to lick the spoon with the extra Biscoff spread.) Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to bowl together. Mix together just until incorporated. Add oats and mix. (You may need to try a taste of the dough. But once you do, I'm not gonna promise that the rest will get baked. It's better than cookie dough.)

Biscoff Dough
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3. Spread dough evenly into your baking pan. Bake for 20-23 minutes--just until the top begins to brown. Don't overbake--it will look slightly "doughy", but it will be fine after it cools. I baked mine for 20 minutes, but each oven and baking times vary slightly.


4. Remove from oven. It will look puffy and will go down after it is removed from oven. Let it rest for 3-4 minutes and spread top with extra Biscoff spread.

Melty Biscoff Spread. Delicious.
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5. Sprinkle with butterscotch and chocolate chips and put in oven for 1 minute just until you see the chips soften. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and spread over Biscoff layer. Sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Let cool completely. Cut and thoroughly enjoy! And try to share them with others. But if you don't I won't judge you. Sometimes I feel tempted to take the pan and hide in my closet so that I don't have to share. :)

Biscoff Bars
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Here's the printable recipe.

Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies

It's Fall (even though it feels more like Winter, but hey, this is Utah!) and I LOVE everything about Fall. I love the changing leaves, I love the smells, but most of all I love baking Fall treats. One of my favorite treats are Pumpkin cookies. I have a friend that told me a few years ago about cake mix pumpkin cookies and I was REALLY skeptical on how they would turn out. First, because there's no added fat in the cookies and we all know that butter makes everything better. Second, something that only requires a few ingredients AND has no added fat AND tastes still tastes good, well, it seemed like an oxymoron. But let me tell you, these are the easiest, moistest, most tasty pumpkiny bites of heaven. And you don't have to feel guilty about eating these bad boys. Making these cookies has become one of our Fall traditions. The first time I made these was when were living out of boxes in our apartment right before moving into our house right before our first wedding anniversary. It was a stressful, but very fun time in our life. Every time I make these, it totally reminds me of it. Good times. :)

 So on to the recipe. All you need is:
-2 cake mixes, 1 yellow and 1 spice (or you can use 2 spice)
-1 29oz can pumpkin (not the spiced kind. Just the plain, packed pumpkin) or 3 cups if using your own fresh pumkin
-1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (omit if using 2 spice cake mixes)
-1 12oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the cake mixes, pumpkin and spice in a large mixing bowl.

Mix together until well-incorporated. The dough may be a little lumpy and that's ok. Add the bag a chocolate chips and stir to combine. And if you have a cute little helper it makes it all the better. Gives a little extra to "Making it with Love" as my Mom likes to say.


 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and take 2 teaspoons and spoon onto lined baking sheet.



 Now is a great time to have a little sample of the batter. It's one of the best parts of making cookies, right?

Once the oven is preheated, bake for 12-15 minutes until tops start to crack and are golden. You can also do the toothpick test because each oven varies, so you may have to adjust the time more or less. Once they are done, take them out and let them cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet. Take the cookies off the baking sheet and let them cool on a wire rack. If you haven't eaten all of them while they are still warm, cool them completely and put them in an airtight container. These little guys freeze well or will last for a few days in an airtight container. This recipe can also easily be halved. Enjoy! 

Printable recipe:

Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies
Makes about 48 cookies

(1) Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix
(1) Duncan Hines Spice cake mix
(1) 29oz can plain packed pumpkin
(1) tsp pumpkin pie spice
(1) 12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl add cake mixes, pumpkin and spices. Mix well. Dough may be slightly lumpy and that's OK. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine. Spoon mixture on to lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until tops start to crack and are golden or toothpick comes out clean. Store cookies completely cooled in an airtight container for up to 3 days. May freeze leftovers for up to a month.