Salted Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Hey.  Don't wanna deceive you, so right away I will tell you that these are not a "healthy" recipe.  Okay glad we got that straight. I know that my blog is gonna focus on healthy eating and all, but like I said in my first post and in my About Me page, I make unhealthified recipes as well.  All in moderation!

So basically this was my first time browning butter. Oh my heavens.  It is so amazingly amazing. It takes normal choc-chip cookies to over-the-top incredible morsels of deliciousness. Browning the butter takes a little time, and since you have to chill the dough for an hour after, this recipe is a little tiny bit more time consuming than regular chocolate chip cookies.  Not that either recipe is time consuming.  Just thought I'd let you know.  Oh and be patient when browning the butter.  I was getting a little antsy to see the color change and it was "taking forever," but when it DOES change color its pretty immediate and you gotta take it off the burner right then so it doesn't burn!  The salt on top is the final touch.  Adds the salty & sweet effect which is reaaaallly good.  So don't skip the salt!

Salted Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from What's Gaby Cooking

8 oz butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups chocolate chips
flaky salt (I used coarse Kosher) for topping

Cut the butter into small pieces and place them in small pot over medium heat.  Stir the butter so it all melts.  When it's completely melted, it will start to foam and you'll smell a little nuttiness.  The color will start to change from yellow to a golden color.  Once the butter is golden brown or tan, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the butter to another bowl to cool.  Once the butter is just cooled, you can strain out the little sediments in the butter and you'll be left with a brown nutty butter.

In a large mixer, combine melted browned butter and brown sugar with paddle attachment.  Let whisk for 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder and slowly combine, making sure to not over-mix the batter.  Add the oats and chocolate chips and combine.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  It's very important to chill the dough since we started with melted butter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  Using a 1-inch scoop, scoop 12 cookies onto each parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with some flaky salt. Transfer sheets into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies just slightly turn a golden brown color on edges but are still soft and chewy in the middle.  Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack and repeat for remaining dough.

The BEST Chocolate Cake

So the picture is really blurry (I KNOW- I want a better camera so bad...) but I'm gonna keep this super short n' sweet. (Just like I said in my last post- ha)  This is the BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE you will ever eat! Hands down, most definitely the richest, and fudgiest and most chocolatey cake on this earth!

 

I know you may not believe me, but TRUST me! At first when I saw the post on Kevin & Amanda I wasn't sure whether I should believe it...

But after seeing this batter and sticking my finger in it trying it with a spoon, I was not the least bit skeptical anymore.

 

The batter is so thick and chocolatey and tastes amazing. And the cake is even better. Here is my cake after I frosted it... (my first time frosting a cake, by the way...)

 

The frosting is homemade too- Buttercream frosting and it is fabulous on this cake.  I would say you need to make the frosting if you're gonna make the cake.

 

And yes, I made this for my Mom.  Not for Mother's Day as you would assume, but actually for her birthday, which was the week before!

 

And here she is blowing out the candles!  She's so cute, and only 41! I love her :)

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

from Kevin and Amanda

 

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening (Crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

I actually made these around Christmastime last year and have just not gotten around to posting them! But I made this recipe that I found in a Land O' Lakes recipe magazine on my our annual "bake day" and they were really yummy! Cranberry and orange blend beautifully together, that's for sure!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

Crust:

1/2 cup butter softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1 cup mini real semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

 

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine butter and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, oats and orange zest. Beat until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture.

Firmly press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add whipping cream and vanilla, beat until smooth.

Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot, partially baked crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture gently over filling. Continue baking for 27 to 30 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store refrigerated.

Skinny, Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies!

So even though I'd like to say that every low-fat, "lightened" recipe that I've made has been delicious and just as good as its "original" version.... that is just not the case.

Don't get me wrong... there are plenty of healthy, low-fat and YUMMY recipes out there. And some of them are on my blog ;)!

Well let me tell you, friends... this recipe for low-fat chocolate chip cookies is A-MAZING. Phenomenal. Almost better than my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I got them from the blog www.skinnytaste.com and she even describes them as the BEST low-fat cookies! They have half whole-wheat flour and only 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch!

