Triple Chocolate Brownies

December 16, 2010 by

I believe you can never have too much chocolate. Through a bit of experimentation, I created this incredibly rich brownie recipe. It works with any box brownie mix. Just choose your favorite and substitute as explained. If you like chocolate, you’ll be pleased with Triple Chocolate Brownies, the sixteenth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg brownie mix (any brand)
  • Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
  • Eggs (per number on the box)
  • 1 12-oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on brownie mix box.
  2. Spray 13″ x 9″ pan with nonstick spray.
  3. Put brownie mix in large mixing bowl.
  4. Follow instructions on brownie mix box, but replace all liquids with chocolate syrup (typically, water and oil).
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  7. Bake according to instructions on the box.
  8. Cool completely before cutting.

Variations

  • Stir in other favorites—peanut butter chips, nuts, and so forth..

Time Required: 45 minutes

Servings: 3 to 4 dozen

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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 13, 2010 by

Today’s cake-mix cookie recipe is a chocolate delight—a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips, plus peanut butter and nuts. Delicious! Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the thirteenth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg chocolate cake mix (any brand)
  • 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ⅔ cup peanut butter chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray 13" x 9" pan with nonstick spray.
  3. Mix cake mix, melted butter and beaten egg thoroughly.
  4. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool complete, and then cut into 24 bars.
  8. Store in a tightly covered container.

Variations

  • Increase the chips to as much as 1 cup each if desired.
  • Choose your favorite chocolate cake mix—chocolate fudge, red velvet, devil’s food. Whatever you prefer will work.

Time Required: 45 minutes

Servings: 24 bars

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Glazed Nut Bars

December 12, 2010 by

I’m a big fan of recipes that begin with a box of cake mix—so much so that I’m sharing a week of cake-mix cookies. I remember taking a batch of Glazed Nut Bars to put out with the coffee and tea on the morning I gave my presentation to the Southwest Virginia Writing Project many years ago. I figured why not put everyone in a good mood before I even started talking. It worked so well that one of the questions I was asked after my presentation was “What’s the recipe?” Glazed Nut Bars are the twelfth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg white cake mix (any brand)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 12-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray 13" x 9" pan with nonstick spray.
  3. Mix cake mix and brown sugar.
  4. Add melted butter and beaten egg, mixing thoroughly.
  5. Reserve ¼ cup chocolate chips.
  6. Stir in nuts and remaining chocolate chips.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  8. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Melt ¼ cup reserved chocolate chips with ¼ cup water, stirring to combine.
  10. While cookies still warm, top with chocolate glaze, spreading to cover completely.
  11. Cool complete, and then cut into 24 bars.
  12. Store in a tightly covered container.

Variations

  • The nuts can be omitted for a nice chocolate chip bar cookie.
  • The cookies can also be cut into 1" squares for a petit fours look.

Time Required: 45 minutes

Servings: 24 bars

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No-Bake Candy Cups

December 7, 2010 by

I learned the fun of candy making several years ago, when I took a Wilton candymaking class at the local Michael’s. Wilton Candy Melts make it easy to create simple candy and bark with nothing but a microwave. Here’s one combination I invented from the ingredients on hand when I wanted a fast treat. No-Bake Candy Cups are the seventh of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds white Candy Melts
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 3 cups Rice Krispies
  • 2 cups peanuts

Directions

  1. Melt the Candy Melts in the microwave, according to the package directions.
  2. Spray two silicone mini-muffin pan lightly with nonstick spray.
  3. Stir peanut butter into the melted candy melts.
  4. Mix Rice Krispies and peanuts.
  5. Pour the candy mixture over the Rice Krispies and peanuts, stirring to combine.
  6. Spoon mixture into mini-muffin pan.
  7. Chill until solid and remove from pan. Once solid, candy should be fine at room temperature, but return to the refrigerator for storage if necessary.

Variations

  • Choose another color of Candy Melts if desired, but remember the peanut butter may change the color slightly.
  • Use chocolate Candy Melts and Cocoa Pebbles for Chocolate Candy Cups.
  • A silicone pan is ideal for this recipe, as you can push the formed candy out of the pan. Paper liners in a metal pan can work, but the paper may stick to the candy in places.

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Preacher Cookies

December 2, 2010 by

Today is my brother-in-law’s birthday, so for the second of my 25 cookies of Christmas, I’m sharing the recipe for his favorite cookies. Each year I make him a batch as part of his Christmas present.

The name of these no-bake cookies supposedly comes from the days when preachers rode the circuit, visiting their parishioners. The cook looked out the window and noticed the preacher riding toward her house from across the valley. Either because she didn’t have the right ingredients or didn’t have enough time (depending upon the version of the story you read), she whipped together this simple cookie and had them ready to serve the preacher when he got to her home.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 cups sugar
  • Dash of Salt
  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Directions

  1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass pan or a jelly roll pan.
  2. Combine butter, milk, cocoa, sugar and salt in a large saucepan, and boil for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in oatmeal, peanut butter and vanilla.
  4. Pour into a the prepared pan and allow to cool.
  5. Once completely cool, cut into 2 1/2″ to 3″ squares and enjoy.

Variations

  • Add raisins or chopped peanuts, if desired.
  • Speed up the cooling process by placing the pan in the refrigerator.
  • To store, include a piece of wax paper between the layers to keep cookies from sticking together.

Time Required: 15 minutes plus cooling time

Servings: 2 dozen

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