New products from Trader Joe’s continually make my day. My Halloween Pumpkin Quesadillas, Yuzu Miso Mahi Mahi, and Vanilla Joe-Joe Strawberry Cheesecake just wouldn’t have been the same without their orange quesadillas, Yuzu Citrus Tisane Beverage, and Vanilla Joe-Joes, respectively. And now TJs has come to the rescue one again!

A few months ago, I fell in love with Ben and Jerry’s Late Night Snack, a luscious vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge covered potato chips and ribbons of salty caramel, which was created my Jimmy Fallon. Mmm, the combo of flavors was just so unique and addicting that after my first bite, I immediately thought a cookie with similar flavors would also be fantastic. Unfortunately, my first two attempts to whip them up were utter failures because putting potato chips in cookie dough just doesn’t work so well – the flavor is muted and they don’t stay crispy. Luckily, my problem was solved the other day when I noticed Trader Joe’s is now selling milk chocolate covered potato chips – what a genius idea! Instead of baking potato chips into the dough, I decided to top my cookies with these chips instead.

I topped sugar cookie bars with a layer of Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce and a bit of pretzel crumble (because pretzels are also one of my favorite late night snacks!) and then sprinkled some chopped milk covered potato chips on top as soon as they came out of the oven. The chocolate melted just enough to adhere the chips to the bars, but the potato chips stayed nice and crispy – yum! Oh, and while I will continue to buy the chocolate covered potato chips from Trader Joe’s because I tend to make a huge mess whenever I temper chocolate, you could certainly make them yourself if you don’t have a TJs nearby!

Late Night Snack Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pretzel crumbs (I pulsed a handful of pretzels in the food processor until crumbs formed)
1/3 cup Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe’s (from a 10 ounce jar)
1 cup lightly chopped Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips from Trader Joe’s

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract; stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Place 1/4 cup dough in a medium bowl and stir in pretzel crumbs until well incorporated. Spread remaining dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350˚F or until dough is puffed in the center. Remove from oven and evenly spread caramel sauce on top with back of a spoon, leaving edges to the bars around the outside of the pan. Crumble pretzel dough evenly on top and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately top with chopped chocolate covered potato chips. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

Nutrition: 205 calories, 9.9g fat, 0.8g fiber, 2.5g protein per bar
Cost: $0.42 per bar

I’m finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit!  I’ve been humming along to Christmas carols and doing a bit of online gift shopping. I love finding the perfect little something for everyone. I’ve also already squeezed in a little holiday baking!

I made my first batch of cookies this weekend to share at Shannon’s annual cookie swap! There were tons of decadent treats and such lovely company – Boston really has the best food blogging community. To check out what everyone brought (and vote for your favorite cookie!), check out Shannon’s recap here.

My bar cookie contribution was centered around warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves), an ooey gooey layer of caramel, and a crunchy pecan topping. After whipping up a spiced sugar cookie dough, I mixed a small portion of it with both ground and chopped pecans. I baked the remaining dough, topped the partially baked bars with caramel sauce, and then crumbled the pecan dough on top and finished the up in the oven. Yum!

Spiced Caramel Pecan Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground pecans (I pulsed whole pecans in the food processor until ground)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 10-ounce jar Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe’s 

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract; stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Place 1/2 cup dough (4.5 ounces) in a medium bowl and stir in ground and chopped pecans; knead until the nuts are well incorporated. Spread remaining dough in bottom of a greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350˚F or until light golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and evenly spread caramel sauce on top. Crumble pecan dough evenly on top and bake an additional 13 to 17 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

Nutrition: 201 calories, 11.5g fat, 1.1g fiber, 2.3g protein per bar
Cost: $0.26 per bar

Whenever I need a little afternoon pick me up at work, I head over to the Starbucks across the street from my lab. I was never really into coffee until a few years ago when I tried lattes – mmm, just thinking about them makes me smile, and since a latte is mostly protein-packed milk, it’s a pretty healthy snack…..right? I especially love going during the holiday season because of all the festive choices – caramel crème brulee, pumpkin, gingerbread – so good! Peppermint mochas are also one of my favorites and I was inspired to make some fun brownie bites with this flavor combination.

I stirred espresso powder and peppermint extract into my brownie batter and baked little brownie cups in a mini muffin pan. As soon as they came out of the oven, I made an indentation in each one with the back of a teaspoon and then filled the valleys with a peppermint espresso chocolate ganache. After the ganache set, I topped them with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Crushed peppermint candies would be a great garnish too. These would be perfect for a holiday party!

