EASYBAKED

Andes Mint Layer Cake

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Ruthanne

This rich chocolate cake has a huge layer of Andes Mint whipped filling and is drizzled with fudge topping. The perfect chocolate dessert!

Tah Dah!!! One last melted frosting recipe…for now…This one has yummy melted chocolate frosting inside and poured all over the top. YUM!!!!!!

I love making this cake in various forms. It is SO quick and easy to put together and everyone loves it! This time I added Andes mint candies for a refreshing mint twist to this recipe. I think you will love it!!

Here’s the recipe: (printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

1 boxed chocolate cake mix (with oil/eggs/water to make according to directions)
2 packets of Dream Whip (found near the jello/pudding boxes at the grocery)
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Andes Baking Chips 10 oz
One container of pre-made chocolate frosting

DIRECTIONS:

Make cake mix according to box and bake in 2 – 8 or 9 inch round pans (I cut parchment paper to fit, spray the pan with non-stick spray, and place it in the bottom of each pan so that the cake comes out easier).
Cool cakes completely on a wire rack and while they are cooling make your whipped filling:
Put Dream Whip, milk, vanilla, cocoa powder and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and blend together.
Using a mixer, beat until stiff peaks form (3-4 minutes)
Fold in Andes mint baking chips, saving aside a few for topping.
Scoop chocolate frosting into a microwave safe bowl and heat for only about 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Heat until frosting is melted into a hot fudge consistency.
Use a large serrated knife to level your two cakes.
Place 1st cake on serving plate, leveled edge up.
Pour about 1/4 of melted frosting on top of cake and spread to cover (I put this layer in the fridge for about a minute just to cool the warm frosting down before adding the mousse layer)
Spoon all of the mousse on top of the cake and spread it ALMOST to the edges.
Top with second cake– put the leveled edge against the mousse…this keeps all the crumbs in the middle and leaves a nice flat surface on the top of your cake. Gently press top layer down to squeeze the mousse all the way to the edges.
Pour the rest of the melted frosting over the entire cake and let it drip over the edges.
Sprinkle the remaining Andes Mint bits on top.
Refrigerate until serving, this will make the middle layer firm and easy to cut.

My thoughts: I love this cake. It is a beautiful dessert that is just so quick and easy to put together!

That creamy mint filling….oh my. I hope you get a chance to try it! Enjoy! ~r

Other yummy chocolate treats here on easybaked:

18 Comments

Posted in Cakes and tagged Andes, Andes Baking Chips, andes mint, baking, best, cake, cake mix, chocolate, chocolate cake mix, chocolate dessert, chocolate frosting, creative, dessert, dream whip, easy, holiday, layer cake, mint, mousse, party, recipe, rich chocolate cake, sweet, unique, valentines day. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Ruthanne

Moist cupcakes filled with a creamy peanut butter cup and topped with peanut butter cream icing and a mini peanut butter cookie. This is a peanut butter lover’s dream come true!

I was determined to get mini peanut butter cups into the center of these cupcakes. I did some of them plain, and tossed some in flour 1^st and all of them sank to the bottom. Sad me. I think the only alternative is to either eat them on the bottom (still yummy!!) or invest in one of those fun little pans that hold candy in the middle. Have you seen them? Click here if you want to check them out. Now that I’m in the middle of the Navajo Nation, I seriously doubt I will be coming across one- lol! Maybe I will order one once I have an address to send it to!!

These happy little cupcakes use melted frosting on the tops—I’m addicted to melting frosting now!!! Make me stop!!!

Here’s the recipe (printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

One boxed yellow cake mix (plus water, oil and eggs to make according to directions)
24 Mini Reese peanut butter cups
1 tub of chocolate frosting
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter (softened to room temperature)
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
24 mini Nutter Butter cookies for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Make cake mix according to box directions and divide equally into 24 cupcake liners placed in tins.
Place a mini peanut butter cup on the top of each cup full of batter

Bake according to box directions, remove from oven and cool completely.
Spoon tub of chocolate frosting into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until well mixed.
Dip the top of each cupcake in the chocolate frosting and allow them to cool, and to harden a little.

Place remaining melted frosting in a small zip top bag and zip it closed.
To make peanut butter frosting, place butter, vanilla, and peanut butter into a large bowl and mix on high until smooth (about a minute)
Add powdered sugar and beat on low until combined and then on high until light and fluffy.
Place frosting in a zip-top bag fitted with a decorating tip and pipe on top of each cooled cupcake.
Clip a corner off of the bag filled with the melted chocolate frosting and drizzle over the top of each cupcake.
Top with a mini Nutter Butter cookie.

