Tag Archives: dessert

Mummy Oreo Pops for Halloween!!

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Ruthanne

These make me smile– aren’t they cute?  I saw the idea on a regular cookie at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (along with a really cute mummy hot dog idea!) and I immediately thought of my Oreo pops recipe from last spring and decided to turn some Oreos into mummies!  It was a little time consuming, but not difficult.  I think the results were worth the effort!  Here’s how we did it:

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  • Carefully twist apart all of the Oreo cookies.
  • Using one of the pop sticks, make an indentation in the white filling of each cookie.
  • Melt the Candy Melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
  • Dip the end of one stick into the melted white chocolate, drizzle a little in the center of the white cookie filling and then gently press it into the indentation made.
  • Place the top of the cookie back on and allow white chocolate to harden (5 minutes or so), cementing the cookie back together with a stick inside.

(For a picture tutorial on this click here)

  • Before dipping the entire cookie, unwrap your fondant, split it in half and immediately place one half in an air-tight zip-top bag (you will only use half of the fondant).
  • Roll the remaining  fondant out with a rolling pin as directed on the box.  Using a sharp knife, cut strips (about as wide as an oreo) in the fondant and then cut narrow strips across (see photo)

  • Now it is time to dip your Oreo pops (you may need to put your candy melts back in the microwave for a few seconds to remelt them)
  • Holding the stick, lower the entire Oreo into the bowl of melted white chocolate, spooning it over the top and sides to cover it completely.
  • Allow the excess chocolate to drain off and gently place covered Oreo on a piece of parchment paper to harden. 
  • Immediately place two eyes on the front and gently lay strips of fondant back and forth across the cookie.  It took me a little bit to figure out a pattern that looked good and worked– copy mine if you want!!
  • Allow everything to harden and place in treat bags with ties.

My thoughts:  These are a little time-consuming, but if you enjoy the process  (I do!) and you have a free afternoon (I did!) these are just really fun to put together.  The smiles when people see them make all that work worthwhile!  Enjoy!  ~r

Other recipes you might enjoy (click on the image to see the recipe):

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Caramel Apple Cupcakes (with Halloween MISfortune cookies!)

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Ruthanne

Caramel cupcakes dipped in gooey caramel cream and topped with tangy green apple frosting~ yum!  Add a caramel MISfortune cookie on top to celebrate Halloween with some laughs.

INGREDIENTS:

  • One box of Duncan Hines Caramel cake mix (plus water, oil and eggs to make according to box)
  • One bag (14 oz) Kraft Caramels
  • 1/2c. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4c. butter or margarine
  • 1 stick (4oz) salted butter
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
  • 2 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 t. clear vanilla flavoring
  • 1 packet of Crystal Light drink mix- Appletini flavor

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
  • Make cake mix according to box and divide into 24 cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.
  • Bake according to box. Remove from oven and cool completely.
  • In a small saucepan, combine 16 unwrapped Caramels, 1/2c. sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 c. butter.
  • Melt (stirring constantly) until creamy and smooth.
  • Pour warm caramel into a small bowl.  Dip tops of cooled cupcakes into caramel to coat the top.  Stir caramel occasionally to keep it smooth.  (I had to spoon the remaining caramel onto the last few cucpcakes instead of dipping them)

  • Allow caramel to cool completely.
  • Make frosting by adding butters, powdered sugar, vanilla and Crystal Light drink mix together in a mixing bowl.  Beat together on low until combined and then beat on high until light and fluffy.  **note: the apple flavor in the drink mix is strong and tart– I LOVED it, but you might want to add it a little at a time and taste as you go to decide how strong a flavor you want.**
  • Pipe frosting over the caramel on each cupcake and enjoy!!!

To add fun little misfortune cookies on the top for Halloween party: 

  • Unwrap the rest of your Kraft Caramels and place about 15 in a large ziplock bag.  Microwave for about 15 seconds to soften them, remove them from the bag and knead them into a ball.
  • Place the ball back in the bag and using a rolling pin, roll the caramel out flat and thin.

  • Carefully remove the flattened caramel from the bag and use a round cookie or fondant cutter to cut circles out of the caramel.

  • Slide a funny misfortune in the center and fold into a fortune cookie shape (fold lightly in half and then pull the corners back and together).

Need ideas for MISfortunes?  Print a free PDF of my favorites here

  • Place each MISfortune cookie on a cupcake and enjoy!

To give credit where it is due: this GENIUS idea of using Kraft Caramels to make fortune cookies came from a wonderful book called  What’s New, Cupcake?  I was browsing the  cookbook aisle a few weeks ago and came across this book- it is AMAZING.  If you click on the title it will take you to Amazon and you can see pictures of some of the cupcakes other people have made using this book…..amazing creativity!