Peppermint Mocha Brownie Bites
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Brownie Bites:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (I used this one)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Toppings:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
24 tablespoons whipped cream (I just used a spray can)
2 1/2 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the brownie bites, heat oven to 350°F. Microwave the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwavable bowl at high power until the butter is melted, about 1 minute. Stir until smoth, then mix in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and then add in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt until a smooth batter forms; stir in peppermint extract. Evenly spread batter into 24 cups of a greased mini muffin pan. Bake at 350°F for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Immediately press the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon into each brownie to make a round indentation in each mini brownie bite. Let brownies cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack and let brownies cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the ganache by placing regularly sized chocolate chips, heavy cream, and espresso powder in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Continue stirring until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, microwaving 10 additional seconds, if needed; stir in peppermint extract. Evenly spoon ganache into the indentation of each mini brownie cup. Place in the refrigerator and cool for an hour or until set. Right before serving, top each bite with 1 tablespoon whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Makes 12 servings of 2 brownie bites each.

Nutrition: 260.4 calories, 15.6g fat, 1.3g fiber, 2.7g protein per serving
Cost: $0.47 per serving

We’re at the San Francisco airport right now, and I’m feeling quite productive working on a blog post while we wait to board our flight to New Zealand! We’re so excited to explore the country and take a much needed break from the daily grind. We’re already off to a great start – we somehow scored exit row seats for the 13 hour flight and enjoyed surprisingly delicious sushi at the airport.  The only downside is that we won’t really be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, but if we were home, I know I’d be making this dessert (along with pumpkin pie, of course!).

I started by baking up an oatmeal cookie crust in a tart pan and then filled it with a white chocolate cheesecake and a tart topping made from dried cranberries and lignonberry jam from IKEA. It’s just perfect for any holiday celebration and yes, that’s a Christmas placemat – apparently I got it out early this year!  I’m hoping to post about once a week while we’re traveling since I really love blogging, but we’ll see how it goes.  I hope everyone in the states has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tart with an Oatmeal Cookie Crust and Cranberry Topping
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Oatmeal Cookie Crust:
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups instant oats

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:
2/3 cups white chocolate chips
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cranberry Topping:
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup lingonberry jam
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the oatmeal cookie crust, heat oven to 350˚F. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until creamed. Mix in vanilla extract and egg; stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until soft dough forms. Stir in oats and press cookie crust dough evenly in greased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom, bake 15 minutes at 350˚F or until light golden brown at the edges and puffed in the middle.

To make the cheesecake filling, place white chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir until smooth. Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl, stopping to scrape side occasionally, until smooth. Mix in eggs, the melted white chocolate chips, and vanilla extract until smooth. Carefully pour cheesecake mixture into the center of the partially baked cookie crust (the cookie will deflate), leaving a crust around the outside edges. Bake at 350˚F for 28 to 32 minutes or until cheesecake is set around edges and centers are almost set but just slightly wiggly. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely set and chilled.

To make the cranberry topping, place cranberries and jam in a food processor and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Spread topping evenly over the cheesecake filling and top with white chocolate chips. Makes 16 servings.

Nutrition: 412 calories, 22.7g fat, 3.0g fiber, 5.3g protein per seving
Cost: $0.47 per serving

So, I had this idea to make some Nutella mousse – slightly sweetened whipped cream mixed with a generous amount of chocolate hazelnut goodness. My original plan was to top some cute little brownie cups with it, but umm, by the time the brownies were cooled, there was only enough mousse left to top half the batch…no idea what happened to the rest of the mousse. No problem though, because I got a photo of the finished product and that’s all that counts, right?

Apolinaras always jokes that Nutella should be banned from recipe contests because it makes everything so delicious that using it is kind of like cheating. I have to agree with him – this mousse is just way too addicting!

Nutella Brownie Cups
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Brownie Cups:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Nutella

Nutella Mousse:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Nutella
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the brownie cups, heat oven to 350˚F. Microwave the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwavable bowl at high power until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir until combined, then mix in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and then add in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour and salt; stir in Nutella until smooth. Line a regular muffin tin with 12 paper cups and evenly divide brownie batter between the cups. Bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and immediately use the back of a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon to make a round depression in the center of each cup. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Nutella mousse. Place heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a well chilled large bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in Nutella until smooth. Top cooled brownie cups evenly with Nutella mousse and mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate for an hour or until set and remove paper liners. Makes 12 cups.

Nutrition: 446 calories, 27.4g fat, 1.4g fiber, 5.2g protein per cup
Cost: $0.60 per cup

I may have a hard time remembering most facts, but my memory is almost perfect when it comes to recalling the details of remarkable meals. Two of my very favorite desserts we enjoyed while living in Chicago featured bananas. We devoured crispy cannoli shells filled with caramelized bananas and salted caramel ice cream from Meritage Wine Bar, which unfortunately has since closed. I remember seriously contemplating ordering another one – it was that good! Another favorite of mine was the banana wafer pudding at Pappadeaux, which I think is actually a chain seafood restaurant. I had never indulged in this Southern specialty before and fell in love after my first bite. So, it’s about time bananas get some dessert love on my blog!

My favorite pre- or post-workout snack is a banana covered with peanut butter, so I ran with this flavor combination and broke out my trifle dishes again. I filled them to the brim with layers of peanut butter cookie chunks, peanut butter mousse, and caramelized bananas. The bananas, perhaps not surprisingly, were my favorite part!