My thoughts: YUM! These are perfect if you love peanut butter. I love the fudgy layer of melted frosting on the top– when I shared these with friends they all loved that part. You could dip cupcakes into all sorts of melted frostings– so many flavor possibilities!!!! FUN!!!! I hope you really enjoy these!!! ~r

6-13-14: Did you know, that this yummy recipe is available on adorable blank note cards? With a picture of the cupcakes on the front, the recipe on the back, and plenty of room inside for a message, these make the PERFECT gift. Why send just a card, when you can send the gift of a recipe instead?? Click here for more information and to order.

I usually give you other similar fun recipe to try on easybaked at this point, but my internet is so slow that I’m skipping it this week!! 🙂 The photo gallery is always a fun spot to shop for recipe ideas… since your internet is likely faster than mine this week, I will let you hunt for treasures on your own!!! Have a good one!!!!! ~r

28 Comments

Posted in Cupcakes and tagged baking, best, butter cream, cookies, cupcake, cupcakes, dessert, frosting, melted frosting, Nutter Butters, peanut butter, peanut butter cups, recipe, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Raspberry Lemon Drop Cakes

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Ruthanne

Moist yellow cake bowls filled with lemon and topped with whipped raspberry cream. These are such a unique and flavorful dessert- you are going to love them!

This is recipe #2 in my tribute to melted frosting. Last week we used a chocolate frosting and this week- lemon frosting. The plan for this recipe was chocolate cake bowls with chocolate filling and raspberry cream. I caught myself half-way through making a yellow cake mix before I remembered I wanted to do chocolate though.

I have a lot on my mind these days!

SO, I sat down and thought about what flavors are good with yellow cake mix and I already had a tub of lemon frosting…and here we go! It was a fortunate mistake, because these are delicious. One of my new favorites! I even ate one for breakfast, and with a cup of coffee? Perfection!

Here’s the recipe: (printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of yellow cake mix (plus oil, water and eggs to make according to package)
1 tub of lemon frosting
1 packet of Dream Whip
1/3 cup cold milk
1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup of raspberry preserves (more or less, to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Make yellow cake mix according to package.
Grease 4 Wilton fillable mini cake pans, and fill each one about 2/3 full. This will use about 1/2 of the batter- so you will fill these pans again once the 1st set is through baking.
Bake at 350F degrees for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Tip cakes onto a cake rack to cool. Trim bottoms flat, if needed.
Spoon tub of frosting into a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir.
Spoon melted lemon frosting into each cake “cup”, filling each to the top.

Place remaining frosting into a small zip top bag.
Place Dream Whip, milk, powered sugar and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat on high for about 2 minutes, until a thick, whipped consistency.
Fold raspberry preserves in, and place into a zip top bag that has been fitted with a decorator tip.
Pipe whipped topping on top of each cake.
Clip a small corner off the bag of remaining frosting and drizzle liberally over the top of each cake.
Top with a fresh raspberry if desired.
Keep these chilled until serving- and ENJOY!!!

My thoughts: I’m not kidding you– these are amazing! If you don’t want to use the pans (they are a really fun addition to your kitchen though!) you could do a layer cake: 2 round cakes with lemon icing and whipped topping in the middle and lemon icing poured over the top- see my Chocolate Mousse Cake for how to assemble. These are a must-try recipe!!! SO easy with that melted frosting– love it!!!

One more picture:

Want some other ideas for those cute little pans? Here’s a couple- just click on the picture to see the recipe!

Ruthanne news: I don’t often post about my personal life here, because my goal is to just get yummy recipes to you without a ton of personal commentary. When I really want to just see a recipe, I hate scrolling through 3 pages of of kids and dog stories first, so I promised myself that this site would be more about recipes than about me!!!

I have a few really exciting things going on that I wanted to share with you though~

First, Warner Press Publishing contacted me about making a boxed set of greeting cards from my recipes and photos. These are available now in many Christian bookstores or on their site. Click here to check them out!

Second, I have a cookbook for kids coming out this summer! I’m so excited about this project- there’s nothing better than time in the kitchen with your kids! Details to follow on this!

Third, I lost my job in genetics. Our hospital can “no longer invest in expensive cutting edge technology due to the affordable care act”. Thats a quote. I struggled with what comes next and eventually (after much soul searching and prayer!) decided to move out to Arizona for the next 8 months to work alongside a church in the Navajo Nation. I’m writing this blog from the comfort of a motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. I’ve driven about 1200 miles from home and I’m about 6 hours from my new home in Rough Rock Arizona. My car is literally packed to the ceiling with things- about half of those things are supplies for baking, blogging and photography! I’m hoping to continue creating and posting for all of you!

