Tag Archives: dessert

Favorites of 2011 and Happy Birthday to me!!!

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Ruthanne

It’s the last day of 2011. This year I started a blog (!!) and met all of you– what a fun year!

Easybaked began in March at the urging of many friends…. since then I have become a fan of many of your blogs and marveled at your creative recipes, beautiful photos and funny stories.

It is also my birthday this week, and in pursuit of the perfect birthday dessert I decided to take a trip down memory lane through some of my favorite recipes, photos and blogs this year.

Here we go: my best from 2012:

Greg from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide has encouraged me from almost day one of starting this blog- although we’ve never met, its been fun to share blogs! Here’s one of his posts that I tried and loved: Butterfinger Cookies!

Aimee from Clever Muffin cracks me up! When I met her she was living in London (so cool) and now she has moved back to Australia (even cooler!) Her yummy muffin recipes are great- but her sense of humor is even better– this is a blog worth following for sure!! Here’s her Chocolate Chip Yogurt Muffins:

Christine from Angry Cherry is from Canada– and she’s a pastry chef in training (jealous!) she makes beautiful things with ingredients I’ve never heard of, but I love how adventurous she is in pursuing her dreams. Red Wine Truffle Cake from her:

Since I’m addicted to photography these days, I am drawn to blogs with jaw-dropping photography. My favorite is Bravetart (plus, WHAT a fun name!) The recipes are from Stella, a pastry chef and the photography is done by a variety of friends who are professional food photographers (dream…..!) I just stare at the photographs and try to understand the angles and lighting….I really need to take a class. In any case, here is her version of Red Velvet Cake (please come to my house and make this for my birthday….!)

My favorite cake decorators are the Davis sisters (and mom). They have taken a hobby and turned it into a serious business and FUN blog- Happily Ever After Cakes!! I am amazed by how many different types of cakes and cupcakes they are willing to try. Here’s one of my favorites (I want to live on this cake!) a day at the beach (yes…this is a CAKE!)

I’m sneaking a favorite non-food blog into the lineup: this blog is one of my favorite sources of inspiration and encouragement. A good friend of mine is a chaplain with the military. He’s deployed right now and shares his thoughts on a blog called Devos by Chaps….love it!

Last, but certainly not least is the cake I would choose to have on my birthday if someone else would make it…Its from The Art of Dessert and I think the picture speaks for itself…wow. Let me present: Chocolate Wasted Cake:

so….birthday cake….

I also went through the archive of all the recipes created on easybaked this year. The one recipe I couldn’t get out of my head (I think because I wish it was summer out!) was Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake. A summer cake for a cold January birthday— perfect! I tweaked the frosting recipe just a bit to make it thicker so that it would be more of a frosting than just a filling…and I LOVE it!! Its light, whipped, very spreadable and tart with lemon — perfect!

Here’s the recipe (tweaked) or if you want the original just click here.

INGREDIENTS:

One box of strawberry cake mix (plus oil, water and eggs as directed on box)
2- 8oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temp.)
1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid Lemonade
Yellow food coloring (as desired for color)
1- 7oz. container Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1/3 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
Rainbow sugar crystals

DIRECTIONS:

Make cake according to box and bake in 2- 9 inch round cake pans as directed. Turn finished cakes over on cake racks and allow to cool completely.
Cream together cream cheese, lemonade and yellow food coloring until smooth.
Beat marshmallow creme and powdered sugar in and then fold in Cool Whip until completely smooth.
Cut each cake layer in half.
Alternating layers of cake with layers of frosting, assemble cake.
Cover top and sides with frosting.
Refrigerate and serve chilled. Sprinkle with colored sugar just before serving.

A light and refreshing dessert after all the heavy holiday treats– perfect!

Thanks for sharing all of your fun recipes and stories with me this year— looking forward to sharing 2012 together!

Happy New Year!

Other favorite desserts on Easybaked~ just click the picture to get the recipe!

37 Comments

Pecan Pie Cookie Cups

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Ruthanne

Dark chocolate and pecans baked in a soft sugar cookie cup–yum!

INGREDIENTS:

One tube of Pillsbury Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
About 2 cups of pecan halves
2/3 c. dark chocolate chips (I use the Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chips)
1 T. corn syrup
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon about 1 T. of cookie dough into a ball in 24 mini-muffin cups.
Press into bottom and sides of cup (I use a Mini Tart Shaper )
Place one pecan half in the bottom of each cup.
Chop one cup of pecan halves into tiny pieces.
Mix together chopped pecans, corn syrup, whipping cream and melted bittersweet chocolate.
Use a zip-top bag to pipe pecan mixture into cups (just clip a nice big corner off so that the pecan pieces can fit through!)
Top with another pecan half

Bake at 350 degrees for about 16-18 minutes.
Allow cups to cool completely in pan.
Once completely cool, twist each cup a bit to free it from the pan and removeMy thoughts: I usually love my experiments…but I didn’t really like these (just being honest here…) My friends and co-workers LOVED them though… I think I just needed milk chocolate instead of the bittersweet. I need my sweet! These were a huge hit though- so the bittersweet apparently works for most people. ENJOY!!