Peanut Butter and Banana Parfaits
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Cookie Chunks:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Caramelized Bananas:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Peanut Butter Mousse:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
To make the peanut butter cookie chunks, heat oven to 350˚F. Mix butter and sugar until creamed in a large bowl. Mix in egg and peanut butter until smooth; stir in flour and salt. Spread dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch square pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into 64 squares (you’ll only need 48 squares for the parfaits, so you’ll have 16 left over for nibbling!).

To make the caramelized bananas, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put the sliced bananas in a 13×9-inch baking dish and pour in the butter mixture. Toss the bananas until well coated with the mixture and spread evenly in the pan. Roast at 350˚F for 13 to 17 minutes or until softened and caramelized.

Meanwhile, make the peanut butter mousse. Place heavy cream and vanilla extract in a well chilled large bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

To assemble the parfaits, spread a thin layer of peanut butter mousse over the bottom of 6 mini trifle dishes. Top with four peanut butter cookie chunks and some caramelized bananas. Layer once more the peanut butter mousse, and four cookie chunks. Top with remaining peanut butter mousse and caramelized bananas. Makes 6 large parfaits (18 servings).

Nutrition: 437 calories, 28.0g fat, 2.9g fiber, 7.9g protein per serving
Cost: $1.03 per serving

I’ve still got mini cheesecakes on my mind. You can never have too many around, right? Well, I suppose that’s not entirely true, but people are usually happy to help out with any surplus goodies!

For this version, I mixed some rosemary into the cheesecake batter. Our rosemary plant is super hearty and growing out of control, so I’m always brainstorming ways to use up some of its leaves. This is tougher than it sounds since a small bit of rosemary goes such a long way!  I really enjoyed the little something special it added.

For the crust, I pulsed up some graham crackers and pine nuts, and then I smothered the cheesecakes with a nice layer of caramel that dripped down the sides. Finally, I topped the caramel layer with some finely chopped apples cooked down with a little bit of butter and brown sugar. These cute minis are the perfect fall treat to make after you’ve been apple picking!

Mini Rosemary Cheesecakes with Caramel Apple Topping
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Mini Rosemary Cheesecakes:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (5 crackers pulsed into crumbs in the food processor)
1/4 cup pine nuts, pulsed until finely ground in the food processor
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

Caramel Apple Topping:
2 apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup caramel sauce (this is my favorite recipe)

Directions:
To make the mini cheesecakes, heat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 12-cup mini cheesecake pan with cooking spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, pine nuts, and melted butter in a small bowl. Distribute evenly among the cups of the mini cheesecake pan and push down evenly with your fingers. Bake at 350˚F for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Reduce oven heat to 300˚F. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in vanilla extract and rosemary. Pour into the cups of the mini cheesecake pans and bake at 300˚F for 20 minutes or until edges are set and middle is slightly wobbly. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until chilled and remove from the pan.

Meanwhile, make the caramel apple topping by placing apples, butter, and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat; sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, or until apples are softened and lightly browned. To serve the cheesecakes, evenly top with caramel sauce and the apples. Makes 12 mini cheesecakes.

Nutrition: 298 calories, 19.9g fat, 1.3g fiber, 3.9g protein per mini cheesecake
Cost: $0.62 per mini cheesecake

The ocean swim was a little tough because it was pretty windy so there were a bunch of choppy waves. Luckily, I’m a confident swimmer, so I just went for it and finished in 10:43.

I usually swim sub-25 minute miles during practice, so this was actually a little on the slow side for me, but then again it’s hard to compare pool and open water swims. Along with the waves and chilly water (most people had on wetsuits, but I just toughed it out), the shore conditions also slowed us all down a bit because the beach was really rocky!

Next up was the bike section. The course was beautiful and although it was still a little windy, there were only a couple of hills and most of the course was pretty flat.

Since I’m a little uncoordinated, I’ve begun wearing a camelback when I ride, and I love it – no more fears of dropping my water bottles! I did much better on my passing this year too and averaged 17 miles per hour.

I felt nice and strong during the 5K run and even felt like I could have kept going! This was a huge contrast to my last tri so I was really happy about it. My feet were a little numb/cold during the first mile, but they warmed up quickly and I averaged 9:01 per mile. Yay, all done!

Races are so fun and I can’t wait to do another one next year! One of my favorite parts of racing is seeing how cute Apolinaras is about them. He takes a ton of pictures while he’s cheering and always rushes over with extra layers of clothes because he’s worried I’ll get too cold when I’m done. I also really love how supportive the women tend to be of each other. It’s not uncommon for us to encourage each other during the race!

Anyway, during high school, we usually headed to Dairy Queen after summer swim meets, where I always devoured a Peanut Buster Parfait. So, today’s recipe is a little twist on one of my favorite refueling treats. These little cups have a bottom brownie layer and middle cheesecake layer. Then I mixed caramel with some peanuts to top them off. So good!

