Alice in the Kitchen

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

A friend shared this blog post with me awhile back and I gave these little beauties a try.  They are easy and oh-so-good!  Highly recommend you make them.  Today.

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and well-combined.

3. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until the ingredients are well-combined. Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

4. Place the Oreo cookie crumbs in a small bowl. Scoop the cookies into about 1½ to 2″ balls and then roll in the cookie crumbs. Place the cookie balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed.

5. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

These taste like pumpkin pie in bar form (if that wasn’t obvious from the title), except they are even better.  Boring pie crust is replaced with a buttery dense cake.  Although I didn’t have any, a dollop of cool whip would make these just unbeatable.

You need

Crust:

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

These little rainbow fruit kabobs don’t really require a recipe or ingredients, but they really are very pretty and make a gorgeous display for a party.

You need:

• Raspberries or strawberries
• Cantaloupe cubes
• Pineapple chunks
• kiwi cubes
• blueberries
• red grapes or blackberries

Cut up your fruit and assemble on a skewer – arrange on a platter – and you’re done!

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

These peanut butter bars taste just like peanut butter cups.  Nothing more to say except make them, love them, share them.

You need:

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended.  Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased (or lined) 9×13 inch pan.

In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Spread over the prepared crust.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Gooey Toffee Bars

These little bites of heaven are one of the many versions of “gooey butter cake” – a name that can be very misleading to a Southern girl like me!  Gooey butter cake is a type of cake traditionally made in the midwest.  It is a flat and dense cake made with cake flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, typically near an inch tall, and dusted with powdered sugar.  They are generally cut and served like brownies – so that’s why I’m calling them bars – these aren’t like any cake I’ve ever made!!

I think you’ll love these rich treats – they’re a little non-traditional, but they taste amazing!  They are definitely one of the best desserts I make!

You need:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (fine to substitute vanilla extract)
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup Heath bits
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease a 13×9 baking pan.

Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick of butter and mix well.  Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, then add the eggs and vanilla bean paste.  Add the powdered sugar and beat well.  Next, slowly pour in butter.  Lastly, fold in the toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.  Bake for 40 minutes – but don’t overbake!  Your center should still be “gooey” – mine only took about 30 minutes!

Remove from oven and cool – then cut into squares.  Enjoy!