11 Comments

Posted in Cookie Cups and tagged baking, chocolate pecan pie, christmas, cookie cups, cookies, dark chocolate, dessert, pecan pie, pecan pie cookies, pecans, refrigerated cookie dough recipe, sugar cookies, thanksgiving. Bookmark the permalink.

Chocolate Cut-out Cookies

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Ruthanne

These easy-to-make chocolate cut-outs can be used to create so many wonderful Christmas treats. Here, I used Christmas Linzer Cookie Cutters to make fun Christmas sandwich cookies. These rich, cocoa-flavored cookies just might be your family’s new favorite cookie!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c. margarine
1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 T. milk
1/4 t. baking soda
2/3 to 1 c. flour

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Beat together all ingredients but soda and flour, mixing until smooth and creamy.
Add soda and flour. Add flour until dough can be handled and rolled into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough and cut. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet completely.
Gently remove and decorate. I used Wiltons Candy Melts between my sandwich layers, but you could use frosting as well

My thoughts: These have such a wonderful cocoa flavor and they are very easy to make. They roll out nicely and bake without rising too much. If you are using a Linzer cutter, make sure you don’t roll your dough too thin- the top cookies (the ones with the shapes cut out) may break once they are baked. Thicker worked better for me.

Also– this is a small batch of cookies. If you are making sandwich cookies like mine you will only get about 20 cookies. You can easily double the recipe for more though. I hope you and your family love these– enjoy!

7 Comments

Posted in Cookies and tagged baking, chocolate, christmas, cookies, cut-out cookies, dessert, easy recipe, holiday, Linzer cookies. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Ruthanne

Creamy peanut butter piled high on rich dark chocolate cheesecake makes this dessert absolutely decadent!

INGREDIENTS:

Cheesecake:

9 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (I use animal crackers)
1/4 c. margarine (melted)
2 (8oz.) packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2c. sugar
3 eggs
2 c. dark chocolate chips (melted)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. margarine (melted)
3 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Topping:

1/4c. heavy whipping cream
1/2c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Topping:

1/2c. heavy whipping cream
1c. peanut butter baking chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Crush cookies into fine crumbs and add melted margarine. Combine well and press into the bottom of a 9-Inch Springform Pan
Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
Add eggs one at a time, beating in between each one.
Add remaining cheesecake ingredients, beating until smooth.
Pour into crust and allow to sit at room temp for 30 minutes.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 60 minutes,
Turn off oven, open oven door a little and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and run knife around edge of pan. Remove edge of pan.
Allow to come to room temperature (make toppings during this time)
PEANUT BUTTER: Put whipping cream into saucepan and heat just until bubbling at edges. Turn heat off, add peanut butter chips, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
CHOCOLATE: Put whipping cream into saucepan and heat just until bubbling at edges. Turn heat off, add chocolate chips, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, stir both until smooth.
Pour peanut butter over top of cheesecake, smoothing to edges
Refrigerate about 10 minutes.
Pour chocolate over peanut butter and smooth into a center circle.
Decorate as desired.
REFRIGERATE cheesecake overnight before serving for best consistency. Remove bottom part of pan when cake is chilled.

My thoughts: This is my dessert contribution for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. My family is starting to get used to getting desserts that already have a piece cut out- for photo purposes of course! I’m also bringing broccoli (lest you think I am truly the most unhealthy person in the universe!) I’ve made this cheesecake for years and it always is just soooo creamy and smooth. So here’s my little Thanksgiving treat for you my faithful readers!! I’m very thankful for YOU and all of your encouragement in this crazy new venture in my life! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

one. last. bite………

94 Comments

Posted in Cheesecakes and tagged baking, cheesecake, christmas, Cream Cheese, dark chocolate, dark chocolate cheesecake, dessert, fall, peanut butter, peanut butter cheesecake, thanksgiving. Bookmark the permalink.

Acorn Candies

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Ruthanne

These adorable little acorns are a perfect edible decoration for your fall table!

INGREDIENTS:

One bag of Hershey milk chocolate kisses (unwrapped)
One bag of mini Nutter Butter cookies
1/4c. (or less) of Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts
About 35-40 peanut butter baking chips

DIRECTIONS:

Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth.
Dip the base of a kiss in the chocolate, wiping off excess against side of bowl and place on top of a Nutter Butter cookie.
Allow chocolate to harden.
Repeat this step with the peanut butter chips. (I found that when you press the chip on the top of the cookie it doesn’t slide off even though it has to sit at an angle.)
Allow chocolate to harden and serve!!!!