Many thanks to each of you for being a part of the easybaked community! I’m incredibly glad you are along for this journey! ~r

Sunset over New Mexico

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Posted in Cakes and tagged baking, best, breakfast sweets, brunch dessert, brunch food, cake, chocolate frosting, cream, dessert, dream whip, fancy dessert, fruit, lemon, lemon frosting, lemon icing, melted frosting, party dessert, raspberry, raspberry cream, sweets, wilton fillable cake pans, yellow cake, yellow cake mix. Bookmark the permalink.

Peppermint Brownie Cake

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Ruthanne

This dense chocolate cake is more like a brownie, and full of chopped peppermint patties! This will satisfy your biggest chocolate craving!

This recipe is the perfect solution to the January candy candy dilemma. Although there are no candy canes in this cake (there are gooey York Peppermint patties instead!), this cake is just beautiful decorated with your leftovers from Christmas.

This cake also showcases my theme for the month of January—–melted frosting! I’ve become addicted to melting tubs of ready-made frosting to use in and on various dessert recipes. It changes the consistency of the frosting- turning it into a fudge-like topping or filling and its SO easy– just melt and pour. I can’t wait to show you some of my other melted frosting ideas!

Ok- so you probably want the recipe! Here you go: (click here for a printable version)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups of peppermint patties (quartered)
1 tub of pre-made chocolate frosting
3-4 candy canes to decorate with as desired.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees
Cut parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan.
Liberally grease bottom and sides of pan, and place parchment paper in bottom.
Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a small bowl using the microwave in 30 second increments and stirring in between.
Allow this to cool slightly while you prepare other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Cut peppermint patties into quarters,
In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together for about one minute.
Add melted chocolate and beat on low until well combined.
Beat in the flour mixture.
Stir peppermint patties in using a spoon.
Pour batter into pan, smoothing the top, and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Be careful to not over-bake.
Remove from oven and allow cake to cool for about 10 minutes, this will allow the peppermint patties to harden up a little.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pan and tip cake over onto a cake rack.
Remove parchment paper and allow cake to cool completely.
Spoon tub of frosting into a small bowl and melt in microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Stir and pour over cooled cake. Do this while the cake is still on the cake rack, with a plate underneath to catch the drips. You will not need to use the entire tub of frosting to cover the cake. I placed my leftovers in a zip top bag, clipped a corner and made fun zig zags on the plates I used to serve the cake. You could also dip graham crackers or apple slices in it…for a little post-cake-making snack!!! YUM!
Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and ENJOY!!!

My thoughts: This is an old recipe for me- I’ve been making it for years with a terribly complicated glaze recipe over the top. Honestly, this melted frosting is better- and SO much easier! One note: I was in a rush to take my pictures, so I took them right away. Once this sets and cools, the glaze will harden into a fudge like consistency, and it won’t run like it is in my pictures.

OR you could just eat it up before it cools and enjoy all the gooey warm minty happiness! Enjoy!!!~r
Other minty desserts here on easybaked:

7 Comments

Posted in Brownies, Cakes and tagged baking, brownie, cake, candy cane, candy canes, chocolate, chocolate frosting, dark chocolate, dense chocolate cake, dessert, frosting, fudge, mint, peppermint, peppermint patties, recipe, unsweetened chocolate, york peppermint patties. Bookmark the permalink.

Ladybug Cake!

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Ruthanne

It’s my Birthday today! Yay! Birthdays were always a huge celebration as I was growing up. My mom had a big yellow box of recipe cards from Betty Crocker that had tons of fun ideas. One of the categories was “Children’s Parties” and it was full of card-after-card of fun cakes.

Every year, mom would tell my brother and I that we could pick ANY cake out and she would make it for our birthday party (this, I believe, is where my great love of beautiful desserts began!) I had all sorts of cakes- a Panda bear, an Igloo….and one year, a giant ladybug. I loved it!

So, this year we are taking a trip down memory lane, back to the mid-70’s, for this retro recipe that made me smile then and now.

Betty Crocker 70's recipe card- Lady Bug Cake!

