Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

Although I do really love a good cookie, there's something about cookie dough that is SO much better. I love cookie dough! In my ice cream, in my cupcakes, and definitely in my fudge. 

This tasty treat is suuuuper sweet and perfect in small quantities. It would pair wonderfully with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. And a major plus is that there's no baking involved. It's just mixing stuff together and sticking it in the fridge! 

Don't let the terrible photo fool you, this is a dessert that everybody will want to try!

What You'll Need:
cookie dough:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 cup flour 
fudge:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips 

What To Do:
Line an 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside. 

To prepare cookie dough: combine butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, salt, and cream. Add flour and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Set aside.

To prepare fudge: in a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and cream. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and slowly stir in powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add more powdered sugar as necessary for taste and texture (the more sugar, the sweeter and firmer the fudge will be).

Add cookie dough to the fudge base and stir to combine. Ensure that the mixture is at room temperature before stirring in the chocolate chips. Once combined, spread fudge into the prepared pan. Chill for four hours or until set. Cut into squares and enjoy with a glass of milk! 


Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

Instant Soft Serve

This is a perfect little sinless treat. It's great for anyone who is lactose intolerant, vegan or cutting out processed sugars (just cut the Nutella)! You don't even need the added chocolate flavors because it's delicious with just the banana. 

Consider adding in peanut butter, your favorite jam/jelly, or other fruit to create a variety of flavors!

Here's how easy it is.

What You'll Need:

(serves 1)

1 frozen banana

1 tbsp cocoa

1 tbsp Nutella

splash of milk (optional)

sprinkles

What To Do:

Break frozen banana into smaller pieces and place in food processor. Process banana until you have a smooth, creamy texture. Note that, at first, the banana will just break into tiny frozen pieces but as it melts it will whip up into a soft-serve-esque consistency. If your banana isn't melting/blending, add your splash of milk. Add the cocoa and Nutella (or whatever flavors you'd like) and process until blended. Scoop out into a cute ice cream dish and top with sprinkles! 

adapted from ideas seen at Use Real Butter and Freelance Food

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

We whipped these up for youth Bible study on Valentine's Day.

I happened to forget to bring Graham cracker crumbs 

and chocolate to drizzle on it,

but these were still deeelicious and pretty! 

I saw the idea on Pinterest and checked out

this this and this

What You'll Need:

1 lb strawberries

1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature 

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

graham cracker crumbs

semisweet baking chocolate 

What To Do:

Using a small knife, hollow out the strawberries. Try to go as deep as you can without puncturing the bottom. Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until well combined and fluffy. Fill a piping bag (or a plastic ziploc bag) with cream cheese mixture and pipe into the strawberries. I didn't, but you can totally dip the end in graham cracker crumbs, and drizzle with melted chocolate. 

Now these are a little labor intensive 

but I had four awesome students helping me out

so it went pretty quickly! 

And they were definitely easier than these guys from last year

I think even though valentine's day has come and gone,

these would make a special treat for any day. 

I would sure feel loved if someone made them for me! 

hint, hint ;)

Happy Friday y'all! 

Chocolate Trifle

This is my mom's secret weapon.

Every holiday, every family get together- this is her most requested dish.

And the best part is that it's SO easy.

There's no baking involved; just prepare each layer and assemble!

Here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

6 tbsp butter, melted

2 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix

4 cups milk

Cool Whip

optional- Oreo cookies

Instructions:

First, combine the pudding mix with cold milk. Whisk for a couple of minutes until it thickens

Stick it in the fridge to set until you need it later.

Mix your graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Once combined, press into a clear dish- you'll want to see all the layers!

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until soft and smooth. 

Spread over the crust.

Here you'll notice that I got in a big hurry and stopped taking pictures of every step.

Imagination is key, here.

Pull your pudding out of the fridge. If you'd like, crumble Oreo cookies into it and mix it all together. Then spread that over the cream cheese layer.

Finally, empty your container of Cool Whip over the top and smooth out. You can garnish with cookie crumbs, but I like the simplicity of smoothed Cool Whip.

And that's done! 

If you have individual dessert glasses or martini glasses or even shot glasses, this would be simple to prepare in individual portions for an impressive presentation.

For this, press crust into the bottom of the glass.

Put each cream cheese, pudding and Cool Whip in individual Zip Lock bags.

Cut off a bottom corner of the bag and squeeze each layer into dish.

Garnish with an Oreo!

And seriously if anyone wants to buy me a camera, the iPod pics could be much improved

But you get the idea, right? :)