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!

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

My sister came up with this idea, and I have to admit a pretty genius one at that! If you loved these chocolate chip pudding cookies from before, then you'll love these pistachio ones. It is the same recipe, but instead of using vanilla pudding, use pistachio! It makes for a delicious green cookie, perfect for St. Patty's Day! You can even add a little bit of green food coloring to give it a more green look, since it is hard to tell from this picture. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Kraft Kitchens

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup  packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding

1 tsp. vanilla

2   eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

2-1/4 cups  flour

1 pkg. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

*green food coloring for added color

Heat oven to 375°F. Beat butter, sugars, dry pudding mix and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and baking soda and food coloring if desired; mix well. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in chocolate. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Bake 7 to 9 min. or until golden brown. Cool 3 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

These are linked up at

 

Cheryl's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My mom would make these bars a lot when I was a little girl and I LOVED them. She got the recipe from her good friend Cheryl. I had forgotten about this recipe until I went home for a visit this last month and my sister made them for our lunch. They were so good, even better than I remembered. I went home and made them the next day! I guess you could say these are basically Blondies, but around these parts we call them chocolate chip cookie bars! 

Cheryl's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

from Cheryl Betenson

*double recipe for jelly roll pan size

2 eggs, beat til foamy

1 ½ c brown sugar

2/3 c oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

1 c chocolate chips

1 c caramel bits *optional

Beat together eggs, brown sugar and oil. Then add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together then add to wet mixture. Finally add chocolate chips, *and caramel bits. Place in 9x13 and cook @ 350 for 20-25 min.


These are linked up at Sweet as Sugar Cookies. So go check them out and all the other Saturday Sweets!!!

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm sure you've all seen this recipe floating around, or tried them yourselves. Aren't they delicious?! So easy, just 3 simple ingredients. Perfect for this time of year. So preheat that oven and pour a big glass of milk. Before you know it, these cookies will be gone!

Just 3 ingredients! 

Mix together

Plop on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Voila!

 Enjoy!!!

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Aimee's friend Kristen

Makes 36 cookies

1 box spice cake mix

1 small can pumpkin puree

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all 3 ingredients together in a large bowl. Drop a spoonful of dough onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Makes 36 cookies

*You can easily double this recipe using 2 boxes cake mix, 1 large can of pumpkin and a bag of chips.

*A tip from Kristen..."Sometimes they have peaks when you scoop them so I use a wet spoon to just pat down the peaks.  Otherwise you might get pokey cookies."