Mini Brownie Cheesecakes with Caramel Peanuts
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Layer:
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Peanut Layer:
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup caramel sauce (this is my favorite recipe)

Directions:
To make the brownie layer, heat oven to 350˚F. Microwave the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwavable bowl at high power until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir until combined, then mix in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and then add in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour and salt. Spread the brownie mixture evenly into 12 cups of a muffin pan lined with paper cups. Bake at 350˚F for 12 minutes .

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake layer. Place cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl and mix with a mixer for 2 minutes or until well combined. Beat in two eggs and vanilla extract, scraping down bowl, until well combined.

Spread cheesecake mixture evenly over 12 partially baked brownie cups. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set on edges and center is almost set but just slightly wiggly. Cool 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then remove from the tin and cool 15 minutes at room temperature on a wire rack. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour or until chilled.

To serve, remove paper muffin cups and place mini cheesecakes on serving plates. Place caramel sauce and roasted peanuts in a medium bowl and mix well. Spoon caramel coated nuts evenly over each mini brownie cheesecake. Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition: 385 calories, 25.6g fat, 1.0g fiber, 6.7g protein per cup
Cost: $0.73 per cup

What makes these birthday bars? The sprinkles! I just can’t resist desserts covered in sprinkles, and sugar cookies with a nice thick layer of frosting are one of my favorite treats.  I recently decided to bake up some fun sprinkle covered sugar cookies with my own special twist!

I love making bar cookies because they’re so easy to throw together. I mixed the perfect amount of lemon zest and almond extract into the cookie dough and topped the bars with an ooey gooey frosting made with cream cheese, lemon curd, and powdered sugar. And of course, added a healthy dose of sprinkles on top. My birthday isn’t until tomorrow, but I’ve been enjoying these all week!

Lemon Birthday Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup lemon curd
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sprinkles

Directions:
To make the bar cookies, heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg and almond extract; stir in flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Spread dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch square pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 350˚F or until light golden brown on the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

To make the frosting, place cream cheese and lemon curd in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread frosting evenly over cooled sugar cookie bars and top evenly with sprinkles. Cut into 16 bars.

Nutrition: 225 calories, 13.8g fat, 0.3g fiber, 2.9g protein per bar
Cost: $0.34 per bar

I’m always a little amazed about how much forgotten stuff we find when we’re packing. Our small kitchen has been literally been overflowing with cooking/baking supplies and I just found a brand new mini cheesecake pan hidden behind my fondant tools on top of one of our cabinets – oops. I was determined to use it before we actually moved so I made these delightful little cheesecakes.

The crust is made of crushed gingersnaps and the cheesecake filling is flavored with green tea powder, or matcha, which I scored from HMart, but can also be bought online from amazon. I added a little almond extract as well, since I’ve been in love with the stuff lately, most recently when I made almond cream cheese frosting to top the ginger chiffon cupcakes filled with mango mousse I saw on Shannon’s blog. They were for a work wedding shower and so good (congrats Libby!). I topped my little cheesecakes with fun pieces of crystallized ginger. These are the perfect size and I will not be forgetting about this pan anytime soon!

Mini Green Tea Cheesecakes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons matcha (green tea powder)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 small pieces of crystallized ginger, for garnish

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 12-cup mini cheesecake pan with cooking spray. Mix gingersnap cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Distribute evenly among the cups of the mini cheesecake pan and push down evenly with your fingers. Bake at 350˚F for 7 to 9 minutes or until set.

Reduce oven heat to 300˚F. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in matcha and almond extract. Pour into the cups of the mini cheesecake pans and bake at 300˚F for 20 minutes or until edges are set and middle is slightly wobbly. Garnish with crystallized ginger, if desired. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until chilled and remove from the pan. Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition: 238 calories, 16.7g fat, 0.2g fiber, 4.4g protein per mini cheesecake
Cost: $0.46 per mini cheesecake

I think Boston is a bit of a cold city. It’s not something I notice anymore on a daily basis, but when I’m visiting more friendly regions, I’m often struck by the joggers who nod and give you a smile as you run past and the eager store employees who go out of their way to help you. These things rarely happen here and the subway is especially a land of aloofness where people tend to avoid eye contact. I’ve found a way to warm people up though – simply tote a homemade dessert around with you.

I have a clear cake carrying case that I bring all my treats to work in with and not only do people tend to smile when they see a dessert inside, many go out of their way to strike up a friendly conversation. Usually they ask if I made it or what flavor it is or just compliment its appearance, but one guy surprised me by pulling a quart of milk out of his backpack and asking if we could split the cherry pie I was holding with everyone on the train if he provided the beverages!

Desserts always make people happy, but I think it’s more than that. I think people realize that a lot of love goes into taking time out of one’s busy schedule to bake something special for someone. And I think they’re drawn to that warmth. A cheesy sentiment perhaps, but wouldn’t the world be a better place with more homemade desserts?

