Sweet Chex Mix

I am revisiting this recipe because it is such a favorite! This time adding a couple more ingredients. Warning, once you start eating, you may not be able to stop.

7 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 cups Golden Grahams cereal
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups honey roasted peanuts
1 cup sliced almonds
1 (5 oz) can chow mein noodles
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
Colored Sprinkles (optional)
M&M candies (optional)

In large bowl, stir together Rice Chex, Golden Grahams, coconut, peanuts, almonds, and chow mein noodles. In saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to boil and continue cooking to”soft ball” stage…about 235° on candy thermometer. Pour hot syrup over cereal mixture in thin stream in stages. After each addition of syrup, gently fold and stir until all ingredients are well coated. If you want to add sprinkles, M&Ms, or other candies continue stirring until cooled enough to add and not to melt. Spread mixture out onto silpat lined baking sheet to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

One Year Ago: Biscoff Brownies

Two Years Ago: Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

Three Years Ago: Coconut Toffee Ricotta Cheese Cake

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Frosted Sugar Cookies

This is a melt in your mouth sugar cookie! The recipe comes from recipesfoodandcooking.com.

Sugar Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup oil
1¼ cups sugar
2 Tbl water
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
5½ cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt

 Preheat oven to 325°. Spray cookie sheets or line with silpat. With electric mixer, cream butter, oil, and sugar. Mix in water and vanilla. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; mix until well incorporated. Using medium cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls and place on prepared cookie sheets. Use a flat bottom glass dipped in sugar to press down each scoop of dough. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Do not let cookies brown. Cool completely before frosting.

 Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp milk

With electric mixer, whip cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and enough milk to make desired consistency. Frost completely cooled cookies. Decorate as desired.

One Year Ago: Pecan & Coconut Cream Popcorn

Two Years Ago: Personal Chicken Pot Pies

Three Years Ago: Blueberry Buckle

Double Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

I am calling these little cuties healthy doughnut because they are baked and not deep fried. Maybe healthier is better?

Chocolate Doughnuts:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
4 Tbl butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Glaze:
1 Tbl butter, melted
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch salt
3 to 4 Tbl milk
2 tsp vanilla
color jimmies

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325°.  Spray doughnut baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

For the doughnuts: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together until all ingredients are well combined. Scoop batter into prepared doughnut baking pan. Each doughnut mold should be about two-thirds full. Bake doughnuts 11 to 13 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow doughnuts to rest five minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely before glazing. Repeat baking process with remaining batter.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl whisk together butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla.  Whisk to combine. Mixture may be thick. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until glaze is thick but still pourable. Dip each doughnut into chocolate glaze.  Shake off some of the excess glaze. Return to wire rack and sprinkle with color jimmies.  Allow to rest for the frosting to harden slightly. Makes 8-10 doughnuts, depends on how full you fill the molds and how much batter you eat!

Original recipe from joythebaker.com.

One Year Ago: Biscoff Spread Cookies

Two Years Ago: Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oat Cake

Three Years Ago: Cinnamon Rolls

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Cookies

OK, my Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Cookies are more like Chocolate Vanilla Zebra Cookies or Chocolate Vanilla Wave Cookies, but I still like them. I will work on my swirling technique. These cookies look great and they taste great! They taste like a very tender shortbread, they melt in your mouth. The recipe comes from the book Baking for All Occasions.

Vanilla Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 Tbl powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
2¾ cups cake flour
1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 Tbl powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
2¼ cups cake flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
sprinkles for decoration (your choice)

To make the Vanilla Dough:
With electric mixer on lowest setting, combine butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla, mix. Add flour and salt, mix. Mixture will be very crumbly, keep mixing on lowest speed, keep mixing, keep mixing, it will come together (trust me). When dough comes together, make into a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

To make the Chocolate Dough:
With electric mixer on lowest setting, combine butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla, mix. Add flour, cocoa and salt, mix. Again, mixture will be very crumbly, keep mixing on lowest speed, keep mixing, keep mixing, it will come together (trust me, again). When dough comes together, make into a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

   

To form into logs:
Divide vanilla dough into thirds. Divide chocolate dough into thirds. Flatten each dough piece with your fingertips into a 7″x5″ rectangle. Place a chocolate rectangle on top of a vanilla rectangle, and then cut the stack in half, to create 2 pieces each about 3½”x5″. Place one half on top of other half to create 4 layers alternating colors. Pat the stack into a 9″x 4″ rectangle. Cut the stack in half lengthwise to create two 9″x 2″pieces. Place 1 piece on top of the other to create a stack with 8 layers.

   

To marble the logs:
Using both hands, twist the dough about three times and at the same time gently extend the dough package. Have each hand at a different point on the dough package as you manipulate it into a swirled pattern. Repeat the process with the remaining dough to form 2 more logs. Compress each log so it is rounder, more uniformly shaped, and about 8 inches long.

Spread the sprinkles in a pan (I used a 9″x9″ square pan). Roll each dough log back and forth in the sprinkles to coat the outside of the log evenly, pressing sprinkles gently into dough to stick. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour.

