Baking With Dessy

Come get messy with Dessy in the kitchen! Here you will find all the creations of an amateur baker.

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Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

I first made these brownies way back in second year of university. They were so delicious we ate them out of the pan and I didn’t get any good pictures! They’re fairly easy to make but do have quite a few steps involved so are time consuming. I got the recipe from here and I just want to note that the original recipe asks for a 13″ x 9″ pan. I didn’t have one and went for the smaller pan, which made my brownies extra thick and then the middle ones didn’t cook in the centre. If you don’t have a 13″ x  9″ pan I’d advise to use a larger pan, have thinner brownies and reduce the baking time accordingly. 

Ingredients

Brownie Base 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp. butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup semi sweet or dark baking chocolate 1 cup flour 1/4 tsp. salt Cheesecake Topping 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13″ x 9″ glass baking dish (see note above about baking dish sizes). 2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla. 3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Let cool slightly and then add into mixing bowl. Fold in flour and salt. Set aside. 4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese. Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla, beating until smooth and creamy. 5. Spread 3/4 of the brownie batter on the bottom of baking dish. Pour cheesecake on top and spread evenly to edges. Drop in remaining pieces of brownie batter and use a toothpick to lightly work it into the cheesecake, creating a marble effect. Push raspberries into the top. 6. Bake for 40-45 minute, until cheesecake has turned lightly golden and is feels set when gently touched in the centre. Insert a toothpick to ensure the brownie base is cooked in the bottom. Refrigerate overnight before cutting into squares.

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Mocha Chocolate Almond Cookies

I’m always wary of treats with coffee in them because I find sometimes the taste can be too strong, especially for people who aren’t coffee fans. But these cookies adapted from Tutti Dolci, were the perfect level of coffee and chocolately goodness. Also they were as easy to make as a regular batch of chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups flour 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder 1 tsp. cornstarch 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 2 tsp. instant espresso (I used Starbucks Via) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup candied almonds 

Candied Almonds

3/4 cup roasted salted almonds, chopped 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. hot water

Directions

For the candied almonds, preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together sugar and hot water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add almonds and toss to coat. Spread the almonds in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cookies, whisk together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg, instant espresso, and vanilla until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in parts, beat just until incorporated. Fold in half of the chocolate chips and candied almonds. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form 1 & 1/2-inch balls of dough and place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets; flatten mounds slightly.

Top cookies with remaining chocolate chips and candied almonds, pressing to adhere. 

Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 9 minutes, until edges are set. Cool for 4 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Cranberry Bliss Bars

Any avid Starbucks goer has seen these near checkout for the past month. I promise you, that this recipe is way better than anything you can buy at Starbucks! Plus they aren’t that difficult to make and are great for sharing at Christmas time. I found the recipe here.  

Ingredients

Blondies (the base) 2 1/4 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3/4 white chocolate chips, chopped Frosting: 1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup icing sugar 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×11-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together in a medium bowl; set aside. 2. Using an electric mixer, blend butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla on medium speed. With the mixer on low, gradually stir in the dry ingredients. Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate until they are dispersed. 3. Dump the batter to the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Baked for 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown (I only had a 8x11 inch pan and had to bake mine for at least 8 minutes longer. You will be able to tell if they are done by inserting a toothpick, even if they don’t look fully set when you cut them, they’re supposed to be soft and chewy so don’t over bake them!). Let the pan cool on a wire rack until the blondies are completely cool. 4. To make the frosting beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together on medium speed until combined. Mix in the orange zest. 5. To assemble the bars, remove the uncut blondies from the pan and place the whole piece on a large cutting board. With a knife or spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the blondies right out to the edges. Sprinkle the cranberries over the frosting. Melt the white chocolate (in a double boiler or carefully in the microwave), place in a ziploc bag and cut a hole in the corner. Drizzle over the cranberries and frosting. 6. Before cutting, transfer the blondies on the board to the refrigerator to allow the frosting to set up for 30 minutes. Cut the blondies lengthwise into thirds then cut each third into four squares. Cut each square diagonally in half into triangles. These bars can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days but they last better in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. 

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

I’ve always wanted to try pinwheel cookies, but was afraid I they would be a disaster and I would be super frustrated. Hilariously when I searched for tips on rolling them I found this amazingly terrible example. That example is not what inspired me however, I was pursuing Christmas cookie recipes and found this one which was so colourful and beautiful I decided to give it a shot. Mine didn’t end up as bright, but I still think they look pretty good!

