Mint Brownies

Mint Brownies ~ Annie's Cooking Lab

Just like making something red for Valentine’s Day, it seems like using a little green food coloring is a requirement for any St. Patrick’s Day baking endeavor. I  still can’t get over how much I loved the Andes Chip Cookies I made a few months ago, so I decided to use those same chips in some brownies.

The brownies themselves have a great fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor. The mint comes through with the Andes chips in the brownies and a layer of mint frosting in-between the brownies and the chocolate ganache.

Mint Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup  butter, melted
  • 2 tbl. water
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 10 oz. Andes mint baking chips, divided
  • 5 tbl. butter, softened
  • dash salt
  • 3 tbl. milk
  • 1 tbl. light corn syrup
  • 2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
  • green food coloring (optional)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 7 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • dash salt
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and lightly grease.
  2. In a large bowl, use a whisk (or mixer) to stir the sugars, butter and water together. Stir in the eggs and vanilla, then set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and stir to combine; the batter will be thick. Reserve 1/4 cup of the Andes mint chips from the bag and mix the remaining chips into the batter. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, do not overbake. Set aside to cool.
  4. To make the mint frosting, combine the butter, salt, milk, corn syrup, powdered sugar, peppermint extract and food coloring. Whisk, or beat with a mixer, until smooth. Spread over the top of the cooled brownies. Set in the fridge to cool for about 10 minutes.
  5. To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream until just below boiling. Add the chopped chocolate to the warm heavy cream; allow the cream and chocolate to sit which will give the chocolate time to melt. After a minute or two, gently stir the cream and chocolate until it is smooth and combined. Allow it to cool and thicken slightly then pour over the cold layer of mint frosting. Top with the reserved Andes mint chips. Let the brownies sit until the ganache is set. Enjoy!
Adapted from Fake Ginger and The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pumpkin Butterscotch Blondies

As much as I love baking with apples, I think I might love pumpkin even more. We only have a couple more months before pumpkin baking season will be over and I plan to make the most of them.

I made these Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars for the first time last Thanksgiving and really enjoyed them. The texture is a little more cake-like than blondie-like, but they are full of pumpkin flavor. I used half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips, but you could certainly use all butterscotch chips if you wanted. Some toasted pecans or walnuts would be a good addition too!

Pumpkin Butterscotch Blondies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tbl. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 pan with baking foil, leaving an overhang on the sides.
  2. Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
  3. Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in the pumpkin (the mixture may look curdled- don’t worry about it). Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the butterscotch and white chocolate chips.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean, be careful not to overbake. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift the blondies out using the foil and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes: About 2 dozen

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Caramel Apple Crumb Bars

I know I just did Apple Pie Cookies last week, but this time of year I feel like you really can’t have too many apple flavored desserts. I have to tell you, these Caramel Apple Crumb Bars are seriously, ridiculously, eat-way-too-many-straight-from-the-pan good. I’ve tried out a couple of other apple bar recipes that have been disappointing, but these bars more than make up for all the practice rounds it took to get here.

The recipe includes a homemade caramel sauce, which is really good, but if you’re tight on time and don’t want to mess around with making caramel you could just use some store-bought caramel sauce. I would definitely recommend the homemade caramel, but it’ll be delicious either way!

Caramel Apple Crumb Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt flakes
  • 5 cups peeled and diced apples (I used Granny Smith)
  • 1 tbl. lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. all-spice
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Gather all the ingredients to make the caramel. Start by heating the sugar over medium-high heat in a 2-3 quart saucepan. When it starts to melt, begin whisking the sugar until it is completely melted, then stop whisking. Swirl the pan occasionally to move the sugar around and continue cooking until the sugar reaches 350 degrees and is a dark amber color. Carefully add the butter (the mixture might splatter) and whisk until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the heavy cream. Whisk until the caramel is smooth then add the salt. Pour the caramel into a bowl or jar and set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a 9 x 13 inch pan with foil.
  3. Place the diced apples in a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice. Sprinkle over the apples and stir until combined, then set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Use a pastry cutter or food processor to cut in the butter. Mix the egg and vanilla together in a small bowl, then pour into the flour mixture and stir to combine; the dough will be very crumbly. Press half the dough into the prepared pan.
  5. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the bottom crust, then drizzle about 3/4 cup of caramel over the apples. Crumble the rest of the dough over the caramel apple layer.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and then cut into squares. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the squares and serve. Store the remaining caramel in the fridge.
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This flourless chocolate cake has been a ‘go-to’ recipe in my family for as long as I can remember. I’m not even a huge chocolate fan, and I love this dense, rich cake. It’s the kind of recipe you can dress up with a little fresh whipped cream and some berries, or you can just put a piece on a napkin and eat it in your back yard. Regardless of where you take it, be sure to bring a copy of the recipe, lots of people will be asking for it!