My thoughts: What is it with acorn cookies this fall?? I just couldn’t resist trying these and then they were so cute I just had to share them with all of you!

I always Google my recipe ideas when I try them to see how original I’ve actually been. When I Googled my last recipe for peanut butter acorn cookies I saw this idea ALL OVER the place and I loved them SO much! Easy and adorable!!!! *love*

18 Comments

Posted in Candy and tagged acorn candies, Acorn cookies, dessert, hershey kisses, nutter butter cookies, peanut butter, thanksgiving. Bookmark the permalink.

Coconut Macaroons

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Ruthanne

Chewy coconut cookies with a crisp toasted edge. Wow your friends with these yummy (gluten free!) coconut macaroons!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg whites
1 bag (14oz) of sweetened coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 T. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Combine vanilla and condensed milk in a large bowl.
Add coconut and blend well.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks and add a pinch of salt.
Add egg whites to coconut mixture and fold them in.
Spoon mixture onto a parchment papered cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (check for browned tops– you can see mine got a little over-done!)
Cool and enjoy!!

My thoughts: I made these with my friend Brie today- she can’t have gluten and these are blissfully free of it and soooo good. I’ve been making these for many years and they are the best coconut macaroons I’ve ever tried. Enjoy!!!! r-

18 Comments

Posted in Candy, Cookies and tagged candy, coconut, coconut macaroons, cookies, dessert, gluten free, macaroons, sweetened condensed milk. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Butter Acorn Cookies

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Ruthanne

These fun little peanut butter cookies are SO easy– only 3 ingredients in the cookies (and gluten free!) Add a pretzel and a little chocolate and you have a fun fall dessert! Your kids will love helping you make these for your Thanksgiving table!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of peanut butter
2 cups of granulated sugar
2 eggs
pretzel sticks
1/2 bag (6 oz.) of Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts
chocolate sprinkles to decorate with

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine peanut butter, sugar and eggs.
Using about a tablespoon of cookie dough, roll it into an oblong roll (about the size and shape of a small jalapeno). The cookies will spread when they cook and make a fun acorn oval once they are baked.
Break about 1/2 to 1 inch off of a pretzel rod and gently push it into the top of the cookie roll. (see photo!)

Place cookies on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheet and place on parchment paper to cool.
Melt Wilton Candy Melts in the microwave in 30 second increments (stirring between).
Dip top of cookie and pretzel into chocolate (I used a spoon to make an even line across the top), tap cookie on side of bowl to remove excess chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool.
Sprinkle with chocolate jimmies before chocolate has hardened.

My thoughts: I’ve loved this peanut butter cookie recipe for years and wanted to use it to make a fun fall-themed dessert. It took a little experimenting with the shape of the dough before I got an acorn shaped cookie– my 1st few tries looked more like apples! 🙂 I just love how they turned out, they make me smile and use a favorite recipe– I hope you get a chance to try these this fall! r-

21 Comments

Posted in Cookies, Easy recipes and tagged Acorn cookies, dessert, gluten free dessert, peanut butter and chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies, Thanksgiving cookies, Thanskgiving dessert. Bookmark the permalink.

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies!

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Ruthanne

Confession: I am addicted to making cookies from cake mixes. I am intrigued that I use the same recipe each time and each flavor turns out differently not only in flavor (obviously!), but in texture and shape and size. My recent cookie is from a Duncan Hines Strawberry mix. These are sooooo good. Texture: think Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies. These are amazing unfrosted- sweet and flavorful– or make them sandwiches with frosting (I used leftover Sweet Tart frosting, but thought about my lemonade frosting….mmmmm….). Or maybe dip half in white chocolate….oh the possibilities for these little cookies!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of Duncan Hines Strawberry cake mix
1/3c. softened margarine
1/2 box of cream cheese (4 oz.)
1/3 c. white chocolate chips (melted)
1 egg
frosting of your choice (if desired).

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together margarine and cream cheese until smooth.
Add egg, stirring until smooth.
Blend in melted chocolate.
Add cake mix last and stir until combined. Use your hands to knead mixture into a heavy cookie dough.
Make evenly- size small balls of dough (I use a Small Cookie Scoop) and place on cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool
Sandwich with frosting or Cool Whip…or dip in white chocolate….be creative!!!
ENJOY!!

