Chewy Caramel Stuffed Sugar Cookies Drizzled with Milk Chocolate

I've been on a cookie craze lately. They are just so easy to make and even easier to eat! I saw a recipe for red velvet cookies stuffed with cream cheese and then drizzled with white chocolate! Oh. My. Yum. BUT, unfortunately I didn't have everything to make those. 

Ever since I saw that recipe I have been craving a cookie with something stuffed inside it. I love it when you break open this cookie and there is something gooey on the inside just waiting for you! 

If you love a chewy cookie, you’ll love this one. It’s a super chewy cookie with caramel hidden inside, then drizzled with milk chocolate. Next, I'm tackling those red velvet cream cheese cookies! 

This recipe was adapted from My Kitchen Addiction. She uses milk duds, but since I had some Kraft Caramels on hand I decided to use them instead. Don't be alarmed when a little of the caramel oozes out the bottom of the cookie! Just be sure to let them cool completely before you move them. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

15 caramels, cut in half

Chocolate Drizzle:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 tsp shortening (Crisco)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.

Gradually, add the flour to the creamed mixture, stirring just enough to incorporate the flour. Shape rounded tablespoons of dough into a ball, pressing a caramel into the center of each ball. Be sure to cover the entire caramel with the cookie dough. Place the cookies 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they are just golden on top. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t over bake.

Melt chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon shortening in the microwave. Start with 30 seconds, stir, and continue in 10-second intervals until smooth. Pour into a small sandwich baggie, making a small snip in the corner and quickly drizzle over all the cookies. 

Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The end of the semester is upon us and I am soooo ready for this break! I have honestly been blessed with some really great students this year, and I wanted to do something for them before we leave for Christmas break. I've been telling some of them about this blog and ever since they have been begging me to make them something. So I figured this was the perfect time to make them a little treat for all their hard work so far this year. 

 

Now I know I'm not really supposed to admit that I have "favorites" but my 6th period class is AMAZING! I just love this group; they are funny, smart, and definitely keep me on my toes. They are the ones that came up with this recipe so I decided to give it a try. 

I did a little research on Google and found this recipe at Busy Mom Media. Needless to say, they were a huge hit! Using the cake mix gives these cookies a soft and gooey center. Aaaaamazing!

Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 package red velvet cake mix
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat eggs and oil. Add cake mix until mixed. Slowly add flour, then chocolate chips. Shape into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Don’t over bake, light cake mixes will not look done even though they are. Makes about 36 cookies.

cinnamon toast white chocolate pretzels

This is probably the most highly addictive snack I've ever made! The combination of the salty pretzels with the sweet cinnamon and sugar, drizzled with white chocolate makes them amazingly delicious!!

I made these for FBLA at school to help with fundraising. My co-worker bought the cutest little lion bags to put them in. They were a hit; all of the kids loved them!
All I'm saying is that you need to make these ASAP!

Cinnamon Toast White Chocolate Pretzels 

Recipe adapted from: Your Home Based Mom

• 1 bag (18 oz.) small pretzels
• 1/3 C oil
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Extra cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
• White chocolate for drizzling

In microwave safe bowl pour in pretzels.  Mix together oil, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.  Pour over pretzels and mix well, making sure to coat pretzels.  Place in microwave for 2 minutes on high.  Check after first minute as they might burn.  Stir the mixture and continue cooking.  Microwave for 1 minute more.

When out of the microwave, stir again to make sure they are all coated.
Spread the pretzels onto two cookie sheets.  You want a single layer of pretzels.  While they are still hot sprinkle additional cinnamon sugar over the top.  Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top of pretzels.  Once white chocolate hardens put into air tight containers.

Saltine Toffee

I've been on this sweet and salty kick lately, and let me tell you this is some seriously good stuff. 

I think the salt on the crisp crackers combined with the rich, semi-sweet chocolate and crunchy, buttery toffee makes for the perfect candy, no matter what time of year it is. 

It's probably best to make this during the holidays, but I won't tell if you make an entire batch just for yourself!

Saltine Toffee
Recipe adapted from the Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped pecans

16 saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Lay 16 saltine crackers in a foil lined 8 inch square pan. Boil 1 stick butter and both sugars, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Pour over the crackers

Bake for 5 minutes until the toffee becomes bubbly.

Top with chocolate chips;bake 1 more minute, then spread the chocolate evenly.

Sprinkle with pecans. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then cut into squares.

Cookies and Cream Candy Bark

 This is amazing. Enough said. 

I found this recipe on Pinterest (surprise, surprise!) and couldn't wait to make it! I'm planning on giving these away as Christmas gifts, that is if Evan and I don't eat them all first!

Cookies and Cream Candy Bark

Recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom
Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla melts

2 cups semi sweet melts

14 Oreos, crushed.  Reserve 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Place vanilla and semi sweet chocolate into separate containers and melt in microwave.  Reserve 1/4 cup of cookie crumbs and divide the remaining crumbs between the two melted mixtures and mix in.

Drop spoonfuls of the two mixtures onto a wax paper covered cooking sheet.  Alternate the two flavors.  Use a knife to swirl the two chocolates together to create a marbled effect.

Allow to harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator.  Break into pieces and place in a pretty container.

Chocolate, Caramel, and Toffee Trifle

I made this trifle for Christmas last year and Evan's eighty-six year old grandmother LOVED it! This was the only requested dessert for Thanksgiving this year, so I didn't want to disappoint. 

It is super easy to make, and super chocolatey! I've made it couple of different ways, but this one seems to be the favorite.

Ingredients: 

1 box brownie mix

1 pkg. chocolate fudge pudding

3 cups cold milk

2 tubs cool whip

1 tsp vanilla

1 bag toffee bits

Caramel Sauce 

Directions:

• Prepare the brownies according to the package. I would make these at least a day in advance so they don't get too mushy in the trifle. Once they have cooled break them into small bite size pieces.
• Mix chocolate pudding mix and 3 cups of milk. Whisk until it begins to thicken. Refrigerate for an hour.
• Mix cool whip and vanilla until incorporated.
• Layer your trifle in this order:

1. Chocolate pudding

2. Brownies

3. Cool Whip

4. Toffee bits

5. Drizzle with caramel

Repeat two more times and end with the toffee and caramel at the very top.  

*Substitutions: Oreos & Brownies; Reese's Peanut Butter Cups & Brownies

Winter Bucket List...

I was a bit annoyed with people completely skipping Thanksgiving and jumping straight into Christmas, but now that it is officially winter I am ready to start on my bucket list! I came across this on Pinterest and decided to make my own! 

I did not create this bucket list, I did write the list of things to do, but someone else made the super cute background. You can make your own too! Just download this blank template and create your own list by editing it in Picnik. So easy! 

I printed mine out to fit an 8x10 picture frame and placed it on our end table. Merry Christmas!