The Original Betty Crocker Recipe Card

INGREDIENTS: (original Betty Crocker recipe can be found here)

1 box of cake mix, any flavor, plus water, oil and eggs to make according to package.
2 sticks (1 cup) of salted butter
2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted butter
3 cups of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of clear vanilla flavoring
Red food coloring gel
York Peppermint Patties
Wilton candy melts in red and dark chocolate (just a few!)
Mini M&MS

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees
Generously grease and flour a 2 quart oven-proof bowl.
Make cake mix according to package, and pour into prepared bowl.
Bake at 350F degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool for a few minutes and then run a knife around edges and tip upside down on a cake rack to cool completely.
Make icing by combining butters, powdered sugar and vanilla and beating on high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Place cake on serving plate and spread a smooth layer of frosting over entire dome of cake.
Refrigerate about 10-15 minutes to harden 1st layer of frosting.
Use red food coloring gel to color about 2/3 of remaining frosting.
Frost over 1st layer with white over the front 1/3 of cake and red over the back 1/3.
Decorate with peppermint patties, icing and M&Ms. You can use licorice for the antennae, nose and mouth, but I just piped colored candy melts into the shapes I wanted.
Enjoy!!

My thoughts:You really can use any items you want to decorate this cake. You can see that Betty Crocker used gummy candies and black string licorice. Making this cake brought back great memories of being a kid. Many thanks to my wonderful mom for making childhood so much fun!

One of my favorite parts of this site is being able to give you creative recipes to surprise your family with on their special days! Here’s to many Happy Birthdays for you and yours in this coming year! Enjoy! ~r

Other fun birthday recipe ideas:

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Posted in Cakes, Candy and tagged baking, birthday, buttercream frosting, cake, cake baked in a bowl. recipe, cakes, celebration, chocolate, dessert, ladybug, M&Ms, peppermint patties, recipe, string licorice. Bookmark the permalink.

Pink Champagne and Raspberry Cupcakes!

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Ruthanne

These cheery pink cupcakes are made like a 7-Up cake, but with sweet pink champagne instead! Topped with a raspberry buttercream, they are a perfect way to bring in the New Year!!!

INGREDIENTS: (printable recipe)

Cupcakes:

3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweet champagne or bubbly wine (I used Barefoot Bubbly, and wished it had been sweeter)
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups granulated sugar

Frosting:

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons raspberry extract
pink food coloring gel (as desired for coloring both cupcakes and frosting)
fun sprinkles! (I used edible star glitter and pearls—love them!!!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees
Place 24 cupcake liners into muffin tins
In a medium bowl, combine champagne, eggs, and vanilla
In a second medium bowl, mix together flour and salt
Use an electric mixer to beat together 2 sticks of softened butter, shortening and granulated sugar.
Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes
With the mixer on low speed, add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of the champagne mixture.
Alternate the flour and champagne, mixing until well combined.
Add a little bit of pink food coloring gel if you want a pink tint to your cupcakes and combine well.
Spoon batter evenly into cupcake liners
Bake at 350F degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
When cupcakes are cool, you can add a little extra champagne taste by poking holes in the top of each cupcake with a toothpick and brushing the tops of each cupcake with champagne.
Make frosting by combining all of the frosting ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beating on low until combined and then on high until light and very fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Pipe frosting on tops of cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles as desired.
ENJOY!!

My thoughts: These are just fun little cupcakes. Use the sweetest sparkling wine/champagne you can though. For an alcohol-free treat use sparkling grape juice. I made a valiant attempt at including the champagne in the frosting, but it was TERRIBLE. Simple buttercream with a touch of raspberry flavor was perfect instead.

Happy New Year!!!!!

Other fun New Years recipe ideas:

19 Comments

Posted in Cupcakes and tagged 7-up cake, best, buttercream, cake, cupcake, cupcakes, dessert, holiday, New years, pink champagne, pink champagne cupcake, raspberry, recipe, sparkling wine, sweets, vanilla. Bookmark the permalink.

Christmas Eve Caramel Pecan Pie!

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Ruthanne

This easy pecan pie is full of warm and creamy caramel and nuts. A Christmas tradition at our house, it’s sure to be a big hit with your family!

Our family has had some odd Christmas eve traditions. Most notable among them: eating dinner at Arby’s before the Christmas Eve service at church. I’m not sure how that one got started, but it just wasn’t Christmas Eve without a roast beef sandwich in a cold and relatively lonely Arbys. Looking back, it was a little depressing I guess… empty restaurant, workers ready to go home, elevator-style Christmas music… but as a kid it was magical. Our whole family together on the eve of so many exciting things… eating roast beef.