I recently baked up a treat for the most important birthday boy – Apolinaras, who celebrated his big day last Friday. He usually requests a treat with pineapple and coconut, but this year he wanted a decadent raspberry and chocolate cake instead. Here’s what I came up with – a layer of chocolate cake baked in a springform pan topped with a bit of raspberry puree and a creamy raspberry mousse. I garnished it with some dark chocolate shavings and fresh berries. Apolinaras and his coworkers were big fans!

p.s. Apolinaras suggested the best trick for removing the cake from the bottom of the springform pan (apparently, he uses a similar technique to remove his racing badges from his car). After detaching the sides of the pan, nurse a piece of dental floss or fishing line carefully under the entire length of the cake – then you can just lift the cake off with a big spatula and put it on the dish you’d like to serve it on. This avoids someone accidently cutting up the bottom of your fancy pan with a sharp knife!

Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Puree:
12 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Raspberry Mousse:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For assembly:
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/2 ounce shaved dark chocolate

Directions:
To make the chocolate cake, heat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt together into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and mix again briefly. Pour cake batter into the prepared springform pan and bake at 350˚F for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for an hour or until completely cooled to room temperature.

To make the raspberry puree, place raspberries in a food processor and pulse until smooth, about one minute. Push puree through a fine mesh strainer into a pot to remove the seeds. Add sugar and lemon juice to the pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes, stirring frequently, or until sugar is dissolved. Cool 1/2 cup of the puree to room temperature (I stuck mine in the freezer for 15 minutes).

To make the raspberry mousse, place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a well chilled bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. Fold 1/2 cup cooled raspberry puree into the whipped cream until smooth.

To assemble the cake, poke cooled chocolate cake all over with a fork and evenly spread remaining 1/2 cup raspberry puree over the cake. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and massage the puree into the cake every 10 minutes. Top with raspberry mousse and garnish with fresh raspberries and shaved dark chocolate. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Remove from pan and smooth edges as needed. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition: 387 calories, 25.5g fat, 4.3g fiber, 4.2g protein per serving
Cost: $0.95 per serving

Every month when the dining hall menu was released during college, my roommates and I circled one day on the calendar. This was a day that was not to be forgotten. This was a day that we quickly scurried to lunch giddy with anticipation. This was a day that was simply all about “the bars” – cookie perfection in the form of layers of a buttery oatmeal crust, chocolate, and caramel.

We loved the bars so much, that no matter the weather, I threw on a huge sweatshirt and stuffed my baggy sleeves with stacks of cookies carefully wrapped up in paper napkins. Yes, I stole as many as of the bars as possible out of the dining hall, and yes, I would definitely do it again given the chance. We hoarded those bars of golden caramel goodness for days and savored each and every bite.

A couple years after I graduated, I stumbled upon the recipe for the bars, which apparently are officially known as Oatmeal Carmelitas. I was beyond incredibly excited that I could have the bars whenever I wanted! For years and years afterwards, I whipped them up anytime I needed to make a dessert to impress. And now, I finally want to honor one of the recipes that inspired my love of baking – this is a decadent chocolate and dulce de leche version of one of my very favorite treats in the whole world. Britt – my favorite partner in crime, this one is for you!

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 13.4-ounce can dulce de leche
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Place flour, oats, brown sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until butter and chocolate are melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Mix melted butter mixture into dry ingredients until crumb forms. Reserve 1/2 cup of crumb mixture. Place remaining crumb mixture in a greased 8×8-inch pan and press down evenly. Bake crust at 350˚F for 10 minutes.

Place dulce de leche and milk in a small bowl and mix well until smooth. Evenly spread dulce de leche over partially baked crust. Top evenly with chocolate chips and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate crumb mixture. Bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour at room temperature and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set. Cut into 16 bars and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition: 309 calories, 13.0g fat, 2.5g fiber, 4.7g protein per bar
Cost: $0.40 per bar

I’m so happy berries are finally in season! For the past couple of weeks we have just been annihilating as many as possible straight from the container – 2 pounds of blueberries only last a couple days around here. But, I’ve been yearning to use the new mini trifle dishes I scored from the Crate and Barrel outlet store during our trip to Portland, so I finally managed to set some fruit aside to use in these blueberry lemon trifles.

Lemons and blueberries are just made for each other. The trifles contain layers of a creamy lemon custard (well, it’s technically not a custard but it tastes just as indulgent as one – I simply mixed thick Greek yogurt with a bit of lemon curd from Trader Joe’s), a homemade blueberry sauce, fresh blueberries, and chunks of soft sugar cookies full of lemon zest, almond extract, and dried blueberries – SO good! I split an 8×8-inch pan of cookies into just 6 trifles, but if you want a lighter dessert you can certainly use less. These cute little desserts are perfect to enjoy at a summer dinner party because you can make all the components in advance and just assemble them right before serving.

p.s. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for an adorable apron from Shabby Apple!

Blueberry Lemon Trifles
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For Trifle Assembly:
3 cups vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt
6 tablespoons lemon curd
3 cups blueberries

Directions:
To make the cookies, heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg and almond extract; stir in flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Stir in dried blueberries. Spread dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch square pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into 64 squares (you’ll have 4 leftover for nibbling!).

To make the blueberry sauce, place blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and berries have broken down. Let cool about 10 minutes and then pulse in a food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds.

