White Chocolate Frosted Brownies

I have had this recipe bookmarked for awhile now. I saw it on one of my most favorite blogs, How Sweet It Is. She's lovely and her red velvet brownies with white chocolate frosting looked lovely. I was excited to finally get the chance to make them! The frosting is to DIE for, it really was so delish. I had doubled the brownie recipe and my intentions were to make them red velvet, but I did not have 4 tablespoons, yes tablespoons of red food coloring, so I skipped the red velvet part and just made regular brownies. They are so chewy and dense and go superbly with the white chocolate frosting. I don't think I'd double the recipe next time, the cooking time seemed to be a little off and the edges got too crunchy, but we cut off the edges and they were yummy.

White Chocolate Frosted Brownies 
Recipe from How Sweet It Is


Brownies
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring *I substituted water instead, not sure if its necessary
2/3 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8 x 8 cake pan. In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring (I used water), and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. (You can add in more food coloring if desired at this time, until it is as red as you like it. If doing red velvet of course). Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips if desired. Spread in the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Frosting
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate, melted 
1-2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated. To reach desired consistency, add in milk 1 teaspoon at a time with mixer on low speed. If frosting becomes too liquidy, simple add additional sugar.

Cookie Dough Brownies

 I really do love brownies and these are one of my favorite ways to dress a brownie up. It is rich and delicious and pretty much a perfect way to indulge after dinner. The gal from Cookies and Cups is always posting creative and delicious treats. This is a great one! She made her brownies from scratch, which I would suggest if you have the time and the ingredients, but we were in a pinch and used our favorite box mix. It worked out great, but definitely follow her advice of letting the brownies cool overnight or refrigerate them until completely cool! You can try just plain ol' chocolate chip cookie dough, or jazz it up with some Reese's Pieces! The taste of peanut butter was a nice touch. :) 

Cookie Dough Brownies

Recipe from Cookies and Cups 

Brownie layer:

(You can use a box mix or follow the recipe below from her website)

1 c. butter

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (She used Hershey's Special Dark)

2 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line 9x13 baking pan with foil, so the bottom and sides are covered. Spray with cooking spray. Melt 2 sticks of butter in a medium saucepan; add cocoa, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla; beat with a spoon until combined. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

*Good tip for brownies is remove from oven when toothpick inserted 1-2 inches from edge comes out clean.

Allow brownies to cool completely before moving on to the next step.

Cookie dough layer:

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (and/or Reese's Pieces)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and cream together. Add flour and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in an even layer on top of cooled brownies. Chill for at least 15 minutes in fridge before adding the chocolate topping.

Chocolate topping layer:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. Crisco shortening

Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave for 1 minute, stirring until smooth. Spread over the cookie dough layer and chill until topping is set. Keep refrigerated until serving.

This dessert is best served cold!!! Enjoy!

Cheesecake Swirl Brwonies

This is what happens when you have a chocolate craving. Thank goodness I just so happened to have my favorite brownie mix in the cupboard and cream cheese in the fridge. Yep folks, that's it. Need a quick, yummy treat to take to a neighbor, or just something to fix that chocolate craving you have? Well, then try these! I think next time I might need to add a whole bag of chocolate chips too :), just for good measure.

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
adapted from allrecipes.com via Nat


1 box or recipe of your favorite brownie
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips *optional


Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x13 pan. Make brownies according to package directions. *Add in a bag of chocolate chips. Pour most of brownie batter into a greased pan (about 2/3rds or so). Spread evenly in pan. In medium bowl beat together cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter. Pour the rest of the brownie batter on top. Then take a knife and cut through the pan, making swirls. (Just slide the knife up and down, going across, then cut across the other way (vertical vs horizontal) until you have the swirly look!). Bake according to box directions. Let cool and then serve. I like chilling my brownies so the chocolate chips harden and give it a nice texture.