I dare you to make these, folks. Make 'em and feed them to someone you love... see if they can tell any difference. I doubt they'll be able to! The only thing I would do differently is spray a little more cooking spray on the baking sheets as the cookies were a little fragile after cooling for a few minutes and several broke apart as I was trying to transfer them from the sheet. So use plenty of Pam or as the recipe recommends, use silicone baking mats (I didn't have any). After cooling though, these cookies have just the right texture and form. Delicioso!!







Skinny Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 12 • Size: 2 cookies • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 170.7 • Fat: 5.0 g • Protein: 1.4 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Sugar: 25.4 g
Sodium: 113.1 mg

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners such as Silpats (I highly recommend for best results) or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Adapted from Cooking Done Light.

Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

 

Happy first day of Autumn! Fall is probably my favorite season, next to Christmas (yes I do call Christmas a season... :) ) I just love it when the air cools down and everyone seems to be so happy because the holidays are nearing! So fun!  Too bad I am now permanently in Arizona so I can't experience the pretty fall leaves like I was so privileged to see when I went to school in Utah. :( But it's okay... 

I am seriously SO happy that it is Halloween time and that I can start baking yummy treats! I have already busted out the canned pumpkin....I made delicious pumpkin whoopie pies... recipe to come soon!! SO I thought I had already posted this recipe but to my surprise, I have not!  Popcorn is such a yummy fall treat and even though this is peanut butter, not caramel popcorn, this is a WINNER recipe! And it could be made any time of the year! It is so decadent and rich and, of course, calorie free. :) This is an easy "transitional" recipe into fall baking- because let's face it: we still have three full months left of official fall/holiday baking. So excited!!

 

Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 bags of Simply Salted (or similar- try to choose butter-free) popcorn (or about 20 cups of popped popcorn)

2 c. honey roasted peanuts

3 c. peanut butter chips (I used Reese’s)*

2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips *

1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or oil

Place the peanuts and popped popcorn in a very large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and vegetable oil or shortening and heat for 2-2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted peanut butter chips over the popcorn and peanuts and toss to combine.

Spread the popcorn onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. In a Ziploc bag, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips until just melted and smooth (about 1-1 1/2 minutes, mashing the bag every 20-30 seconds). Cut a small corner in the Ziploc bag and drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn. Allow to stand long enough to become solid (you can transfer the pan to the fridge or freezer to hurry this step along). When done, break the popcorn into small pieces and enjoy!

Chocolate Lover's Dream Cookies

 

If you're thinking what I'm thinking... then you're thinking that if you have some chocolate, why not have a lot of chocolate? Right? Or am I the only one who justifies this? These cute little plump cookies are anything but dainty and pack an intense, chocolatey, fudgey punch.  If you're anything like me, you will LOVE them!

 

The recipe calls for chocolate and white chocolate chips but since I did not have white chocolate chips, I used some peanut butter chips.  You can use whatever you have in your pantry, too!

15 15 30 Chocolate Lover's Dream Cookies

from Taste of Home cookbook

Yields: 42 servings

• 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup white baking chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

• In a large bowl, beat the oil, butter and sugars until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; gradually add to oil mixture and mix well. Stir in chips.
• Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

 Nutritional Information: 112 calories per cookie and 6g fat.

Foster Family Favorite: Chocolate Cherry Cake

Even though I have only a picture of the cake in its entirety, you must trust me that this is a fabulous cake!  It is truly one of my family favorites and is often requested on birthdays!

I made it a little bit ago for my mother-in-law's birthday and it turned out amazing, as always!  It is SO simple to make, very affordable, and delicious! The cherry pie filling makes the cake so moist and the chocolate glaze on top is to die for!  That is my very favorite part... mmm I'm wishing I had some chocolate cherry cake right now!!!

Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 (18.25 oz) package Devil's Food cake mix
1 1/2 cans (21 oz) cherry pie filling (just freeze the extra half of the can and use it as a topping for waffles/pancakes or make another cake!)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup white sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling and beaten eggs. Mix just until blended (do not overmix or mix too aggressively as cherries will break apart)
2. Bake in well-greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Wait until cake has cooled to make the frosting (you will want to pour frosting over cake immediately after it cooks as it thickens quickly)
4. To make frosting: combine sugar, butter or margarine, and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth.  Pour over cake immediately and spread to make it even.