To assemble the trifles, whisk yogurt and lemon curd in a large bowl until smooth. Spread a thin layer of yogurt over the bottom of six mini trifle dishes. Top with five squares of cookie, a bit of blueberry sauce and some fresh blueberries. Layer once more the yogurt, five squares of cookie, a bit of blueberry sauce, and some fresh blueberries. Top with remaining yogurt, blueberry sauce, and garnish with fresh blueberries. Makes 6 trifles.

Nutrition: 564 calories, 22.5g fat, 3.8g fiber, 16.0g protein per trifle
Cost: $2.10 per trifle

I’m very excited to be featured on Jen’s blog, Beantown Baker, as part of her Friday Favs series today!  You’ll find my recipe there for these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups.  They have a peanut butter cookie bottom filled with a Reese’s cup and are topped with a layer of eggless peanut butter cookie dough and a touch of chocolate ganache.  I thought these would be the perfect little decadent treats to take to a summer potluck or BBQ. I’m going to my 10 year college reunion this weekend and then heading to a science conference in Rhode Island next week, so I hope you enjoy checking these out while I take a little break from my kitchen and computer!

Jen recently posted a beautiful carrot cake with a cheesecake filling that I thought was just genius. She was inspired to put the cheesecake layer in the center of the cake after seeing Erin’s mouth watering Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake. When my undergrad assistant Juliana’s birthday rolled around, she told me her favorite desserts were cheesecake with fruit topping and light yellow cake, so I was inspired by Jen and Erin to combine the two desserts into one marvelous treat. Everything went well at first. I baked up a layer of strawberry cheesecake two days before the celebration and then made the tender yellow cakes the night before. They stacked up nicely, but things quickly went downhill when I began to work on the strawberry cream cheese frosting I had dreamed up. I forgot to put the butter in and when I added some strawberry preserves it became a runny mess. When I realized it was beyond saving and that I was out of powdered sugar, cream cheese, and heavy cream, I started racking my brain for a quick frosting fix since the last thing I wanted to do was head out to the store at 12:30am!

I ended up hesitantly stirring up a box of instant vanilla pudding with a little milk and a few cups of Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt. It had a lovely light texture but was still thick enough to adhere to the cake! I added in some strawberry preserves for a little extra strawberry punch, frosted my cake, and fell into bed. Will this experience stop me from attempting new desserts the day before I need them? Nope, of course not!

Strawberry Cheesecake Filled Yellow Cake
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:
3 cups pureed strawberries (I pulsed 30 ounces strawberries in the food processor)
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yellow Cake:
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Strawberry Frosting and Garnish:
1 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding
1/4 cup milk
2 6-ounce containers Chobani Nonfat Strawberry Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup low sugar strawberry preserves
10 ounces strawberries, sliced

Directions:
To make the cheesecake layer, heat oven to 350˚F. Place strawberry puree in a small nonstick pan over medium low heat and heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until reduced to 1 cup. Let cool to room temperature. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in vanilla and cooled strawberry puree. Pour into a greased 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 350˚F for 60 minutes or until edges are set and middle is slightly wobbly. Cool to room temperature, about one hour. Place in the refrigerator for several hours or until chilled.

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350˚F. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt and sift the mixture into a large bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer in a large bowl until creamed. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly mix in half the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk, until smooth. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. Pour batter into two greased 8-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake cakes at 350˚F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the tops are light golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then run a knife around the edges of each cake. Flip over onto wire racks and cool cakes completely, about an hour.

To make the strawberry frosting, place vanilla pudding and milk in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Stir in yogurt and strawberry preserves. Chill in the refrigerator 5 minutes or until thickened.

To assemble the cake, place one layer of the yellow cake on a serving platter. Remove cheesecake from the pan and flip over on top of the yellow cake. Cut around the edges of the cheesecake layer so it fits the cake layer. Place second layer of yellow cake on top. Evenly cover with strawberry frosting and garnish with strawberries. Makes 20 servings.

Nutrition: 438 calories, 23.4g fat, 1.6g fiber, 9.2g protein per serving
Cost: $0.90 per serving

We lived in California when I was 3 years old and one of my favorite pastimes was picking lemons from the tree in our backyard. I actually only vaugely remember the lemon tree (apparently my mom had to routinely stop me from picking too many at once), but freshly squeezed lemonade has made me happy ever since then. Pink lemonade is my favorite and since the winter has just been dragging on and on here in Boston, I decided we needed a little taste of summer to cheer us up. Plus, Meyer lemons won’t be in season much longer and it’s about time I made something with them!

My sorbet contained lots of Meyer lemon juice and zest, frozen raspberries, sugar, and a touch of Cointreau to keep it from getting too icy. Mmm, the perfect winter/summer/anytime treat!