Ingredients

Cookies 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt Red gel food colouring, as needed (make sure it is gel food colouring, you won’t be able to get beyond pink with grocery store food colouring!)

Peppermint Icing 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 2-3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp. peppermint extract 1 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla. 2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add in parts to wet mixture. Mix until well combined. 3. Remove 1/2 of the dough and add red food colouring to the remaining dough, mixing well. Wrap each dough separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a half hour to an hour to firm up the dough. 4. Roll out one colour of dough to 1/4-inch thick rectangle on a lightly floured non-stick baking mat or wax paper. Roll out the second colour of dough to 1/4-inch thick rectangle of the same size on a lightly floured wax paper, by doing it on wax paper it’s easier to place on the first piece. Place the second rectangle on top of the first and trim the edges until even. Press down lightly. Using the wax paper, roll the dough into a log, as tightly as you can. Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours to firm up. 5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for best cookie removal. 6. Place the log on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut cookies to 1/8-inch thick and place on prepared baking sheet. The log needs to stay as cold as possible for best results, I cut mine in half and put half in the freezer while I did the first batch. 7. Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes; do not allow the edges to brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting. 8. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until smooth. Add in the icing sugar, cream and peppermint extract and mix with a spatula. Continue adding icing sugar until you have desired consistency (I made mine fairly thick). Using either a piping bag or knife make cookie sandwiches with the icing. 

The size of my rectangles so you have a guide, note the red one is on wax paper.

Super sharp knife is necessary for non-mushy cookies!

So festive!

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Baked these for our work’s Movember bake sale!

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Turtle Cookies

The combination of chocolate, caramel and pecan always turn out to be a huge hit. That’s why I was so excited to try out this recipe I found on The Kitchen is My Playground and they turned out perfectly!

Ingredients

Cookie: 1 cup flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 2/3 cup sugar 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 additional egg white 2 tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 & 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped

Caramel Filling: 14 soft caramels 3 tbsp. heavy cream

Chocolate Drizzle: 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Prepare the Cookies:   1.  Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. 2.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three parts until just combined. 3.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. 4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk both egg whites until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another bowl. 5. Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecans. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball. 6. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. I baked mine for 12 min, took them out and re-dented them, and baked them for another two minutes. 

Prepare the Caramel Filling:   6.  In a small saucepan on low heat, melt the caramels and cream. Stir until smooth, remove from heat.  7.  Once cookies have cooled, fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel mixture. Cool completely. Prepare the Chocolate Drizzle:   8.  Place chocolate chips in a small zip-top plastic bag. Microwave in 30 second increments until smooth, do not over heat! 9.  Snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag.  Drizzle chocolate over the cooled cookies. 

Share and enjoy!

A photo of my station: cutting board for chopping pecans, prerolled cookies in the purple bowl, egg whites in the blue bowl, and pecans in the pink bowl. 

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Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

These are my favourite fall cookies. Thick, soft sugar cookies with a hint of pumpkin spice. Perfection. This recipe taken from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.

Ingredients

For the Cookies: 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & cloves) 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 large egg 1½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the Icing: 4 cups icing sugar 1/3 water or milk 1/2 cup butter, melted (optional) 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars, at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beat at medium speed until combined. 

Add the dry ingredients in parts and beat at low speed until just combined. Shape into a disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator onto a lightly floured surface. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, placing on prepared baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes until edges are just ready to turn the slightest bit light brown. Cool on a wire rack before decorating.

To make the icing, mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add icing sugar until you have desired thickness. Divide into three bowls and dye desired colours. Use a piping bag to add details. 

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Pumpkin Granola

I believe you should be able to eat pumpkin for every meal if you so wish during this glorious season. Pumpkin granola enables this dream by allowing you to snack on pumpkin midday, or evening put it on your morning yogurt. Adapted from Skinny Fitalicious so it’s super low in sugar!

Ingredients

All ingredient amounts are approximate, you can add more or less of anything to your taste. 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 cup raw almonds, chopped 1/2 cup raw pumpkin (peptia) seeds 1 cup raw pecans, chopped 1 cup raw oats 2 tbsp. coconut oil 2 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. cinnamon 1/2 tbsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cloves pinch of sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves & salt

Next add nuts, seeds, oats & cranberries to the mixing bowl coating them well.

Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and use a spoon to spread the mixture evenly to ensure it cooks evenly.

Bake 40-45 minutes stirring the mixture half way through. When it comes out it still won’t be hard, this happens after it cools.

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Pumpkin Carrot Bread

It’s fall again... time for PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!!! I adopted this recipe from Food & Wine but changed a few things mainly because raisins are gross. Also if you make this with whole wheat flour I promise it’s 100% healthy because it has vegetables in it too. What’s sugar right?

Also, if you don’t have a 9″x5″ loaf pan (mine is 8″x4″) this recipe will fill the pan and make a few extra muffins.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 cup dried cranberries 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree 1 cup grated carrots 1 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger 1/2 cup sour cream 2 eggs 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 3/4 cups brown sugar Unsalted pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter a 9″x5″ loaf pan. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix the pumpkin, carrots, grated ginger, and sour cream. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter with the sugar at medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs, oil, and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin mixture and beat at medium speed until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in parts and mix at low speed just until incorporated. With a spatula, fold in the cranberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 50 minutes (about 15 minutes less if you have a smaller pan), or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Turn the loaf right side up and let cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

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Salted Caramel, Pretzel & Peanut Bars

I originally got the idea for these from here, but I was worried they would be mushy and hard to transport because they were no-bake. So I took the idea for the toppings and put them on top of basic sugar cookies. Voila! Salty and sweet deliciousness.

Ingredients

Cookies 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 2 & 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt

Topping 1 & 1/2 cups soft caramels 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 cup crushed pretzels 1/2 cup chopped peanuts Sea salt

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. 2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry mixture into wet in parts, stir until combined. 3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least an hour.  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out dough onto a clean and floured surface. Cut into rectangles. 5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, until bottoms begin to brown. Place on cooling rack to cool completely before adding topping. 6. Unwrap caramels and combine with cream in a small saucepan. Heat on medium heat stirring frequently until caramels have completely melted.  7. Spread caramel mixture on cookies and sprinkle with toppings. Let harden for an hour before storing.

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Funfetti Cookies

What is more fun than rainbow sprinkles? Probably nothing. I adapted this recipe from here. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. corn starch 3/4 tsp. baking soda A pinch of salt 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the butter, sugar, egg,  and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). 

In a separate medium bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, only adding about a third at a time. Beat until well combined. 

Add the sprinkles and mix by hand.

Wrap dough in saran wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. 

Preheat oven to 350F, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into balls (about the size of 2 tablespoons). Place well spaced on the baking sheets and flatten with your hands.

Bake for 8 minutes, they will still be white and not fully set but will firm up as they cool (I accidentally over-baked mine and they are too hard, your cookies should look lighter than mine in the photos do).

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Coconut Macaroons

With the past few posts it seems that I’m on a chocolate-coconut kick. This recipe is one that I’ve been making for years, and it’s definitely the easiest of the macaroon nests and Nanaimo bars. 

Heads up, this recipe makes over 32 macaroons, so I’d recommend halving it unless you have a lot of people to share these with.

Ingredients

1 400g package sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 cups) 4 large egg whites 2/3 cups sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° F. Prepare backing sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix the coconut, egg whites, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla until well combined.

Drop packed tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto baking sheets. Bake, until lightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, being careful not to burn. Dip the bottom of each macaroon in the chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

Store the macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

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Rose Cake

I’ve seen rose decorated cakes everywhere online lately and have been super excited to give it a shot. Now I understand why everyone has hopped on this trend, it is extremely easy to do and the result is stunning. 

Tools/Ingredients

2 boxes of cake mix 5 cans of Betty Crocker Whipped White Icing

Wilton 1M Cupcake Decorating Tip Icing Bags Food Colouring Rotating Cake Stand

Directions

Bake cakes as directed on box (or make your own from scratch). I made a three layer cake and used the extra mix to make cupcakes.

Let cakes cool completely. Level and stack. Roughly ice the entire cake to ensure no cake is showing through the first layer of icing.

In three separate bowls dye your icing. It will take almost an entire can of icing to do one layer of roses so make sure you dye enough because it can be hard to match a colour if you run out!

Fill your icing bag and place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to cool. 

Starting at the bottom, make large swirls starting from the inside going out. The edges of each swirl can be messy because they will be covered by the next layer on top.