My thoughts:  These are such a unique cupcake– the tart green apple frosting is the perfect balance to the sweet caramel and the misfortune cookies just make everyone laugh. The frosting is a tart and strong green apple flavor- a little like Jolly Rancher candies.  You can add less drink mix to tone it down if you’d like- just add a little at a time and taste as you go.  I loved it exactly the way it turned out!

 I want to apologize ahead of time to my international fans.  I’m pretty sure you are going to have a hard time finding caramel cake mix and almost positive you won’t be able to get your hands on the Appletini drink mix.  A homemade caramel cake would work, and any powdered drink mix with a green apple flavor..?  As I said- my apologies!!!  

I hope you really enjoy surprising people with these unique cupcakes!!  ~r

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Tie-Dye Cake with Blue Raspberry Frosting

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Ruthanne

Swirls of colors plus a blue raspberry frosting make everyone smile when they see this cake!

This recipe is dedicated to my nephew Marshal, who informed me a few weeks ago that today, October 10, 2012 is an important day:  it marks the 2 year anniversary of the release of  “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” TV show.

Confused?  I was!  Apparently this show, targeted toward young girls, has gained a cult following among teenage boys– they call themselves “Bronies”…I guess Bro+ponies= Bronies.  Um…yeah. Learned all of that on Wikipedia… SO Marshal was telling me that he and his friends wanted to make a rainbow cake (for the pony “Rainbow Dash”, of course) to celebrate the day.  The thought of making 6 layers of cake in different colors sounded exhausting, so instead I made 6 colors and just dumped them on top of each other in the same pan.  I love how it turned out!

Here’s how it was made:

INGREDIENTS: (printer friendly recipe)

  • One boxed white cake mix, plus eggs, water and oil to make it according to the box.
  • Icing colors in Purple, Blue, Green, Red, Orange and Yellow.
  • One stick (4 oz.) salted butter at room temp.
  • One stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter at room temp.
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons raspberry flavoring

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
  • Make cake mix according to box (or make your own favorite white cake recipe!)
  • Grease 2- 9 inch cake pans and place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of each.
  • Evenly divide batter into 6 bowls (about 1 cup of batter in each)
  • Add icing color gels to color each bowl of batter.
  • Pour 1/2 of the purple batter in the center of one pan.
  • Pour 1/2 of the blue batter into the center of the purple batter (adding the blue will push the purple toward the edges).
  • Continue to pour 1/2 of each color batter into the center using green, yellow, orange and red in that order.
  • In second pan do the same but in the reverse order, starting with the red 1st.
  • Bake at 350 according to package (mine took about 25 minutes)
  • Remove from oven and cool.  Tip over onto a wire cake rack to finish cooling.
  • Make frosting by adding butters, powdered sugar, raspberry flavor and a little blue icing gel color together and beating on high until light and fluffy.
  • Level off the tops of each cake layer and place one layer, cut side up on a serving plate.  Frost the top of this layer.
  • Place the second layer, cut side down on top and frost entire cake.
  • Sprinkle with rainbow sugar or decorate as desired.

ENJOY!!!

My thoughts:  Although this cake was created with Marshal’s celebration in mind, it would be such a fun and colorful addition to any party!!!  Lets hear it for tie-dye rainbow cake!!!!!  Thanks for the idea Marshal!!!

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Halloween Bundt Cake

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Ruthanne

Creepy colors all swirled together inside make this bundt cake a holiday hit!  Drizzle it with gooey frosting and fun colors for a perfect (EASY!) party dessert!

Confession:  I needed a fast dessert a few nights ago, saw this online and decided to use a recipe rather than create a new idea.  Its a FABULOUS and EASY idea, so I just couldn’t help but share it!  Kudos to Lets get Cookin’ for this idea- wonderfully creative!  Here’s how I made my own: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