Pink Lemonade Sorbet
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
1 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon Cointreau
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Let cool 5 minutes. Place simple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and frozen raspberries in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Strain to remove raspberry seeds and stir in Cointreau and salt. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the package instructions (the mixture will be cold and ready to churn without refrigerating it first because of the frozen raspberries). Place in the freezer until it firms up, about an hour. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 218 calories, 0.5g fat, 0.7g fiber, 1.1g protein per serving
Cost: $1.45 per serving

We love sweet potatoes and always have them around, so when I saw the North Carolina Sweet Potato Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest had a kid friendly category, I immediately knew I wanted to enter. Apolinaras and I may not have children yet, but we’re both big kids at heart and are all about Pixar movies and Disney World! I’m already looking forward to cooking with our future kiddos and wanted to create a healthy dessert that kids would have enjoy helping out with in the kitchen and look forward to eating. So, I decided it would be fun to make little smiling sweet potato dessert cups that kids could help decorate.

Well, most of them were smiling, but my personal favorite was this one that was sticking out its tongue!

These sweet potato cups were inspired by the bottom layer of my Mini Sweet Potato Cheesecakes.  Although the cups contain cream cheese, they’re not nearly as heavy as cheesecake, and more like a light version of pumpkin pie filling, but with sweet potatoes!  To make them, I just stirred together mashed sweet potatoes, cream cheese, maple syrup, an egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Then I scooped the batter into muffin cups and decorated them with dried cranberries, dried cherries, and pecans. The cups set up beautifully in the oven and we enjoyed the creamy treats after chilling them in the refrigerator. Since they only have a touch of added sugar with the maple syrup and less than 100 calories a pop, you can feel good about your little guys (or in my case, my one big kid!) enjoying them.

Sweet Potato Cups
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked several times with a fork
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
A handful of edible decorations – dried cranberries, dried bing cherries, pecans, etc

Directions:
Heat oven to 400˚F. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for 1 hour or until fork tender. Cut the sweet potaotes in half, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, and mash well in a large measuring cup. Place 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes in a large bowl and let mashed potatoes cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 350˚F. Place cream cheese, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes and stir well. Scoop batter evenly into 10 cups of a muffin tin lined with papers. Decorate your sweet potato cups with dried cranberries, dried cherries, and pecans (I made fun faces!). Bake cups for 30 minutes at 350˚F or until set (the tops will feel firm). Cool completely to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until chilled. Makes 10 sweet potato cups.

Nutrition: 93 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.3g fiber, 2.3g protein per cup
Cost: $0.39 per cup

We have a drawer at work filled with snacks that help get us through the day. There are usually choices like pretzels, granola bars, nuts, chocolate, etc, but you’ll always find Trader Joe-Joe’s Vanilla Sandwich Crème Cookies (with real vanilla bean speckles!) because we’re completely addicted! I usually munch on one type of snack for a couple of weeks until I get sick of it and then move onto something else, but we just can’t get enough of these cookies. You have to go get a box if you haven’t tried them yet, and don’t go thinking you can substitute Golden Oreos or the brand from Whole Foods – we’ve tried them all and they’re not nearly as good!

So, when it was time to bring in a treat for Sima’s birthday, I knew I wanted to use Vanilla Joe-Joes! Sima requested cheesecake, so that made things pretty easy. I made a crust with the Joe-Joe’s and also stirred some cookies into the cheesecake itself. Then I topped the cheesecake with strawberries, spread on a layer of whipped cream, and garnished my creation with a few more Joe-Joe’s. Yes, there’s an entire box of cookies in this cheesecake and I wouldn’t have it any other way – this is the perfect celebratory dessert!

Vanilla Joe-Joe Strawberry Cheesecake
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust:
24 Trader Joe-Joe Vanilla Sandwich Crème Cookies, pulsed in the food processor into crumbs (2 1/4 cups crumbs)
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 coarsely chopped Trader Joe-Joe Vanilla Sandwich Crème Cookies (I cut mine in fourths, 2 cups)

Strawberries and Whipped Cream Topping:
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced (3 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
6 coarsely chopped Trader Joe-Joe Vanilla Sandwich Crème Cookies (I cut mine in fourths)

Directions:
To make the crust, heat oven to 350˚F. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9-inch springform pan, and press into a uniform layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cook crust for 10 minutes at 350˚F.

To make the cheesecake, combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. Gently stir in chopped cookies. Pour into prepared crust and bake at 350˚F for 60 minutes or until edges are set and middle is slightly wobbly. Cool to room temperature, about one hour. Place in the refrigerator for several hours or until chilled.

To make the topping, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Let the berries macerate for an hour at room temperature. Meanwhile, place cream and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl and use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until stiff peaks form. Immediately before serving, evenly spread strawberries over chilled cheesecake with a slotted spoon (note – if assembling the night before I suggest not macerating the strawberries so no juice runs out). Spread whipped cream on top of the strawberries and evenly sprinkle with chopped cookies. Makes 20 servings.

