White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Happy #nationalbrownieday!

I’m re-posting one of my favorite brownie recipes for the special occasion. Just FYI, these are basically all butter.  These aren’t “every day brownies,” these are definitely “special occasion brownies.”  But, like I said, #nationalbrownieday is a special occasion.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 c. butter (yes, two sticks… did I mention this isn’t a healthy recipe?)

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

2  c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling:
(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. packed light brown sugar  

1/2 c. granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. white chocolate chips

Chocolate Glaze:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp. shortening

Directions:

1. Brownies: Prepare 13×9″ baking pan by laying a piece of foil in the bottom and up the sides.  Spray with cooking spray or butter the foil.

2. Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a medium saucepan; add cocoa, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool slightly. 

3. Add sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla; beat with a spoon until combined.
4. Add flour and baking powder; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread batter into pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
6. Cookie dough: Combine first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and cream together.  Add flour and stir until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Spread in an even layer on top of cooled brownies.  Chill before adding chocolate glaze.
8. Glaze: Melt chocolate with shortening and stir until smooth.  Spread over chilled cookie dough layer.

Lemon Cookie Cheesecake Bars

I absolutely love springy, lemony recipes.  I’d been looking for a good one and when I found Pillsbury’s Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bar recipe, I knew it would be perfect with lemon flavoring.  I’m a huge cheesecake fan and an even bigger lemon cheesecake fan.  Who doesn’t love creamy lemon desserts?

So, here’s my version of the delicious chocolate chip cheesecake bars:

Recipe from:  Pillsbury and Let’s Dish

Ingredients:
Cheesecake:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg

Cookie dough:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1-½ cups flour
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. 

Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Cookie dough: Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add in the egg and continue beating.  Next, add the rest of the ingredients and slowly mix until it’s all thoroughly combined. 
3. Cheesecake: In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth.

4.  In an 8×8 inch pan, break up half of cookie dough. Press dough evenly in the bottom of the pan to make the crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough. Crumble the remaining half of the dough over the cream cheese mixture.

5.  

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 minutes. Chill and store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

I just need to tell you guys that Brandy is awesome because without her, I would have never discovered these gems.

I made these cheesecake cookie bars for my family a couple of weeks ago and they were devoured in a day.  Mind you, my family consists of my mom and dad… that’s it.  We have dessert issues.

If you like cheesecake, you’ll like these.  If you like cookie dough, you’ll like these.  If you like them both, you’ll love these.

Also, to add to how happy these cheesecake bars make me, I’m just going to post some more things that are making me happy right now  (*Note: the only pictures that are mine are the cheesecake bar photos):

 

What are you loving right now??

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
From:  Brandy

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8″ square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.

3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside. (*Note: This mixture is going to be dry…that’s okay. You’re going to crumble it on top of the cheesecake layer.)

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Use your hands to form “clumps” of the cookie dough, smoosh it together and flatten it out.  Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.

6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ball Bites

I’m taking a Digital Media class right now and loving it.  I’m learning so much.

We have to “make a blog” for an assignment.  Unfortunately, when someone asked “Do we have to make a new blog if we already have one?” my professor said yes.  So I have to create a new blog.  My idea is to make a blog that relates to this one and have a tab that sends you to my new one.  The only problem is that I have no idea what I could do that would relate to this.  Please give me ideas! 🙂

Today, we talked about keywords and I found the lesson really helpful for bloggers who use advertising on their sites, so I’m going to give you a few tips that I learned today.

1. Be general, yet very specific.  How helpful, right? Ha! What this means is that when using a label or keyword, use more than one and make one super broad and the other super specific.  That way, you’ll (to  put it how my professor put it) “stand out as the bright fish in the millions of fish caught in the net." 
2. Use Google’s Keyword Tool.  Use your resources!  This is an easy tool that helps sort which keywords you should use and which ones you shouldn’t.
3. Use the keywords in the labels/keywords section and in the header, body, and even your URL.  Don’t just save the keywords for the keyword section.  Use them as much as possible!  
4. Realize how important keywords are.  Without keywords, your blog won’t get recognized.  You may have really good content, but no way to get recognized because your keywords aren’t very good.
5. Use keywords with a high CPC.  CPC is the cost per click.  The more clicks you get on your ads, the more money you make, so the CPC is something you should be checking out.  You can check that here and here. 
6. Use this site to analyze what keywords other websites are using.  Use the URL’s of big websites to see what they use to get recognized.

If you all have any ideas for a "sister” site to What Katie’s Baking, I’d absolutely love to hear them!