After I left for college, my parents got new neighbors and this wonderful lady would knock on our door every year on Christmas Eve and bring us this pie, piping hot and oozing caramel. It became a new tradition and we all called it “Christmas Eve Pie”.

The neighbors have since moved, but whenever I taste this pie I am transported to happy memories of Christmas Eves past, enjoying this dessert with my family around me, watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” by the fire. As you enjoy your Christmas traditions with your family, I pray you are blessed with beautiful memories and delicious food! Merry Christmas dear friends!!!!
Here’s the recipe: (printable version)
INGREDIENTS:

one pie crust (use your own or get pre-made)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (melted)

3 eggs

1 (12 oz) jar of caramel topping

1 1/2 cups (8 oz) pecan halves

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

Press pie crust into pie plate

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly with a fork.

Add sugar, stirring until dissolved

Stir in caramel topping and butter

Stir in pecan halves

Pour filling into pie shell

Bake at 350F degrees for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean.

Serve warm, but chill to store.

Other Christmas recipes at Easybaked:

7 Comments

Posted in Pies and tagged baking, best, caramel, caramel sauce, christmas, dessert, family, holidays, pecan, pie, recipe, tradition, warm. Bookmark the permalink.

Cinnamon Upside Down Cakes

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Ruthanne

These little mini cinnamon cakes are the perfect make-ahead treat. Perfect as dessert and such a sweet and yummy breakfast! Dripping with sweet glaze, these will be a new family favorite, and the best part? They use a cake mix and they are SO easy!!!

Ready to make these fun little cakes? Click here for the printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups brown sugar (packed)
½ cup butter (melted)
2 tablespoons cinnamon
36 pecan halves (optional)
One boxed yellow cake mix
Water, oil and eggs to make mix according to box
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
½ teaspoon of vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees
Spray two muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray
Place brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter into a small bowl and mix until well combined.
Spoon sugar mixture evenly into all 24 cups of the muffin tins.
Use a mini tart shaper or a wooden spoon to press sugar mixture flat into the bottom of each cup.
Place 3 pecans on top of sugar.
Make cake mix according to box instructions.
Scoop batter over the top of sugar and pecans. Fill each cup about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350F degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and quickly run a small knife around the edge of each cup.
Using oven mitts, place a wire cake rack on top of the muffin tin and flip the pan and rack over so that cakes are upside down on the rack.
Gently lift the muffin tin up and allow the cakes to pop out. Some sugar will remain in the bottom of each cup, which is fine.
While cakes cool, make a glaze by mixing milk, vanilla and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Add extra milk or powdered sugar to make glaze a thick frosting consistency- not very runny.
Spoon glaze into a small zip-top bag and seal the top.
Clip a corner of the bag and drizzle glaze over the tops of each little cake.
ENJOY!

My thoughts: These are really easy little treats and they are gobbled up fast! I’ve made them twice now and everyone asks for the recipe. I made my second batch without the pecans on half of them. They were still wonderful and make this recipe yummy for even people who don’t like or can’t have nuts. Keep them covered up and they last a few days- a perfect make-ahead Christmas morning treat!

Other yummy ideas from easybaked:

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Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes, Easy recipes and tagged baking, best, breakfast, brown sugar, cake mix, christmas, cinnamon, dessert, easy, family, glaze, holidays, pecans, powdered sugar, recipe, upside down cake, yellow cake, yellow cake mix. Bookmark the permalink.

Reindeer Oreo Pops!

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Ruthanne

These chocolate covered Oreos are so full of holiday cheer! Wrap them in little cello bags for a quick and fun Holiday gift!

I confess. I am addicted to making Oreo pops. I can’t stop. They are so easy and fun. They give me an excuse to buy a package of my favorite cookies. They make people smile.

I have the art of “stick-placing” and “dipping” Oreos to coat them in chocolate down.

Click here for a printable sheet that takes you through the basic process step by step.

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of Double Stuff Oreos
2 bags (12oz each) of milk chocolate candy melts (I use Wilton’s)
24 lollipop sticks
1 small bag of mini-pretzels
Candy eyes
Mini M&Ms

DIRECTIONS:

Gently twist apart Oreos. Some will break. No stress. Eat them.
Break apart pretzels by using a sharp knife to carefully cut them top to bottom through the center. Then cut the round tops off, leaving a “Y” shape.
Put eyes and red mini M&Ms into small bowls, ready to use.
Place candy melts into a bowl.
Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between, until completely melted and smooth.
Press a lollipop stick into white filling, making an indentation.
Dip stick into melted chocolate and spread chocolate on top of white filling.
Place stick into indentation and set top of cookie back on, cementing the cookie back together around the stick.
Allow chocolate to harden. If you set cookies on a large plate as you put them together, you can place the entire plate into the fridge to speed the hardening process up.
Once hardened, pick the cookie up using the lollipop stick and set into melted chocolate.
Spoon melted chocolate over the Oreo to coat it.
Gently tap the stick on the bowl’s edge to allow excess chocolate to drip off.
Slide bottom of cookie along edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Set cookie on parchment or waxed paper.
Put pretzel “antlers” into the top of the Oreo, and set two eyes and a nose on the front of the Oreo.
Allow chocolate to harden completely.
Serve as-is, or tie up in cello treat bags to give as gifts!

My thoughts: What to do you get when you combine an Oreo with melted chocolate and salty pretzels? Deliciousness!!!!!! Use them as place settings on each plate for Christmas! Make reindeer, snowmen and red/green sprinkle Oreo pops and create a bouquet of pops in a cute Christmas planter for your Christmas celebration! Use them as stocking stuffers or teacher gifts….the possibilities are endlessly fun! Enjoy! ~r

18 Comments

Posted in Cake Pops, Cookies, Uncategorized and tagged baking, best, candy eyes, chocolate, Chocolate covered Oreo, chocolate covered oreos, christmas, Christmas cookies, dessert, holidays, kids, M&M, melted chocolate, oreo, oreo pops, Oreos, party, pretzels, recipe, reindeer cookies. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Brittle

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Ruthanne

This thick and crunchy peanut brittle just melts in your mouth, and it’s one of our family’s favorite Christmas treats!

This is the best peanut brittle I’ve ever had. My wonderful Aunt Beth has brought it to our family Christmas celebrations since I was just a tiny girl. I remember being SO full after dinner and no matter how full I got, I always had to have a piece of Aunt Beth’s peanut brittle. I have vivid memories of opening presents one-handed because I had peanut brittle in the other hand. It is THAT GOOD.

Aunt Beth and Uncle Keith

I think what makes it perfect is that it isn’t really hard to bite into or a “teeth-stuck-together” kind of candy. It just kind of melts in your mouth…and oh my….

I’d never made it, because there has always been this aura of “impossibly difficult recipe” surrounding it. First of all, you need a candy thermometer and I think that discourages many a would-be peanut brittle maker. Second, it takes some stirring time over a hot stove. This isn’t a quick recipe- but it is so sooooooo worth it!

Aunt Beth issued two warnings to me when I embarked on the mission to try her recipe:

1. Once you add the peanuts you have to stir constantly or the brittle will burn.

2. Be incredibly careful handling the pans and especially the candy, as it is SO hot and sticky and you could easily burn yourself. Use caution stirring and pouring.

I put on safety glasses and got out a big pan…..

It wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought it would be. It was actually really fun, and it turned out GREAT!

Ready for the recipe? Here you go: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water
1 cup Light Karo Corn Syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 lb. raw peanuts (be sure to use raw- I found mine in the produce section of my grocery)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter (plus enough to coat a large jelly roll pan)
2 heaping teaspoons baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

Liberally butter a large jellyroll pan (this is just a cookie sheet with sides- the bigger, the better!) and set it on a towel or potholders (it will get very hot when you pour the brittle in).
In a large saucepan (I used a dutch oven pan) place water, Karo syrup and sugar.
Place a candy thermometer in the pan (I clipped mine to the side)
Heat on high and boil until soft ball stage (238F degrees), stirring occasionally.
While this is boiling, measure out the remaining ingredients and have them ready to add.
At 238F degrees, add the peanuts, salt and butter and carefully STIR continually until mixture reaches brittle stage (310F degrees). This took me about 15-20 minutes.

Add baking soda and stir until it disappears. The mixture will foam up and double in size (that’s why you need a big pan!). Give it few seconds to get nice and foamy.
CAREFULLY, using oven mitts, pour mixture onto your buttered jelly roll pan. Do not spread it out, just let it spread it out on its own. Allow brittle to cool for several hours (don’t rush this part– it is worth the wait!)

Once it is completely cool, break it up into chunks and enjoy!!!!!!

My thoughts: This isn’t a difficult recipe- it is just hot and time consuming. Now that I’ve made it, I will make it again though- it is SO worth the effort! I know there are much simpler recipes (even ones in the microwave!) for peanut brittle, and I’m all about simple. But this is an exception to the rule of keeping things simple. I really think you will love it! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful recipe Aunt Beth! Love you! ~R