  • One box of white cake mix (and oil, water and eggs to make according to box)
  • One box of chocolate cake mix (and oil, water and eggs to make according to box)
  • Orange, Black and Purple gel icing colors (these gel colors give the batter the vibrant colors you see without having to add much–I invested in the Wilton set of 12 colors months ago and I LOVE them.  Click here to see them on Amazon.  You can order them there or sometimes find them at craft or cake decorating stores).
  • One tub of chocolate pre-made frosting
  • Wiltons Candy Melts in purple (and orange too if you want!)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Make both cake mixes according to packages.
  • Divide the white cake batter into two bowls, equally.
  • Add black coloring to the chocolate cake to darken it.
  • Add purple to 1/2 of the white batter and orange to the other half.
  • Pour about 1/3 of the chocolate batter into the bottom of a well-greased bundt pan.
  • Pour all of the purple batter over the chocolate
  • Pour all of the orange batter over the purple
  • Pour another 1/3 of the chocolate batter over the colors.  You can use more than 1/3, but you want to give the cake room to rise- so leave a bit of room.  You can discard the remaining chocolate batter or make a couple of cupcakes with it.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for about 45-55 minutes (until the center is set and a cake tester inserted comes out clean).
  • Tip over on a cake rack and cool completely
  • To finish, melt the tub of frosting in the microwave (about 15-30 seconds) and stir well.
  • Place frosting in a zip-top bag, clip a corner and drizzle over entire top of cake.
  • Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth and pipe these colors over the top as well.  I think both purple and orange would be fun, but I only had purple in my cabinet!

My thoughts- quick and easy and yummy moist cake that makes people smile and ask– “how’d you do that”?  Very fun!!  I have to add that the recipe over at Lets Get Cookin’ used vanilla frosting colored with the gels and drizzled over the top.  I decided to use chocolate because its what I had 😉  It was really yummy with the chocolate– I think you would get a better color match doing it with the vanilla frosting though- my candy melts color clashed a little with the inside purple color.  Also, I put a cookie sheet on the rack below the cake while it baked– just in case it dripped over.  It didn’t, but you might want to do that just to save yourself an oven-cleaning day!  Hope you get to try this cake– I think you are gonna love it!!!  ENJOY!  ~r

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Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Ruthanne

Dark chocolate cupcakes topped with ganache and vanilla buttercream– so rich and smooth because they are flour-less (lets hear it for my gluten-free friends!!)!!!  YUM!

Ingredients: (makes about 40 mini cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
  • 1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter
  • 2 T. cocoa powder
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 6 egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 c. sugar

Ganache:

  • 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Frosting:

  • 1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter (room temp)
  • 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 t. clear vanilla flavoring

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate with butter in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth and creamy.
  • Whisk cocoa powder into melted chocolate.
  • Add egg YOLKS and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.
  • Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until foamy.
  • Add sugar gradually to egg whites while beating on high until medium peaks form.
  • Add 1/3 of egg whites to chocolate and mix well- until completely combined and smooth.
  • Add remainder of egg whites and fold in gently until completely incorporated.
  • Spoon batter into mini-cupcake liners in tins and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely. (Cupcakes will rise high in oven and as they cool they will sink and even become a little concave— perfect spot for our yummy ganache to sit!!)
  • To make the ganache, heat chips and whipping cream in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth.
  • Gently spoon or pipe ganache into the concave top of each cupcake until all ganache is used up.
  • Allow ganache to cool and harden (place in fridge to speed this process up)
  • Make frosting by combining remaining room temperature butters with powdered sugar and vanilla and beating on high until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe frosting on tops of each cupcake, covering the ganache.
  • Decorate as desired.

My thoughts: Usually, I use a cake mix for my cupcakes and focus on the fillings and frostings for that “wow” factor.  The wow factor in these is definitely the cupcakes themselves….wow.  I tried cupcakes made with a flour-less recipe this past weekend in Chicago at Molly’s cupcakes.  (AMAZING!)  I just had to try making them for myself and the reason I made them mini is because they are SO rich and heavy.  A full-size cupcake would be too much.  These cupcakes are definitely worth the extra effort!  The tiny hearts on top I just made on wax paper using Wilton’s candy melts. Click here for some photos of how to pipe designs in chocolate.  Enjoy!!!  -r

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Lemon Lime Cupcakes

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Ruthanne

Refreshing lime cupcakes topped with lemon butter cream- SO easy and fun!!

I just can’t say goodbye to those summer flavors and colors….I know I should be sharing my apple and pumpkin recipes with you, but these just make me so happy!!  The tart and the sweet….lime green and yellow….if you are missing summer already these are the perfect remedy this weekend!

INGREDIENTS:

  • One boxed white cake mix
  • Oil, eggs and water to make mix according to box
  • 1 small box(3 oz) of lime jello
  • 2 sticks of salted butter
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • 3 t. lemon extract
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • Yellow food coloring (to desired shade)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Make cake according to directions on box, but add lime jello before mixing.
  • Pour into 24 lined cupcake tins and bake according to package.
  • Cool cupcakes completely.
  • Make frosting by combining butters (softened), powdered sugar, lemon and vanilla extracts and coloring in a large bowl and beating on high until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe frosting onto cupcakes (watch this video for techniques)
  • Decorate as desired.  I topped with heart sprinkles and sour fruit heart candies, but I thought it might be fun to top with course salt and a cute straw and call them Margarita cupcakes!  Be creative!