Baking:
Preheat oven to 325°. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpat. Using sharp knife, cut 1/4″ thick slices from log and arrange on baking sheet, spacing them at least 1/2″ apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, just until they are no longer shiny on top and are lightly golden on the bottom. Don’t let them start to brown on top. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

One Year Ago: Eggnog Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls

Two Years Ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Roul’Pat & Beechwood Rolling Pin or Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

 

Confetti Cream Cheese Bars

There was a confetti cake mix in my pantry, what should I do? Well, this is what happened.

Confetti Cake Layer:
1 confetti cake mix
2 Tbl rainbow sprinkles (or jimmies)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350°. In bowl, stir together cake mix and sprinkles. Stir in butter and egg until well combined. Press into bottom of 9″x13″ baking pan.

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar

In bowl with electric mixer, whip together cream cheese and eggs. Add powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated. Spread over confetti layer in pan.

Short Bread Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbl rainbow sprinkles (or jimmies)

In small bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Mix butter into dry ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle crumble mixture evenly over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle the sprinkles evenly over crumbles. Bake 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Sprinkle Brownie Layer Cake

A little crazy but kinda fun, pretty delicious!

Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened almost melted
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. By hand, mix butter and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, and salt; mix well. Spread in sprayed 8″ or 9″ pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool on wire rack. While brownie layer bakes, make cake batter, leave oven on for cake after removing brownie layer.

Sprinkle Cake:
2¼ cups flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (12 Tbl) butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup chocolate sprinkles

Spray and flour two 8″ or 9″ round cake pans (same size as brownie layer). Whisk together flour baking powder, and salt; set aside. In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. In another bowl, stir together buttermilk and egg whites. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to creamed mixture; beat well. Fold in sprinkles. Divide and spread cake batter evenly in prepared pans. Bake 28-30 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1½ cups butter, softened
7 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
5-6 Tbl milk

Whip butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time, adding a Tbl of milk here and there to keep consistency smooth. Add vanilla and remaining necessary milk. Whip to desired consistency (add more milk or powdered sugar if desired). Put cake together, layer of cake on plate, frosting, brownie layer, frosting, layer of cake, and frost sides and top. Sprinkles on top.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

Two Years Ago: Salted Peanut Marshmallow Bars

Birthday Cake Oreo Sprinkle Blondies

I was walking through Target and there I see Birthday Cake Oreos, in the cart they go. I didn’t buy them to eat them, I bought them to bake into something. Here is the something…

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1 Tbl vanilla
3 eggs
2¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 – 1/2 cups sprinkles or jimmies
1 pkg Birthday Cake Oreos, golden (also come in chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 13″x9″ baking pan with non-stick spray. In large bowl, stirring by hand, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in sprinkles. Spread half the batter (about 2 cups) in prepared pan. Place Oreos in one layer over batter as pictured above. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over the top of the layer of Oreos and gently spread to cover all the Oreos. Bake 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely for easiest and cleanest cutting.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Cherry Bars

Two Years Ago: Donut Hole Muffins

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware such as the Muffin Tray and Perforated Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Happy Halloween!

Candy Corn Cupcakes:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing until batter is smooth.  Divide batter in half, putting half in another bowl (should be about 2 cups in each bowl).  Using food coloring, make batter in one bowl yellow and the other orange.

Divide yellow batter evenly among the 12 cups (about 2 heaping Tbl per cup), tap pan to level batter.  Divide orange batter evenly among the 12 cups, gently spooning on top of yellow batter (again, about 2 heaping Tbl each cup).  Bake for 20-22 minutes, until center is set.  Cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, microwave until just melted
3½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbl milk
orange sprinkles
candy corn

Whip butter and white chocolate together with electric mixer.  Add powdered sugar and milk and whip to desired frosting consistency.  Frost completely cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles and candy corn.

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware such as the Muffin Tray and Perforated Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Orange Hug Cookies

It’s Halloween, time for treats!

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbl orange juice
1 Tbl orange zest
2¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
orange sprinkles
Hershey’s Hugs

Preheat oven to 375°.  In large bowl with electric mixer cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Mix in egg, orange juice, and orange zest.  Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture just until combined.  Scoop into 1″-1½” diameter balls and roll in orange sprinkles and place on silpat lined or sprayed baking sheet.  Bake 8 minutes.  While cookies are baking, unwrap Hugs.  As cookies come from oven, place one Hug on each cookies.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet then move to cooling rack and cool completely.

One Year Ago Today:  Chocolate Malt Brownies 

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Cake Mix Rice Krispie Treats

Just for fun!

1/2 cup butter
1  bag marshmallows
1 cup dry cake mix (I used confetti cake mix)
8 cups Rice Krispies cereal
sprinkles

Spray 9″x13″ cake pan with nonstick spray.  Measure cereal into large bowl.  In another bowl, melt together butter and marshmallows in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring until melted.  Stir dry cake mix into marshmallow mixture and then pour over rice krispies.  Gently fold and stir until thoroughly combined.  Pour into prepared pan and press down evenly.  Sprinkle with sprinkles.  Let set up then cut into bars.  Try other cake mix flavors!

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.