From personal experience, this cake is even BETTER when eaten the day after it is baked.  Is is more moist and fudgy! But it is delicious all the same whenever you eat it!

YUM!

Giant Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Although I will always love trying new recipes (especially cookie recipes), I will always be loyal to my number one cookie- CHOCOLATE CHIP.  Can I get a holla?

Haha I'm sorry.  That was immature.  And chocolate chip cookies are SO not immature.  They are national celebrities, a world-renowned genius.  And I must say: they handle the fame pretty well.  Always consistently delicious- I don't think I've tried a chocolate chip cookie that I didn't like- whether it was made with Splenda or it was even donning nuts in it... they are all fantastic and they simply scream "childhood comfort food."  In fact, I can distinctly chronicle my life's timeline around my memories of baking chocolate chip cookies at home.  Every Sunday, freshly baked homemade cookies were almost always to be found adorning our stovetop, counters, tupperware and tummies.

 These cookies are chocolate chip cookies taken to the extreme.  You're gonna need a muffin top pan.  I mean I GUESS you could try baking these on normal cookie sheets but I'm tellin ya... these are best when you fill those muffin top wells with heaps of dough and out comes a gorgeous, chewy, gooey and very moist and chocolatey cookie.  Mmm!!

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
from My Baking Addiction

2 sticks cold and cubed unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mix in vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips/chunks and nuts.
3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
4. Weigh out the dough into 4 ounce portions and gently roll into a ball. (I got ten 4 ounce cookies out of this dough).
4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes depending on how gooey and rawish you like the interior, until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. I baked mine for 16 minutes, which seemed to be perfect in my oven.
5. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat in an airtight container.
Notes:
-These are best eaten on the day they are made (ESPECIALLY warm out of the oven – like most chocolate chip cookies).
-To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
- I did not attempt to make these smaller than 4 ounces. I am sure they will be equally as amazing, you’ll just have to play with the baking time.

Peanut Butter Frosted Chocolate Chip Blondies

Oh my goodness. I do not have much to say except for peanut butter and chocolate is most likely my favorite food combination ever. 

I am sorry.  These are not healthy but I do not regret making them.  Sometimes you just gotta give in a little to your cravings.  And PB + chocolate is always a huge craving of mine!  These are like a giant chocolate chip cookie bar with creamy, sweet peanut butter frosting on top! To die for!

Chocolate Chip Blondies

from How Sweet It Is

1 cup of butter, melted

2 cup of dark brown sugar (I used light brown)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and melted butter until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients together, and whisk into the batter. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread evenly in an 9 X 9 pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

3/4 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2-3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons milk

Cream butter and peanut butter. Add sugar gradually. Add vanilla. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

 

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Mind you, HEALTHIER Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Are you kidding me? Sign me up!!

 

These babies wonderfully remind me of "Scotcheroos"- a peanut butter & chocolate infused version of a rice krispie treat.  These bars, too, are made with cereal, but wouldn't you know they are made with WHEATIES!  Such a fabulous way to get your little ones to eat their whole grains.  

The only slight problem I had with them was that after a day they got a little hard, even when sealed up.  But, 5-10 seconds in the microwave sure fixed that problem and they were gooey and warm and delicious all over again.  Make these!!

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

from Eat Better America 

4	cups Wheaties® cereal
1/3	cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2	cup light corn syrup
1/3	cup packed brown sugar
1/4	cup peanut butter
3	tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cereal and peanuts.  In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring to coat entire mixture. Press in pan.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each microwave time, until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

 

Recipe tip: If the cereal mixture is a bit sticky when pressing into the pan, dampen hands first.

Makes: 16 bars.  

Nutrition:  140 calories per bar, 4.5g fat (1g saturated)

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Sun & Moon.

Boy & Girl.

Shoes & Socks.

Cookies & Milk.

Beach & Ocean.

Inseparable pairs are like a warm, comfy bed- always there fore you, will never let you down, and extremely reliable.  But none of these compares to the greatest combination known to mankind and especially to my stomach...