My thoughts: This is such a happy summer-tasting dessert! I started this blog last spring and I’ve never had a shortage of recipe ideas, but suddenly we hit fall and I’m struggling….I am a picky eater (according to my friends and family!) I hate any kind of cooked fruit…I don’t like pumpkin….I hate cider….what to do???? I am a failure as a fall baker!!! 🙂 I’m trying to expand my horizons, but in the meantime you might still get a few summer recipes that I can’t get out of my mind until I try them!! Who says strawberries can’t be a fall dessert anyway?? Enjoy! r-

5 Comments

Posted in Cookies and tagged cake mix cookies, cookies made with cake mix, dessert, desserts, easy cookies, strawberry cookies, strawberry dessert, strawberry lemonade cookies, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Ruthanne

What was your least favorite Halloween Candy? You know…the one left at the bottom of that plastic pumpkin at Thanksgiving? Mine was the Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kiss. The distinctively wrapped orange and black chewy candy with peanut butter in the middle– remember those? I remember trying to trade my brother 10 of them for a Nestle Crunch and being refused.

My goal: Make something WONDERFUL out of Mary Jane PB Kisses.

The result: AMAZING! Seriously the best caramel sauce I’ve ever had.

This creamy caramel with just a hint of peanut butter flavor stays soft even when used as an ice cream topping (it’s really good with apples too!– reeeeeallly good…..!)

INGREDIENTS:

15 Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
15 Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses (unwrapped)– (I found mine at Walgreens: 99 cents/bag)
1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and melt, stirring constantly.
Stir until melted and completely smooth (about 6 to 8 minutes)
Cool a little and pour over ice cream (or anything else that would taste good with gooey caramel sauce!)

My thoughts: I experimented with these horrible little candies all weekend…They melt in the microwave in 15 seconds (and they smell TERRIBLE burnt!) Once they melt, they harden and form crystals within seconds (no dipping apples in THAT). They do not combine with chocolate. They DO combine with peanut butter, but YUCK– they form a dough-like consistency that sticks to your teeth.

Adding them to my best caramel sauce was the answer– and they really do taste WONDERFUL in this-they add a sweet peanut butter flavor that goes PERFECT with caramel. So a month from now, when you find these little gems still sitting at the bottom of your kids plastic pumpkins, think of easybaked and make some caramel! 🙂 -r

8 Comments

Posted in Candy, Easy recipes, Miscellaneous and tagged apple dip, caramel, caramel and peanut butter, caramel and peanut butter sauce, caramel sauce, creative dessert, dessert, Halloween candy dessert, ice cream topping, mary jane peanut butter kisses, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Sweet Tart and Pixy Stix Cake!

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Ruthanne

Wondering what to do with all that Halloween Candy? Have some fun with it and make this candy-filled cake! The cake is marbled with Pixy Stix dust and the frosting is made of crushed Sweet Tarts and Smarties. BRING ON THE SUGAR!!!! The finished cake is sweet and tart and SO much fun!

INGREDIENTS:

1 boxed white cake mix (plus the eggs, water and oil needed to make it according to package)
8 Pixy Stix candies
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
1 c. margarine
1-3 T. heavy whipping cream
Food coloring gels
about 1 c. of crushed Sweet Tarts and or Smarties (I think Bottlecaps or even Spree would work in this recipe as well)

DIRECTIONS:

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 2 eight or nine inch round pans with cooking spray.
Place a piece of parchment paper (cut to size) in the bottom of each pan and spray again.
Make cake mix according to package.
Pour about 1 c. of cake mix into each pan.
Sprinkle contents of 4 Pixy Stix over cakes (dividing equally)
Pixie Stix dust sprinkled over cake batter-- FUN!

***note: blue and purple will show up the best in the baked cake, red and orange are very pale***
Use a knife to swirl colors together
Add the rest of the cake mix over the top (dividing equally) and repeat the Pixy Stix sprinkling and swirling.
Bake cakes at 350 for 30-35 minutes (use your cake mix directions as a guide and check often)
Cool cakes in pan over a wire rack.
When cool, tip pan over onto wire rack and remove parchment paper.
Use a serrated knife to make each layer level.

Frosting:

Cream together the powdered sugar and margarine in a large bowl.
Beat on high for about 3 minutes (I used a whisk attachment).
Add cream and beat for about another minute until a thick spreading consistency.
Crush candies in a small food chopper or processor.
Add crushed candies (and all the ensuing sugar dust!) to the frosting and fold it in.
Add any food coloring you want to make frosting a desired shade. (On its own the mix of candy colors make the frosting a terrible shade of gray). Adjust consistency if needed with powdered sugar.
Frost the cooled cake and decorate with remaining candies.

My thoughts: I was expecting an overpoweringly sweeeeeeeet cake. Not so– the cake has a wonderful tangy taste and the frosting balances it perfectly with sweet fruity fluff. Your kids are going to FLIP over this recipe– they might even let you take some of their candy to make it! Happy Sugar High to YOU!!! -r