Chocolate chip cookie dough fudge

I've taken the butter out of the fridge to make this fudge a ton of times, but then time got away from me and I end up putting it back in the fridge...only to take it out another night.  But with the holidays coming up, gifts to make, and a free night, I decided I was making this fudge tonight. 

It was actually pretty easy.  And although I've only made fudge once before (this Oreo fudge), I was surprised to find that this one wasn't too sweet...and it tasted JUST like cookie dough! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

Ingredients:

For cookie dough:

1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons half-and-half, cream or milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For fudge base:

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup half-and-half, milk or cream
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (for topping the fudge)

Directions:

Line an 8×8-inch or 9X9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

For the cookie dough:
In a medium bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) combine the butter and sugars and beat with a handheld mixer (or use a stand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in the vanilla, salt, and half-and-half.
Add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the fudge base:
Combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, and half-and-half in a medium saucepan.
Stir over medium-low heat until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved.
The mixture should be smooth and combined.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth and thick (The original recipe said it used close to the 5 cup amount, but I used 4 cups). The mixture should be very thick.
Let this mixture cool completely before proceeding!  *This is imporant.  Mine was just above room temperature, and some of the chocolate chips melted and it looks a little streaky*

Add the cookie dough to the fudge base and stir to combine.
Spread the fudge into the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 chocolate chips on top of the fudge and lightly press them into the batter.
Chill until set, about 3-4 hours, before cutting into pieces.

The fudge can be made ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Chocolate pretzel treats

I've seen these little pretzel-Hershey's kiss-M&M treats floating around the Pinterest world for a while.  Hershey's kisses or hugs, different colored M&M's - I've seen them all.  They looked cute but a little tedious (imagine needing 50 Hershey's kisses for a recipe....and having to unwrap them all....).  But with leftover pretzels from two other holiday recipes, I bought a bag of kisses.  I already had some white chocolate peppermint M&M's in the kitchen, so it seemed like a good idea to use those.  Plus, they were white and red, so perfectly festive for the upcoming holidays!

 

They're actually pretty insanely easy to make. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper. Place the pretzels flat and not overlapping. Place an unwrapped Hershey's kiss in the center of each pretzel. Place in the oven at low heat (250- 275F) for a few minutes, until kisses are soft but still hold their shape (mine were in for about 2 and a half minutes). Remove from the oven and press an M&M into the top of each Hershey's kiss. Place the tray in the oven until the kisses have hardened. Place them in a bowl, or wrap them to give as gifts.

 

Festive chocolate covered pretzels

I saw a post on Pinterest the other day about chocolate covered pretzels in different flavors.  I thought they'd make a cute gift idea.  Then the following day someone brought a tray of chocolate covered pretzels to the office as a gift.  They disappeared in about 5 minutes flat, so I - in my health care, evidence-based research mind - deduced that chocolate covered pretzels are a great gift!  I set out to make them in a few flavors, as I had a 4 section gift box that I wanted to put them in.

First up were the vanilla CandiQuik dipped pretzel snaps sprinkled with crushed candy canes.  I made those with leftovers from the Candy Cane Oreo Pops - I just dipped the pretzels partially in the CandiQuik and then sprinkled little crushed candy cane pieces on them when the coating was still wet. 

Next up were pretzels dipped in mik chocolate and sprinkled with pieces of Health Bar.  I admittedly got the idea for Heath Bar on the pretzels from the original blog, so when I was at Target buying some other baking ingredients, I grabbed up a bag of Heath Bar pieces specifically for the purpose of making these.

Next were semisweet chocolate dipped pretzels decorated with nonpareils.  I of course didn't have holiday colored nonpareils, so I went with plain white ones.

Lastly, I made some white chocolate dipped pretzels drizzled with semisweet chocolate.

Check out how pretty they look all packaged up.  What a sweet gift!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Check out the original recipe for her "advanced" directions, which involve melting the chocolate with butter in a double boiler.  I find you can skip that step.

Ingredients:

Chocolate, melted - different flavors (white, milk, semisweet)
Pretzels - any shape, although I'm partial to the snaps and mini twists
Decorations - sprinkles, nonpariels, crushed candy canes, candy pieces

Directions:

Melt chocolate
Dip pretzels
Place pretzels on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet
Sprinkle decorations onto wet chocolate

When cookie sheet is covered with pretzels, place in the fridge.
Let cool/harden.
Package pretzels as you'd like....or keep them all for yourself!