Nutrition: 400 calories, 30.0g fat, 1.3g fiber, 6.2g protein per serving
Cost: $0.62 per serving

Can you believe Valentine’s Day is just around the corner? Apolinaras and I don’t exchange presents or anything, but I do like the excuse to indulge in more chocolate than usual and I also enjoy going all out in the kitchen to make a really decadent meal. This year the festivities began early because I made these over the top heart cookies last week so I could share them with you before the 14th. I also received a fabulous box full of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Chocolates to sample. Mmm, their chocolate seashells have a praline truffle center enrobed by milk, dark, and white chocolate – divine! And, I have a cute Valentine’s day package of them to giveaway, so check out the details at the bottom of this post to enter to win.

But first, here are the cookies, which were inspired by the cute white and pink heart shaped sprinkles that jumped into my cart at the grocery store. I’m such a sucker for sprinkles and muffin cups with fun patterns – they get me every time! Luckily, I was at the store by myself, so I didn’t have to deal with any eye rolling from Apolinaras. Poor guy, a container of sprinkles from my stash always seems to fall out when he opens our baking cabinet. Then when he tries to put it back, another one gets pushed out since it’s literally overflowing with decorating supplies. I’ve shown him my technique to simply shove things in the back, but he likes things orderly and never takes my advice. I suppose I don’t follow his advice to stop buying sprinkles either though, haha.

Anyway, I eventually decided to make chocolate cookies in the shape of hearts. Of course I couldn’t stop there, and amped them up by putting a layer of eggless cookie dough on top, followed by ganache and the sprinkles. The cookie dough here is a classic chocolate chip without the chips. I figured if I was rolling the dough out to cut into hearts, that I wouldn’t want any hard pieces of chocolate getting in the way. As you probably know, playing with eggless cookie dough is one of my favorite past times, so if you try these, the trick to getting perfectly shaped hearts out of the dough is to grease you counter really well with butter and slightly chill the dough. SO good – I wish I still had some of these left!

To enter to win the chocolates, just leave a comment on this post letting me know what your ultimate Valentine’s Day meal would include. Entries must be in by Wednesday, February 16 at 11:59pm EST. Good luck and thanks Guylian!

The fine print: Guylian’s Chocolates sent me a variety of their goodies to sample, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine. The winner will be picked with random.org on Thursday, February 17 and announced shortly thereafter.

Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cookie Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cookie Dough Layer:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt

Ganache Layer:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Valentine’s Day sprinkles

Directions:
To make the chocolate cookies, place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and mix until well creamed; stir in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt until soft dough forms. Refrigerate for an hour or until well chilled. Heat oven to 350˚F. Spread a bit of extra cocoa powder out your counter and rolling pin and roll out chocolate dough to about 1/4–inch thick. Cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough (I got 17 cookies with my cookie cutter). Bake at 350˚F for 10 minutes or until set. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the eggless cookie dough. Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until creamed; add vanilla and milk and mix until well blended. Mix in flour and salt. Shape dough into a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled. Place chilled dough on a well greased surface (I spread butter on my counter before rolling out the dough each time), roll out to about 1/4-inch thick, and use the same heart cookie cutter to carefully cut out the same number cookie dough hearts as chocolate cookies you have. Place cookie dough layers on top of chocolate cookie layers.

To make the ganache, place chocolate chips and cream in a small microwavable bowl; microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Continue stirring until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Place dollaps of ganache on top of the cookie dough covered heart cookies and use the back of a spoon to spread ganache evenly over each cookie. Sprinkle evenly with sprinkles! Place cookies in the refrigerator for an hour or until ganache is set. Makes 17 cookies.

Nutrition: 351 calories, 18.0g fat, 1.7g fiber, 3.8g protein per cookie
Cost: $0.37 per cookie

I went to a super fun blogger event on Saturday – Shannon’s annual cookie swap! Last year I made cookies inspired by my very favorite ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby, and this year I wanted to incorporate Nestle’s Flipz White Fudge Coated Pretzels aka crack that I can never buy because I’ll finish the whole bag. I thought the pretzels would go well with chocolate cookies bars and then I spontaneously threw some graham crackers in the mix that were left over from this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie (yum – the perfect apple treat, I highly recommend the recipe!) and finished them off with some drizzled chocolate.  I really liked the contrast of the soft chocolate cookie and the crunchy goodies on top.

It was so fun catching up with everyone. Our mouth watering spread included Bridget’s Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Cara’s Peanut Butter Butterscotch Rice Krispy Treats, Elina’s Almond Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache, Jen’s Meyer Lemon Shortbread, and Shannon’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies. They were all fabulous and I was on a delightful sugar high the rest of the day. I’m already looking forward to next year – big thanks to Shannon for hosting!

Pretzel and Graham Cracker Chocolate Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped graham crackers
2 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate covered pretzels
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. Place butter and sugars in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until creamed. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Spread dough evenly in a greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350˚F for 15 minutes, then remove from oven, and gently press graham cracker and pretzel pieces into the dough. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature, about an hour. Place chocolate chips and cream in a bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds; mix until smooth. Drizzle over bars and cut into 24 rectangles.

Nutrition: 223 calories, 11.9g fat, 1.5g fiber, 3.0g protein per bar
Cost: $0.26 per bar