..................... DRUM ROLL..................................

Chocolate & peanut butter! Duh. 

 I came to this conclusion with my roommate at BYU a few months ago when we had just had a piece of Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake at a ward social party.  It was probably the most divine creation in the world (especially since Reese's are my FAVORITE).  We were both obsessed and knew then that we were head-over-heels in love with chocolate and peanut butter.

 It wouldn't even matter if it was chocolate bacon and peanut butter scrambled eggs; any way they are combined, these two are no-fail guarantees of stomach-stuffing and second helpings. 

Therefore, these truffle brownies probably could not be any more delicious.  I'm telling you, if you like choco-nutty combinations, then that's that- these are for you.  They look really cute too, with the shiny chocolate and creamy peanut butter layers, atop a gorgeous, deep chocolate brownie- like a little chocolate-coated truffle chocolate candy.  Mmmm candy. And chocolate.  Peanut Butter. Stop treating me so well!

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies 
from Betty Crocker

Brownie Base:

1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix

water; vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Topping:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Heat oven to 350.  Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch pan w/ cooking spray or shortening.  

In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil & eggs until well blended.  Spread in pan.  Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out almost clean.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Spread mixture over brownie base.  

In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients, uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth.  Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling.  Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set.  Cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.  Store covered in refrigerator. 

Nutrition per brownie:  200 calories, 10g fat, 20mg cholesterol, 105mg sodium, 25g carbs, 2g protein

Recipe and brownie photo courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Oh hey.  Carmelita... hmm am I in Mexico? Sure not,  but these bars deserve some serious attention because they are dang good..  For father's day yesterday, my dad wanted me to make a dessert with chocolate and nuts.  Well this has the works- chocolate, nuts, oats, and lots and lots of CARAMEL.  

 I found this recipe at Let's Dish and knew I had to try it. This is definitely a guilty-pleasure recipe, let me tell you.  There is more butter in this than a doubled cookie recipe!  GUILTY but SO worth it!  Well these hit the spot, and my dad sure thought so too.  So here's to fathers, and a little carmel-ita lovin!

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, very soft
2 cups flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup flour
1(14 ounce) bag Kraft carmels
1/4 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine butter, 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt until crumbly.  Press 1/2 of the crumb mixture into a lightly greased, 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven.  Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir together chocolate chips, nuts and 1/4 cup flour; set aside.  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the caramels and milk, stirring frequently until the caramel is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Sprinkle the chocolate chip and nut mixture over the warm crust.  Pour melted carmel over chocolate chip/nut mixture. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the carmel.  Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Store completely cooled bars in the refrigerator.


*cheat sheet: you can melt the caramels in the microwave to save time!

Crunchy Caramel Reese's Cookie Bars

SO basically... I just got back from a 5-day trip to Oklahoma. And you all know that traveling is the worst when trying to eat healthily!!

Crap.

But, I will hand it to the Oklahomans that they offer some pretty DARN good food.  There was nothing to do in that city except for walk around, and eat. basically.  So, consequently, the next month or so I will be working really hard to compensate for the extra, but glorious calories I consumed on my trip.

HOWEVER,

I must share this amazing recipe that I came upon last week.

This was before I went to OK, and i was feeling a sugar craving, and lo and behold, I came upon the most amazing chocolatey-peanut-buttery treat, EVER. I must share.

These things are DIVINE.  They can be found at this blog: Let's Dish  
Please make these, they will make you extremely happy! 

Crunchy Caramel Reese's Cookie Bars  

Ingredients
1 (16.5 oz.) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 cup crushed pretzels
1 (12 oz.) bag mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped
10 caramels, unwrapped
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut cookie dough roll in half and press half of dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish. Layer with crushed pretzels. Cut peanut butter cups in half and layer over pretzels. In a small bowl, melt caramels and milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.  Pour caramel over peanut butter cups. Crumble remaining cookie dough evenly over top. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Let cool completely.  Melt chocolate chips in microwave until smooth and drizzle over top of bars. 

ENJOY!

Life's Too Sweet to Skip Dessert.