 

My thoughts:  These are so easy.  Because they use Jell-O, the flavor possibilities are incredible.  Raspberry and Lemon?  Peach?  If you want a really easy twist on a plain cupcake these are your recipe!  Enjoy!!!  ~r

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Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Ruthanne

These rich cupcakes, topped with vanilla buttercream frosting, have a gooey cinnamon roll filling that will leave you wanting cupcakes for breakfast every morning!  These are an absolutely perfect treat for a breakfast party or a brunch!

(makes 24 cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS:

  • One boxed yellow cake mix (with oil, water and eggs to make according to package)
  • 1 c. heavy whipping cream
  • 2 T. ground cinnamon
  • 6 T.  packed brown sugar
  • 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar (divided)
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
  • 2 sticks of salted butter, room temp
  • 2 T. clear vanilla flavoring

DIRECTIONS:

  • Make your filling first so it can cool while your cupcakes bake.
  • Place whipping cream, cinnamon and brown sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Set aside to cool (you can place this into the refrigerator if you want to speed the cooling process along.)
  • Make 24 cupcakes according to the directions on whatever box mix you choose  to use. (I like Duncan Hines)
  • Use a small paring knife to cut a small cone out of the top of each cupcake.

  • Finish the filling by adding 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to the (cooled!) cinnamon/brown sugar/cream mixture.
  • Beat on medium speed until well combined and creamy.
  • Place filling in a zip-top bag, clip a corner and pipe filling into each of the cone-shaped holes on the top of each cupcake.  You should have some filling left at the end- set this aside to drizzle on the top after frosting.
  • Make your buttercream frosting by placing all 4 sticks of  (softened) butter, 3 cups of powdered sugar and the vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beating on high until very light and fluffy.
  • Clip a corner of a zip top bag, place a decorating tip in the corner, fill the bag with frosting, zip it shut and pipe frosting over cupcakes, covering up the filling (check out this video if you need help piping frosting).
  • Drizzle the remaining filling over the top of each cupcake and sprinkle each with just a little cinnamon.

These cupcakes are best served shortly after they are made (like cinnamon rolls are!)  If you need to make them in advance, keep them refrigerated (because of the cream filling).  Be sure to let the cupcakes come to room temperature before you serve them or your buttercream will be hard.

My thoughts:  You know when restaurants indicate on a menu that a dish is one of their signature dishes and *hint hint* you should try it?  This is one of those recipes for this blog.  These are one of my very favorite creations thus far.  Now, I have to qualify that with this: I LOVE cinnamon rolls- especially big gooey ones, and I love frostings and fillings.  These cupcakes have gotten rave reviews with everyone I know.  The only negative comments I’ve heard have been from people who say there’s too much frosting/filling.  If you are the sort that scrapes frosting off things anyway, my recommendation is to cut the frosting recipe in half.  As for me…bring on the gooey sweet happiness!!!  I really REALLY hope you get a chance to try these –if you do, let me know what you think!  Enjoy!  -r

9-24-12 I’m adding to this post because my friend Megan just told me about a really cool time-saver—a cupcake corer!!! (honestly, what will they think of next….!)  I just ordered it and I’ll let you know what I think.  If you want to check it out yourself click here: Cupcake Corer.  So fun…!

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Coconut Lemon Drop Cookies

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Ruthanne


These crunchy little cookies are full of sweet coconut and tart lemon drop flavor- yum!!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 12 T. (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter -room temp.
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • 6 t. lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 1 c. finely crushed cornflakes
  • yellow food coloring (to desired shade)
  • 1 c. shredded coconut
  • 1/2 c. Wilton’s candy melt in white chocolate
  • 15 lemon drops (or other lemon-flavored hard candy)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Heat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Place 1 c. shredded coconut on a small cookie sheet and place in oven for 10-15 minutes until it is dried and crunchy— not browned– just dry and crunchy.  Remove from oven and cool.
  • When coconut is cool, use your hands to crush it up  into smaller pieces, set aside.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Cream sugar and butter together, add vanilla.
  • Add lemon juice, food coloring, flour and coconut, beating until well combined.
  • Add crushed cornflakes and mix (use clean hands if you want!) until well combined.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to spoon batter onto parchment paper. Press tops down a little to make the cookie flat on top.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
  • Allow cookies to cool.
  • Crush candies in a small zip-top bag using a hammer.
  • Melt Wilton’s candy melts in a small bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth and completely melted.
  • Spoon melted white chocolate into a zip top bag, clip a corner off and drizzle over each cookie.
  • Before chocolate hardens, sprinkle generously with crushed candy.  Allow chocolate to harden and ENJOY!!