Candy cane Oreo pops

I don't often impulse shop, but a week or so ago I impulse bought a package of Candy Cane Oreos. 

I'm not really sure why.  I don't like Oreos.  But regardless, I bought them.  Then I got home and wondered what I was going to do with them.  Oreo pops, I mused, would be the best.  And with the holidays coming up, I decided I'd decorate them with crushed candy canes.  (Click here for the original Oreo Pops post.)

They looked so pretty before I even dipped them!

Candy Cane Oreo Pops

Ingredients:

Candy Cane Oreos (or any type of Oreo)
CandiQuik Vanilla coating
Lollipop sticks
Candy canes, crushed (I usually use a hammer, but this time I used a can of soup and it worked wonderfully)

Cellophane lollipop bags
Baker's twine

Carrot cake

How did you spend your Saturday?  I spent it....wait for it....waiting in line.  But not just any line.  I was waiting in line for an "audition" for a reality baking show!  Holding a cake, which after 3+ hours was VERY heavy.

I was told to bring my best dessert to the trials, but what I didn't read was there there would only be two taste testers....but I brought an entire two-layer carrot cake...with homemade cream cheese icing. 

I didn't make the first cut, but I'm OK with that.  Despite the fact that I didn't want to actually end up on the show, I wanted the expeirence of having tried out.  I also learned something important -- I'm not nearly dramatic enough to be on a reality show!  But I did make a delicious cake, and I'm sharing it with you!

Triple Layer Carrot Cake (I made mine two layers this time)
Adapted from several different carrot cake recipes, and prefected (in my humble opinion) by me.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1.5 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3 cups freshly grated peeled carrots (I prefer to hand grate mine, but a food processor would work, too.  Don't use bagged, pre-shredded carrots).
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
Line bottom of pans with waxed paper.
Lightly grease waxed paper.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture.
Stir in carrots, chopped walnutes and raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes.

Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes.
Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.

Cream Cheese Icing
(From epicurious, a long time ago, and committed to memory....and the original is nowhere to be found on the website now)

Ingredients:

3 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
Vanilla to taste

Directions:

Blend cream cheese and butter.
Add vanilla to taste.
Add powdered sugar.  I add about 1/2 cup at a time until desired sweetness and consistency.  I usually end up with about 3 cups of powdered sugar.

Cranberry bliss bars

Considering how much time (and money) I spend in Starbucks, you may be surprised to know that I've never tried their Cranberry Bliss Bars.  Well, maybe not, since I am not a big eater of baked goods, but still, not once.  They sell them by the piece, or you can buy a gift box.  Which brings me to the point of this post:

This is the first installment of my JulieBakes December full of edible gifts.  Why not bring dessert to your holiday meal host and hostess?  Need something for that cookie exchange, but not in the mood to make cookies?  Or just want something festive on your holiday dessert table (white chocolate + cranberries = white and red)?  These cranberry-white chocolate blondies with a cream cheese-white chocolate frosting may be just the treat that you're looking for!

Cranberry Bliss Bars
From RecipeGirl, who got hers and tweaked it from Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

Blondie Layer:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare the blondie layer:

Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium bowl .
Stir in the brown sugar
Pour into a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (I used white chocolate chips since I didn't feel like chopping the chocolate for the blondies.  I used good quality baking white chocolate for the icing).
Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake).
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended.
Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate.
Beat until blended.

Frost the blondies.
Sprinkle with cranberries.
Drizzle with the remaining melted white chocolate.
Cut into bars (squares, rectangles, or triangles....I also think circles would be cute, but probably too messy).

Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Edible gifts

December is a month of gift giving.  Christmas, Channukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years...and I'm sure several more than I'm forgetting.  So I'm going to try to make my recipes and blog posts for this month about edible gifts to make and give.  To hosts or hostesses when you're invited to a party, to friends, to make for a cookie exchange, to doormen and mail people, or to bring to a potluck.  There will be cookies, candies, snacks, and other treats.  Please stay tuned over the next month to get some great edible gift ideas.  And, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or recipes you'd like to try, leave them in the comments section below.

Happy Holidays, whichever you celebrate, and a Happy New Year!