Double Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes

{recipe& pic from} bakingjunkie.com

~Adapted from the Chocolate Chip Cookie dough Cupcakes from annies-eats.com~

I may just have to try both versions! YUMM!

Cupcakes:
1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into cupcake liners, about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Filling: 
4 Tbsp salted butter, at room
6 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
7 oz (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugar for approximately 2 minutes. Add in vanilla, then flour, and lastly sweetened condensed milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the filling firm.

Frosting:
3 sticks salted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp milk
2 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add powdered sugar in increments until smooth. Add in the flour and salt. Then add the remaining liquid ingredients.

Once cupcakes have cooled cut a cone shaped portion out of the center of each using a small paring knife. Discard these sections. Roll a small amount of the filling mixture into balls and place inside each cupcake. Frost cupcakes and garnish with mini chocolate chips if desired.

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

{recipe & pic from} Picky Palate.com

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons softened butter, (slice 2 Tablespoons 6 times totaling 12 tablespoons)
1 1/2 Cups packed light brown sugar, divided into 1/4 Cups
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided

Frosting
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk, to thin icing

1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.

2. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.

3. Once chilled, cut each disc into thirds and roll into a 1/8 inch thick oval, about 12 inches X 5 inches.  Spread each rolled pieces of dough with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.  Start rolling from the long end closest to you, rolling into a log shape.  Using a sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch pieces of dough then placing onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

4.  To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth, slowly add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency.  Frost cookies then place in refrigerator until ready to serve.  These are 100 times better chilled, trust me!!

Makes at least 6 dozen

The Mother Load Layered Cookies

The Mother Load Layered Cookie Bars

{recipe & pic from} Picky Palate.com

Layer 1: Sugar Cookie

1 Roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been lined foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Layer 2: Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in chips. Layer 1/2 the recipe over sugar cookie layer, pressing gently.

Layer 3: Peanut Butter Cookie

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1.  Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined.  Press over chocolate cookie dough.

Layer 4:  Chocolate Chip Cookie

(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag chocolate chips

1.  Make sure oven is preheated to 350 degrees F.  In a stand or electric mixer cream the butter and sugars until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bolw; mix to combine.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips.  Spoon 1/2 of the dough evenly over peanut butter cookie dough but don’t press, just leave uneven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until center of dough is cooked mostly through.  Edges will be brown.  I covered pan with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

2.  Let cookies cool completely.  Lift out of pan with edges of foil.  I cut off 1/2 inch edges and just used softer centers, but do as you wish.  Edges are crispier.  Drizzle top with 1/2 Cup melted chocolate chips if desired.

*Note:  You can layer dough and refrigerate until ready to bake.  This is what I did and it worked very nicely.

8 large bars (if you cut off edges), 12 bars (if you keep edges)

Pancake Mix Cookies

{recipe & pic from} Line Upon Line

Pancake mix Cookies
 {a.k.a Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies}

2 cup krusteaz pancake mix (she used pioneer brand Bisquick- we don't have that here)
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg semi sweet chocolate chip, Plus a extra 1 cup 
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoon butter, melted 

1. Melt the 1 pkg. of chocolate chips (about 1 minute 30 seconds – after the first 1 minute only do 30 seconds so you don’t burn the chocolate and make sure your bowl has no water in it – chocolate don’t like water when melting) 
2. In a mixing bowl add all the other ingredients except for the 1 cup chips. Mix well until smooth and blended. Add the 1 cup chips and mix in again.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

ALMOST Too Much Chocolate Cake

Oh Snap! Thank goodness my birthday is the next one coming up! 

(HINT...HINT....SARA...wouldn't it be good with oreos in the filling too!!!!;)

{recipe & pic from} Make it and Love it

Almost Too Much Chocolate Cake

First, bake the cake

Cake Recipe

1      (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

2      1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

3      1 cup sour cream

4      1 cup vegetable oil

5      4 eggs

6      1/2 cup water

7      1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into 2 well greased 8 inch pans

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least half an hour before putting on a cooling rack.  

 

Second, make the Chocolate buttercream  

Recipe

1 cup vegetable shortening

3-4 Tlb milk

½ cup unsweetened coco powder

½ tsp clear vanilla extract (buy it by the cake decorating supplies, wilton makes it)

1 lb powder sugar

Mix all ingredients with mixer until smooth.

Third, add buttercream between the 2 cake layers-

Fourth, make ganache

Recipe

2 tablespoons corn syrup

6 ounces heavy cream

2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl on top of a double boiler, combine the corn syrup, chocolate and heavy cream. Let melt and combine while whisking often. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Let the ganache cool for a few minutes.

Fifth, pour the ganache over the top of the cake letting it drip down the sides. Take a spatula and spread the ganache over the parts not covered.

Pipe buttercream stars on the rim of the top.

Add Almonds. Take raw sliced almonds and place them over medium heat in a sautee pan. Keep them moving by wiggling the pan until they get lightly golden. Remove from heat and alow to cool. Sprinkle them on top of your cake.