Chocolate is obviously the star of this recipe, so buy a good quality chocolate. This isn’t the place to use up the cheap stuff in the back of your cupboards!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (pick whichever kind of chocolate you prefer, personally I like to use 3 oz. of each)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 6 tbl. butter
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray then lightly dust with cocoa powder.
  2. Chop up the chocolate then melt in a double boiler. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then set aside.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for several minutes until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then add the egg yolks one at a time. Stir until the mixture is well combined and has a light consistency. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the egg whites, stirring until just combined.
  5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The top will be puffy and may crack slightly as it cools. Chill in the fridge until ready to eat. Serve with fresh whipped cream and berries, or enjoy it plain.
Source: Family Recipe

Marzipan Brownies

I have to admit that chocolate isn’t one of my favorite flavors. It’s not that I dislike chocolate, I definitely enjoy it when it’s with other flavors like in chocolate chip cookies or as frosting on a cupcake, but in general, you won’t find me reaching for a plain chocolate brownie or piece of cake. Usually when I bake something that’s chocolate-centric it’s because I’m making it for someone who loves chocolate. That was the case with these brownies, but I ended up loving them too!

The brownie base is dense, chewy and studded with chopped almonds. In my opinion, the best part of these brownies is the marzipan layer that sits between the brownie and chocolate glaze on top. The marzipan makes these brownies unique and a little fancier than plain brownies and definitely ups the deliciousness factor.

Marzipan Brownies

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 2 tbl. dark or dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/4 cup chopped almonds
  • 5 oz. almond paste
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp. corn syrup, plus more for brushing
  • 3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tbl. unsalted butter
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 inch pan with tin foil or parchment paper leaving a little extra that hangs over the edges.
  2. Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl then set aside.
  3. Use a double boiler* to melt the chocolates and butter. When it’s smooth, remove from heat and whisk in the sugars. Continue whisking until the sugars have dissolved and the mixture has cooled slightly. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and whisk until just combined. Gently fold in the flour mixture then add the almonds. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. To make the marzipan, liberally dust a smooth surface with powdered sugar. Knead the almond paste with corn syrup, adding more powdered sugar to the counter as necessary to prevent sticking. Continue kneading until the paste is smooth and all the sugar is incorporated. Use a rolling-pin to press the marzipan into a 8 x 8 inch square. Lightly brush the top of the brownies with corn syrup, then place the marzipan layer on top, pressing lightly so it will stick. Refrigerate while you prepare the glaze.
  5. Make the glaze by melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. When the mixture is smooth, pour over the marzipan in a thin, even layer. Return to refrigerator and chill until set. The brownies will be best if allowed to chill overnight. Use the tin foil or parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan before slicing to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Enjoy!
* If you don’t have a double boiler, just place a metal or glass bowl over a pan that has an inch or so of water in the bottom. Simmer the water and be sure the bowl you’re using doesn’t come close to touching the water. The steam from the simmering water will gently melt the chocolate.
Makes: 9-12 brownies
Adapted from Love and Olive Oil

Birthday Cake Oreo Brownies

Yesterday was Oreo’s 100th birthday and to celebrate they came out with a Birthday Cake flavored Oreo which tastes a bit like a regular Oreo mixed with Funfetti Cake batter- basically, it’s delicious. Of course I had to buy a package to see what they were like, but I knew it would be dangerous to have a package of opened Oreos sitting around the house, so I decided to bake them into some brownies. These dense, chocolatey brownies would be delicious with or without Oreos, but the addition of Birthday Cake Oreos makes them extra good!

If you can’t find the Birthday Cake Oreos feel free to use the regular kind, the brownies will be delicious either way!

Birthday Cake Oreo Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dutch-process cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tbl. vanilla
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
  • 1 cup flour
  • 20 Birthday Cake Oreos (or regular Oreos), coarsely chopped.
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, salt and baking powder then set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once fully melted, stir in the sugar and continue heating for 1-2 minutes until hot.
  4. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cocoa mixture followed by the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and stir until smooth, then add the chopped Oreos.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the edges are set but the center still looks soft. Enjoy!
Source: Bake at 350

Fluffernutter Blondies

In my hometown where I grew up, there used to be a lunch spot that had the most amazing sandwiches, soups and baked goods. One of the items on their menu was a grilled fluffernutter sandwich, it was one of those things I always drooled over but never actually ordered. The restaurant went out of business a few years ago, before I ever got the chance to try their fluffernutter sandwich. Since then, I’ve come to realize that you should never turn down the option to eat something with fluffernutter in the name!

