Molten Lava Cakes

These were York's Father's Day treat.  They were so yummy, too rich and way easy.

Molten Lava Cakes
from:  The White Library via Pinterest

1 cup of chocolate chips 
1 stick butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour

Melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth in the microwave, or over the stove on low (be sure not to burn it). Set aside to cool slightly. Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Add in the chocolate mixture. Slowly whisk in the flour. Pour equally into 4 ramekins and bake on a cookie sheet for 11-13 minutes at 450 degrees (time varies on the oven, so the first time you make this keep a eye on it and take note to the time). The center should be runny and the outside should be a brownie consistency. Let cool for 15 minutes.  

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Wicked Good!

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

-15 marshmallows (cut into thirds)
-2/3 Cup cocoa powder
-2 Cups flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 Cup sugar (plus 1/2 Cup sugar for rolling)
-1 Cup crisco
-1/2 Cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
-2 unbeaten eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Cut marshmallows into thirds (I use scissors), and place in freezer while preparing the cookie dough.
2. Measure and Sift together with a whisk the: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the: sugar, brown sugar and crisco.
4. Blend into the sugar bowl the 2 unbeaten eggs and vanilla. Beat together well.
5. Stir in the dry ingredients.
6. Roll the dough around each marshmallow third sealing it in a small ball.
7. Roll each ball in sugar.
8. Place on a cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
9. Bake at 400 for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes, then set out to cool.

That’s it! They bake for such a short time, and it’s better to under cook than over cook them. They freeze really well too. They are a good mix of salty sweet. I hope you try them!

Cadbury Cookies

Cadbury Egg Cookies
Our Best Bites
print recipe text only

1/2 C Crisco (I use butter flavored)
1/2 C Butter
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 C flour
6T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 10 oz bag Cadbury Mini-Eggs
**If it’s not Easter, or you don’t like Cadbury Eggs, try these cookies with white chocolate or PB chips- they’re fantastic!

Preheat oven to 350. You’ll need to chop up those Cadbury Eggs. I just put them in a ziplock bag and bang on them with a rolling pin. A hammer would work too.

Cream together the butter, crisco, brown sugar and white sugar. Add in eggs one at at a time and the vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture to combine and then mix in the candies. If you want your cookies to look pretty, save a few egg pieces and pop them on top of the cookies before baking so you get those colorful speckles on top!
Drop onto a cookie sheet and cook for about 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Chocolate Caramel Cookies
from Frankly Entertaining

Ingredients:
1 Chocolate Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1/3 c. oil
Chocolate covered caramels (rolos or milk duds)

Directions:
Combine cake mix, oil and eggs; mix.
Scoop out 2 Tbsp. of dough and wrap it around a candy; shape into a ball
Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

Surprise Cookies

About the time I started college, I discovered Pinwheels. Those cookies with the graham bottom, a big marshmallow on top and then dipped in chocolate. They became my go to PMS cookie. I craved them every time. There were like 10 in a box for about 10 dollors. Not really, but close.

Darby came out of church the other day with a little gift box from one of her leaders, filled with a homemade, much better version of those cookies and I about died. It's been years since I've had one of those and it brought me back to all those PMS days...breakups...the list goes on. Fun times.

I immediately called for the recipe. They are that good. Soft chocolate cookie, melted marshmallow all covered in chocolate...It doesn't get much better.

Surprise Cookies
Jen Walsh
Martha Stewart
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen



For the cookies:

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
About 15 large marshmallows, halved crosswise



For the frosting:
3 cups confectioner's sugar
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temp.
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsps. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. whole milk
3/4 tsps. pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

2. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time until combined.

3. Drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through until firm, 8-10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until marshmallow begins to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on wire racks.

4. Make frosting: Put confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl. Melt butter with the cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add butter mixture to the confectioner's sugar. Whisk in milk and vanilla.

5. Spread about 1 Tbs. of frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

These are always a favorite. This recipe is everywhere but, I just recently found it on My Sister's Cafe. A few years ago one of my friends made these for a baby shower and used pink icing...too cute. I made them for Superbowl this year. I should have thought to make the icing the two teams' colors. But, as usual, my ingenious thinking comes, just late.

Homemade Oreo Cookies
submitted by Melanie
Printable recipe here

For the Cookies:
1 package devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 - cup oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil and eggs to cake mix and blend together. Roll dough into balls (a little larger than a quarter). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet (until warm). Remove cookies from sheet and place on cooling rack.To assemble the cookies, add about a tablespoon of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie similar in size on top of the filling. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Cream Cheese Filling Recipe:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
3-4 cups - powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency)
1 - tsp vanilla extract.

Cream butter and add cream cheese and mix well. Add powdered sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency.

Sandy's Fudge

York's mom makes some of the best fudge. She used to always have it in her freezer and York and I would always grab a couple of pieces when visiting. It's become our tradition to always make a batch at Christmas time.

Sandy's Fudge

3 pkgs (12 oz.) chocolate chips
2 cubes margarine
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. pkg. marshmallows
4 1/2 c. sugar
1 large can evaporated milk

Cook sugar and evaporated milk together. Stir constantly. Once it boils, slow boil it for 12 minutes. Take pan off heat and stir in marshmallows, melt. Stir in margarine, melt. Stir in chocolate chips, melt. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour in buttered 9x13 pan. Cool before cutting.
*I've also poured in a cookie sheet. Makes it a little thinner. This recipe makes a ton of fudge!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

I got this recipe off of Pioneer Woman after rave reviews from my friend Suzanne. I've made it a couple of times and it is really good. Although, I do recommend reading the directions and actually cooking the ingredients before throwing them all in the mixer. I kind of skipped that part this time and realized too late that I'd completely over looked a major part of the recipe. Amazingly enough, it still turned out pretty good although, not as good as the first time I made it. It's great for serving a large crowd. I'm not sure I completely agree with the "Best ever" title it was given but, than again, I haven't tried that many sheet cakes in my time.

Best Ever Chocolate Sheet Cake
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 24

Ingredients
CAKE Ingredients
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
½ cups Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla
_____
FOR FROSTING:
½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
1-¾ stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar
Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
Cut into squares and eat!