Pecan Caramel Cookies

Soft, chewy cookies full of brown sugar and stuffed with caramel bits and pecans. So good. I love these cookies and you will too.

Ingredients: Pecan Caramel Cookies (makes 30)

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup roughly chopped pecans

1 cup caramel bits

Recipe: Pecan Caramel Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix butter and both sugars together until well combined.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, flour, salt, and baking soda.

Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet until barely combined.

With a spoon, mix in pecan halves and caramel bits.

Using a medium cookie scoop, spoon onto cookie sheets and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bottom is brown.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

So, I’ve been searching for the best chocolate cupcake recipe and I’m pretty sure that I’ve finally found the one. It’s “The Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes” by Brown Eyed Baker. That’s the recipe for the cupcakes I used.  The frosting is absolutely delicious! Creamy, tangy, warm and cinnamon-y; the perfect compliment to the chocolate cupcakes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4  teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Whip in the heavy whipping until the frosting is of a pipe-able consistency.

Enjoy!

Cherry Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce

If you like bread pudding, cherries, and chocolate you will love this. Soft warm cinnamon-y bread pudding filled with dried cherries and covered in homemade chocolate sauce. Absolutely delicious.

Ingredients: Bread Pudding (from here)

8 cups cubed day-old bread (I used Challah)

9 eggs

2 and 1/4 cups whole milk

1 and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup dried cherries

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tablespoon butter

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Recipe: Bread Pudding

Place bread cubes in a buttered 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread and sprinkle on dried cherries.

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and pouring on chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce

Melt together the cream and butter over medium-high heat, add the chocolate and mix until smooth. Let cool.

Enjoy!

Wild Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

These are probably my favorite cookies that I’ve made so far. Soft, chewy, filled with oats, dried blueberries, and chocolate…so good! You don’t have to use dried wild blueberries, or dried blueberries, but I highly suggest it.

Ingredients: Wild Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 cups quick oats

1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

1/2 cup dried wild blueberries

Recipe: Wild Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream the butter until fluffy, about 1 minute. Then add in both sugars until well-combined.

Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.

With a spoon, mix dry ingredients into wet. Mix in oatmeal and then chocolate and blueberries.

Spoon onto cookie sheets, makes about 12 cookies. And bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown.

Enjoy!

 

Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins

These muffins are a perfect transition into fall. They’re soft, cinnamon-y, fluffy, with chunks of apple and walnuts. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack. And don’t skimp on the cinnamon-sugar topping; it adds an extra splash of cinnamon and a delicious crisp top.

Ingredients: Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins (adapted from here)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons wheat germ

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup diced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup boiling water

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon (plus more to taste)

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

Grease a muffin tin.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, both sugars, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in oats, diced apple, and walnuts.

Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg; add until dry mixture, stirring until just moist. Stir in boiling water.

Let batter stand for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 375F.

Spoon batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched.

Let cool slightly before topping.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Dip muffins into butter and then cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

M&M Cookie Bars

These M&M cookie bars are amazingly easy and simple to make. They’re also really, really good. The flavors are pure vanilla and brown sugar with a pop of chocolate. They’re soft, chewy, and perfect to eat on the go.

Ingredients: M&M Cookie Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cup mini M&Ms

Recipe: M&M Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 pan.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a small bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the butter and both sugars. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix well.

Fold dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined.

Stir in 1 cup of the mini M&Ms. Press batter into the pan and sprinkle the 1/4 cup of mini M&Ms on top.

Bake for 22-28 minutes or until top is slightly firm and golden. Cool before cutting.

Enjoy!