These blondies are loaded with mini Reese’s cups and peanut butter with swirls of marshmallow cream- basically everything you could hope to have in a blondie. Be warned though, they are pretty rich, so cut small pieces!

Fluffernutter Blondies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 8 oz. bag Mini-Reeses
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup Marshmallow Fluff
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk the baking soda, salt and flour together until combined, then set aside.
  3. Cream butter and peanut butter together in a mixer, then add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter cups and chocolate chips.
  5. Spread the batter in the bottom of a pan then drop the marshmallow cream in tablespoon sized dollops over the surface. Use a knife to swirl into the batter.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the side comes out clean, don’t overbake. Allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Adapted from Cookies and Cups

Gooey Cookies ‘n Cream Bars

Marshmallow Cream and Oreos. Basically, that’s all you need to know about these bars. Well, there’s also Cookies ‘n Cream chocolate bars and a top and bottom cookie layer with Oreo crumbs mixed in.

All together, these bars are fantastic, which is a good thing since they’re a little time-consuming to put together. The actual mixing part is very straight forward, but the dough is on the sticky side, as is the marshmallow cream. Layering everything together did test my patience a little bit, but, turn on some good music and it won’t be too bad. Plus- the gooey end result will be more than worth it!

Gooey Cookies ‘n Cream Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Oreo crumbs
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped Oreos
  • 2 king-sized Cookies ‘n Cream candy bars (e.g. Hershey’s)*
  • 3 cups marshmallow creme
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cookie crumbs, baking powder and salt.
  3. Cream the sugar and butter together until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  4. Place half the dough in the prepared pan and press evenly using the back of a greased spoon on your fingers. Put the remaining dough in the fridge to chill for a few minutes. Break the Cookies ‘n Cream bars into chunks and place them evenly across the dough. Scatter the Oreo chunks across the top. Use a small spoon to put little dollops of the marshmallow cream all over the surface. Take the remaining dough out of the fridge. Scoop out a tablespoon or two sized ball of dough and flatten it into a ‘shingle’ then place it on top of the marshmallow cream. Continue with the rest of the dough, it doesn’t have to make a perfectly smooth layer over the top, it’s fine if some marshmallow or Oreo are sticking through.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, the top should be slightly browned. Let them cool before using the edges of the tin foil to lift the bars out of the pan. Eat at room temperature, or pop them in the microwave 30 seconds to heat them up. Enjoy!
Adapted from Willow Bird Baking

Toffee Club Bars

I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve made these bars, they’re always a huge hit. The combination of sweet and salty is one of my favorites, and these Toffee Club Bars have just the right ratio with the salty crackers, sweet toffee like filling, and smooth chocolate topping. In addition to being delicious, they are quick and easy to make too- you don’t even need to turn on the oven!

Toffee Club Bars

Ingredients

  • Club crackers, about 1 1/2 sleeves
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
Directions
  1. Place a layer of Club crackers in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
  2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, white sugar, butter and milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Pour half of the mixture in the pan and add a layer of Club crackers. Pour the remaining graham cracker mixture on top, and then add one more layer of Club crackers. You should have three layers of Club crackers with two layers of the graham cracker mixture in between.
  4. In a double boiler, combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir occasionally until melted, then pour evenly over the top layer of Club crackers. Let the chocolate cool before cutting bars.
Source: All Recipes

Biscoff White Chocolate Chip Blondies

I’m totally hooked on Biscoff Spread. If you haven’t had it before, it tastes a bit like a combination of cinnamon and ginger snap, basically, it’s delicious. A few months ago I made some Chocolate Biscoff Brownies, which were a big hit. This time, I wanted some blondies that really highlighted the Biscoff flavor.

Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of cake-like blondies or brownies, I like mine chewy and these Biscoff Blondies definitely hit the mark on texture. They have a nice cinnamony flavor which pairs great with the white chocolate chips.

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Chicago Metallic

Biscoff White Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup Biscoff Spread
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8 x 8 inch pan with tin foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray
  2. Melt the butter in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl, add 3/4 cup white chocolate chips. Let sit for a minute to allow the chips to soften and then stir until smooth. If necessary, place the bowl back in the microwave for a few seconds.
  3. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the melted butter/white chocolate chip mixture, eggs and Biscoff. Stir to combine and then add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips.
  4. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool and then cut into squares.
Makes: 12 blondies
Source: Picky Palate