What other keyword tips do you have?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ball Bites
Adapted from: Joy the Baker

Ingredients: 


2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda (i know we’re not baking them, it’s for flavor)
¾ teaspoons salt
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter
1 ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips, melted for dipping

1 stick (½ cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine.  Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine. (I used applesauce, but peanut butter would be so good!)
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Scoop large spoonfuls or ice cream scoops onto a  waxed paper lined cookie sheet.  Spear each dough ball with a cute plastic fork, Popsicle stick, or cut-up straw.  Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.
4. When ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan over a low flame or in the microwave.  Remove balls from the freezer and dip into warm chocolate.  Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden.  Serve cold from the freezer.

White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Are you guys excited for the 4th of July?

I am, and I’ve got lots of goodies for you from Edible Gifts Plus!

FUN, FESTIVE AND PATRIOTIC GIFTS AND GOODIES
FOR THE 4^TH OF JULY
 

Oreo Stars and Stripes Cookies ($1.95 each) and Oreo Party Stars Cookies ($1.95 each) make for great treats as they are America’s favorite cookie dipped in chocolate and decorated with patriotic stars and stripes designs.

 
 

 

Cake Pops($2 each)  are also an excellent and fun addition to any gathering, with a rich rudgy double chocolate cake mixed with just the right amount of cream cheese filling and drenched in white chocolate or milk chocolate coating. Beautiful designs top these mouthwatering treats off.

 

 

The Big Patriotic Heart Cookie($35.50) and Patriotic Giant Fortune Cookie ($29.50) are larger than life goodies that everyone can share. The Big Patriotic Heart Cookie measures a memorable 9-10”. The Patriotic Giant Fortune Cookie weighs in at over one pound and is nearly the size of a football.

 

 

Weighing over 1.5lbs, the Jumbo Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Apple with Patriotic Stripes ($25.95) is a sweet and delicious choice for sharing at gatherings or for sending to a loved one.

 

 

Whether they’re near or far, honor your favorite military member with the American Dream Lollipop Bouquet ($41.95) or the Happy 4^th of July Patriotic Cookie Bouquet ($53.95). The American Dream Lollipop Bouquet features a festive collection of hard candy lollipops, while the Happy 4^th of July Patriotic Cookie Bouquet features hand-decorated red, white and blue cookies with your personal message displayed on the center cookie.

 

 

Don’t forget to thank the host! Do so with the Grill Master Cookie Bouquet ($53.95), featuring delicious cookies hand-decorated as everyone’s favorite barbecue items and with your personal message displayed on the center cookie.

While you’re waiting for your yummy gifts to arrive, you should make these brownies.  

Kellen was coming back from visiting home and I wanted to make him something special.  He’s been wanting brownies for the past couple of weeks and I wanted to make him brownies, but I’ve already put two brownie recipes on here, so I had to make them different.  That’s when I started brainstorming.  Since he loves cookie dough ice cream, why wouldn’t he love cookie dough brownies?

Well, I guess he did because he said they’re the “best brownies he’s ever had”.  Pretty tough to beat if you ask me!  They aren’t as time consuming as I thought either.  Perfect brownies.  

White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Adapted from: One Ordinary Day

1 c. butter

¾ c. unsweetened cocoa

2  c. granulated sugar

½ tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ c. white chocolate chips

Prepare 13×9″ baking pan by laying a piece of foil in the bottom and up the sides.  Spray with cooking spray or butter the foil.

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a medium saucepan; add cocoa, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Add sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla; beat with a spoon until combined.  Add flour and baking powder; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread batter into pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool completely before moving on to the next step.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling: 
(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. packed light brown sugar  

½ c. granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. white chocolate chips

Combine first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and cream together.  Add flour and stir until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread in an even layer on top of cooled brownies.  Chill before adding chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. Crisco shortening

Melt chocolate with shortening and stir until smooth.  Spread over chilled cookie dough layer.

P.S. I got my hair done!

Gooey Surprise Cupcakes

All I know right now is that these are possibly the best cupcakes ever invented.  I wish I could be the one to take credit for them, but that credit goes to lovestohost on All Recipes. 

I made these cupcakes…cookies… cookcakes… for a friend’s birthday.  She said she wanted a cake… with cookies in it.  I’m sure she would agree that this is the best cupcake ever.

I followed the recipe to a tee and I even cheated and used box cake mix like the recipe calls for.  I hate using box cake mix, but I was strapped for time and it was convenient.  The only thing I did differently was add chocolate frosting, which I recommend!!  The cookie dough doesn’t bake in these, because it’s frozen beforehand, but it gets all melty and gooey.  I really need to broaden my adjectives…   I’ll work on that if you guys please try this recipe!!

Gooey Surprise Cupcakes
All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
•  
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs

Directions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 16 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter.  Add in the vanilla.
• Alternate adding in the powdered sugar mixture and the milk until fully combined.
• Make a mess like me and pipe your frosting on.  Or not… just use a knife.

**Everyone go check out Colleen’s giveaway

Cupcake