My thoughts:  These cookies were really a stretch as far as inventing goes– I was really unsure if they would be any good at all.  They are SO yummy- I’ve had 4 now…(shhh….) I took them to a Labor Day picnic and everyone loved them– especially the “crunchiness”.  Well, everyone but my Uncle Keith who hates coconut….who hates coconut?  Just seems wrong.  Anyway– if you like lemon and candy and coconut and cookies—you are gonna love these little treats!!!!  Enjoy!  -r

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Caramel Fudge Brownies

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Ruthanne

Layers of brownie, soft caramel and fudge make this dessert irresistible!!!
If these brownies look familiar to you, it is because they are the very same recipe as my Mint Creme Brownies but with a thick layer of caramel instead of the mint creme.  I love these brownies because they hold together so well and are so chocolatey and rich- the sky is the limit as far as different toppings you could layer on top of them, but here’s a recipe for caramel:
INGREDIENTS:
BROWNIE:

  • 1c. butter
  • 2c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2c. cocoa
  • 1/2tsp. salt
  • 2 c. flour
  • 1c. milk
  • 1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

CARAMEL:

  • 32 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
  • 1/2c. butter
  • 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk.

FUDGE GLAZE:

  • 12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 12 T. butter (do not substitute margarine here!)

DIRECTIONS:
BROWNIE:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Cream butter and sugar together. 
  • Beat in eggs, cocoa, vanilla and salt.
  • Add flour and milk (alternating them and mixing well in between).
  • Spread evenly in greased jelly roll pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done in center and just starting to pull away from sides.
  • Cool.  

CARAMEL:

  • Place unwrapped caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan and heat until completely melted.
  • Stir this constantly to prevent scorching (about 6-8 minutes).
  • Gently pour over cooled brownies and spread to edges.
  • Put entire pan in freezer while you make the glaze (10-15 min) to allow the caramel to harden a little.

FUDGE GLAZE:

  • Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted and smooth.
  • Pour over cooled caramel and gently spread evenly over top
  • Chill until top layer is hard and cut into bars.

My thoughts:  The mint creme brownies are one of my favorite desserts— add caramel instead and these are just soft gooey sweet amazingness.  If you want a harder caramel layer just store these in the fridge until you serve them.  Softer caramel?  Leave at room temperature and serve with a fork!   I wish I didn’t have a plate of them left in my kitchen….they are calling me….do you hear them??   Enjoy!!! r-

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Mini Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Ruthanne


These yummy little cheesecakes have chocolate chips in the crust and adorable little chocolate chip cookies baked right on the top.  A perfect mini party dessert!!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 12 mini cheesecakes)

  • 3/4 c. finely crushed graham crackers
  • 2 1/2 T. melted butter
  • 1/3 c. mini chocolate chips
  • 1 (8oz) bar of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temperature)
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 t. vanilla
  • 1 tube of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (I use Pillsbury)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 325.
  • Open tube of cookie dough and using a small melon baller or Mini Cookie Scoop make 12 small cookie balls (about an inch in diameter) and set aside. (You will not use much of the dough for this recipe- which means you can make cookies later!!!)
  • Combine graham cracker crumbs with butter and mix well.
  • Add mini chips, and when well combined, evenly divide into a Mini Cheesecake Pan (make sure you place your metal disks in each cup first!)
  • Press crumbs into bottom of each cup using a Mini Tart Shaper
  • Combine softened cream cheese with sugar and add egg and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.
  • Evenly divide batter into each of the 12 mini cheesecake cups.
  • Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • Remove pan from oven and gently place one cookie dough ball on the top of each mini cheesecake.
  • Return pan to the oven for 10-12 minutes- until cookies are baked on the top of each cheesecake and starting to brown.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely.
  • Refrigerate overnight, remove from pan and ENJOY!!

My thoughts:  It took me two tries to get the cookie dough to bake on the top all cute and pretty.  Its all in the timing.  My first attempt at this recipe, I put the cookie dough on top before the cheesecake was baked.  The cookie dough sank and pushed the cheesecake batter right over the top of the pans, leaving a huge mess!  Putting the dough on near the end of baking worked perfectly.  Lesson?  When at first you don’t succeed, try again! (also, stock up on cream cheese when it is on sale so it doesn’t cost a fortune to experiment!)  I really hope you love these yummy little treats!  Enjoy!!  -r

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