Fill in any gaps with a swirl or stars depending on how you want your cake to look. I’ve seen some with a leaf like design in the gaps. I used swirls to make it look like some roses had extra layers. 

Rose cupcakes can be done the same way, making large swirls starting from the inside going out.

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Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo Bars, a classic Canadian treat  that consists of coconut, chocolate, and custard. Anyone who likes coconut and chocolate will love these. However, they are very sweet, so I recommend cutting them into small squares. 

Ingredients

Base 1/3 cup butter 1/4 cup white sugar 6 tbsp. cocoa powder 1 egg 1 tbsp. milk 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup coconut

Middle Layer 1/4 cup butter, softened 3 tbsp. milk 2 tbsp. custard powder 3 cups icing sugar

Top Layer 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 2 tbsp. butter A pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line either a 9x9″ pan or a rectangular pan with parchment paper. I used a rectangular pan and didn’t spread the mix to the edges. The larger pan you use the thinner your bars will be. 

To make the base, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and milk in a large saucepan. Heat to melt the butter, stirring until smooth.

Remove from heat and add in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and egg. Stir until well incorporated and pack into your prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then place the pan in the freezer to cool for at least 10 minutes.

To make the middle layer, beat together the butter, milk, custard powder and icing sugar until smooth. Spread this on top of the base and place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill once again for 10 minutes. 

For the top layer, melt together the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Allow it to cool slightly. Pour this over the first 2 layers, using a buttered spatula to spread it evenly across the top.

Refrigerate until everything is set, 30-60 minutes. Slice with a sharp knife and serve. 

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Coconut Macaroon Easter Nests

Found this recipe in this month’s Martha Stewart magazine. They take some time but are easy to do!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray 4 egg whites 1 3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1 large package Robin’s Eggs 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin tray with cooking spray, set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, blend egg whites, salt, and coconut with a fork.  3. Drop about two tablespoons of mixture into each tin. The mixture should make 2 nests. Lightly press the mixture up the sides of each cup. 4. Bake for 15 minutes. You will see the mix filled in the entire tin, use the back of a wooden spoon to push mix back against the side and bottom of tin. Bake for another 15 minutes. 5. Let the nests cool completely on a wire rack. Place chips in a ziploc and melt for 30 second intervals in the microwave. Be careful not to burn the chocolate! Snip a corner of the bag and pipe chocolate into each nest. Place 2-3 eggs in each nest.  These keep for a few days but make sure you place them in a sealed container or the coconut becomes very hard!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

I’m not even sure I need to explain why you should make these. Basically just realized this is everything you ever wanted in a brownie and go forth and bake. 

Ingredients

Brownies: 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup butter 1 cup cocoa powder 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cookie Dough: 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup sugar 3 tbsp. milk 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. 

Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in Fry's Cocoa. Blend in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and chopped nuts.

Pour batter into greased 13x9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes (do not let them burn!).

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine the butter and both sugars. Add the milk and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.

Let brownies cool completely before adding the cookie dough. I found it a bit tricky so I rolled the cookie dough out in sections on the counter, added the sections on top of the brownies, and pressed them together with my hands. Place pan in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting. Brownies can be stored either in the fridge or at room temperature.

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Caramel Pecan Tarts

These have become a staple in our home. They are quick to make and always a crowd-pleaser because they look much fancier (more difficult to make) than they actually are. 

Ingredients

1 Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix One egg and the butter required for the mix 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips About 3 cups of caramels, unwrapped 1/3 cup whipping creme 1/2 cup pecan halves

Directions

Make dough according to package directions. Roll into 1 inch balls and press into the bottom of mini muffin cups. This is where this recipe gets time consuming, you need to make sure you don't use too much dough in each cup but make sure there is enough dough to go up on all the way on the sides.

Bake 8-9 min. When the tarts come out of the oven they will have completely filled the cups, the directions said to use the back of a wooden spoon (I used the back of a pen which I washed) to press the dough back down. Bake for another 2 minutes.

While the tarts are baking place caramels and cream in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Reduce heat to low (or remove from heat if you are afraid of it burning, you can always reheat if the caramel begins to harden).

Once tarts have finished baking place 3-4 chocolate chips in each. Fill each cup with caramel and top with a few pecans. Let tarts cool before removing from pans (I removed them before adding caramel so I could make more).