Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bundles

Here is a quick and easy treat. Cinnamon, peanut butter, and chocolate crunchy bundles of happiness!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bundles

6 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

Line a cookie sheet with parchment, wax paper, or Silat. Place cereal in large bowl. In a saucepan, combine syrup and sugar over medium heat. Bring to boil (stirring constantly) remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour over cereal and gently fold until cereal in completely covered. Scoop out onto prepared cookie sheet, I use an ice cream scoop. When cool and set up, make drizzle.

Drizzle

2 Tbl peanut butter

1/2 cup milk chocolate Chips

In microwave-proof small bowl, melt together peanut butter and chocolate chips in microwave. Drizzle over each bundle.

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Fudge Frosted Peanut Butter Blondies

Perfect balance of intense peanut butter and fudgy chocolate flavors in a chewy blondie with little peanut crunch here and there. Tom and I had these for dinner tonight…where are our parents when we need them?

 

Blondie:
2/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter chips, divided
3/4 cup peanuts, divided

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa
2 Tbl milk (maybe a bit more)
1 Tbl light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. In large bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in most of the peanut butter chips and peanuts, reserving about 1/4 cup of the peanut butter chips and about 2 Tbl peanuts to sprinkle over top of frosting.

Spread into a greased 13×9 baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely.

For frosting, in small bowl, combine butter, cocoa, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add a little more milk, if needed, to achieve desired frosting consistency. Frost blondies. Sprinkle with reserved peanut butter chips and peanuts.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cookies

This is fudgy chocolaty goodness, just in case you need a little something.

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup vanilla or white chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Makes approx. two dozen. Recipe from tasteofhome.com.

More Fudgy Goodness:

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

This is a fun and delicious treat to try during quarantine or anytime! Stir batter together while waffle iron heats, cook for 1-2 minutes, and you have a chocolate treat that’s a little crunch on the outside and tender fudgy on the inside.

4 Tbl unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
dash of salt

Heat waffle iron to medium heat. Melt cocoa with butter in small bowl in microwave. In large bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar, vanilla, flour, and the cocoa mixture. Spread some batter in hot waffle iron and bake 1-2 minutes, depends on your waffle iron, take a peek after 1 minute. Cool on rack.

Super Moist Chocolate Chip Muffins

Looking for a chocolate snack? These chocolate muffins are so good, and because applesauce is the secret to making them moist, we can call them healthy! Well, while we are in quarantine everything seems skewed a bit, so healthy becomes relative. Recipe from ChefAlli.com

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanila
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease 12 muffin cups or line muffins cups with paper muffin liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, egg, applesauce, milk, and vegetable oil until smooth; pour into flour mixture and stir until the mixture is just combined. Don’t over mix!

Divide the prepared batter between the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 2/3 full. Divide the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips between muffins, sprinkling them over the top of each one. Bake muffins, uncovered, on center rack, in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. s soon as the muffins are removed from the oven, gently place a sheet of foil on top. Let the muffins cool covered, then remove them from the muffin tin. Store in an air tight container.

More Snacking Muffins!

 

Fudge Brownies

Recipe #6 on the kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipes is Fudge Brownies. Now I already have my favorite brownie recipe that I have made a billion times (maybe exaggeration). So, I thought, ok I will make these but no brownies will make me change my favorite brownie recipe. The verdict is, I think this recipe ties with my recipe, I was happily and deliciously surprised!

4 large eggs
1¼ cups unsweetened dark cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder, optional
1 Tbl vanilla
1 cup butter, melted
2¼ cups sugar
1½ cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan. Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them at medium speed with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder (if using), and vanilla for about 1 minute, or until smooth. You can do this while you’re melting your butter (next step).

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Or simply combine the butter and sugar, and heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Continue to heat (or microwave) briefly, just until the mixture is hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it’ll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the mixture to this point will dissolve more of the sugar, which will help produce a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Add the hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth. Add the flour and chips, stirring until smooth. Again, adding the chips helps produce a shiny top crust. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Bake the brownies for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

 

Single Layer Chocolate Cake

This is recipe #2 of kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipe Collection. So easy to stir it together, bake, frost and serve right from the pan. Simple, simple! The one thing I would change next time I make this, is to make half the amount of icing. As you can tell from the photo there is plenty of frosting!

Cake
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup cold water

Icing
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8″ square or 9″ round pan that’s at least 2″ deep. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the vanilla, vinegar, vegetable oil, and water in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Serve the cake right from the pan; warm from the oven, it’s wonderful with a big glass of milk. Or, once cool, frost the cake with this simple chocolate frosting: Heat the chocolate chips with the half-and-half until the chips melt. Stir until smooth, and pour/spread over the cake. For a non-dairy icing, substitute 1/3 cup cold brewed coffee (or water) for the half-and-half.

Favorite Pies!

Here is what I am making to take for our family’s Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with delicious PIES!

Lemon Truffle Pie is a tart, sweet, creamy addition for any occasion. This has become a favorite to make whenever we get together as a family.

Cherry Apple Pie is a three-generation family favorite. In fact, when it is my oldest son’s birthday, this is his request instead of cake.

Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Pie is a chocolate lover’s delight! Totally worth the work and the calories.

My Pumpkin Eggnog Pie has one simple change to the old favorite, substitute eggnog for the milk in the good ol’ pumpkin pie recipe. For another flavorful twist, this year I think I will put the filling in a ginger snap crumb crust.

This recipe for Old Fashioned Raisin Pie is my dad’s favorite, it is also one of the most viewed recipes on my website.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge Cream Pie is a recipe I made up back in 2012. If you love peanut butter, chocolate and pie, your tastebuds will be very happy!

My Favorite Brownies

If I had to name my favorite chocolate dessert, the words that would come racing out of my mouth would be Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies. I usually make them only when I am giving them away, otherwise I am in big trouble! I Love Love Love Brownies!

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups sugar
1 Tbl vanilla
4 eggs
1½ cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray. In large bowl, stirring by hand, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, dark cocoa, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes (ovens vary but I alway bake them 45 min), until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely for easiest and cleanest cutting. Oh, and use these brownies for a brownie sundae…amazing!

Chocolate Turtle Bundt Cake

This cake makes a statement!

Chocolate Cake:
1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbl caramel ice cream topping

Milk Chocolate Drizzle & Toppings:
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 Tbl shortening
caramel ice cream topping
pecans, chopped
mini chocolate chips
toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl with electric mixer, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a well sprayed bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake in pan at least 15 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to serving plate.

In a bowl with electric mixer, whip cream cheese. Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add caramel and mix well. Spoon into pastry bag with large tip and pipe back and forth around (completely cooled) cake. In small bowl, microwave milk chocolate chips and shortening until just tempered, just melted enough to drizzle (hot or too warm on the cream cheese caramel frosting would melt frosting). Drizzle the caramel topping all around the cake. Sprinkle with pecans, mini chocolate chips and toffee bits. Inspired by chefintraining.