Brownie Bottom Twix Cheesecake Bars

Last year for National Cheesecake Day, I made this Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake. It was my first time making a cheesecake and it was so much fun, everyone loved it! It even won an honorable mention ribbon at the Orange County Fair this year.

I decided to celebrate the national day of cheesecake again this year, but a little differently. I wanted to make bars this year instead of a full cake this year and wanted to incorporate some kind of candy. I decided on Twix bars.. and this is what I came up with!

For the "crust", I made a fudge brownie layer. Then I topped it with a Twix bite filled cream cheese topping and finally, drizzled with caramel and fudge. The brownie bottom is a great crust for the smooth cream cheese topping - perfectly fudgy and chewy.

Brownie Bottom Twix Cheesecake Bars

makes one 13x9 pan

Ingredients

• 1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup fudge topping
• 1/2 cup caramel topping
• 1 package miniature Twix bites
• 1 package brownie mix

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F Degrees. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Add 3 tablespoons of fudge topping and mix well. Pour into a well-greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the center is almost set, then remove from oven.

2. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until well mixed. Add sour cream and continue to mix. Beat in eggs, one egg at a time. Stir in miniature Twix bites. 

3. Pour cream cheese mixture over the brownie crust layer. Return pan to the oven for 40 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides and let cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

4. Once cool, drizzle caramel and remaining fudge topping over the cheesecake bars. Feel free to top with more crumbled Twix bars as well and enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Coconut Pound Cake

My mom's garden has been bursting with fresh blueberries this summer and I wanted to make a recipe to incorporate them as an ingredient!

I came up with this Lemon Blueberry Coconut Pound Cake. Lemon & blueberry makes a wonderful summer combination and I had some shredded coconut laying around - so I thought, why not!

The cake is super moist with the perfect amount of blueberries, just the right amount of lemon and a hint of coconut. I under baked mine a tad so really make sure that knife comes out clean from the center of the cake when removing it from the oven!

Lemon Blueberry Coconut Pound Cake

makes one 10-inch Bundt cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 package (7 ounces) shredded coconut
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups blueberries
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (for glaze)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F Degrees. Stir together flour and salt and set aside. In a sepearate bowl, beat together butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

2. Beat in flour mixture and milk, alternating between the two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. 

3. Stir in coconut extract, almond extract, lemon juice and zest and blueberries. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch Bundt pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least ten minutes.

5. Whisk together 1 cup confectioner's sugar and two tablespoons lemon juice for the glaze. Pour over the bundt cake and top with fresh blueberries. I also topped it with toasted coconut!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pound Cake Blondies

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have been a favorite of mine since...well always (Uncrustables...yum). And I have been wondering what kind of baked good I could make to bring together the flavors besides the classic between two slices of bread. I did some research...cookies, pies, etc. but I wasn't really feeling it.

Then, I thought of blondies. Blondies are one of my favorite treats to bake, 1) because they are delicious, 2) they kind of taste healthy in a way that doesn't make you feel horrible about yourself for eating sweets, and 3) they are just so simple! I already had a recipe for blondies using cake mix with my Birthday Cake Remix Blondies, so I thought why not just tweak it a little bit..and what kind of cake would go with PB&J? Pound cake! So I came up with these Peanut Butter and Jelly Pound Cake Blondies.

They are gooey and wonderful and like a warm, melty peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The cake is perfectly moist and crumbly, with a top layer of swirled peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Unfortunately I accidentally deleted most of the photos of these, so this is all I've got and this photo certainly does not do these delicious treats justice. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pound Cake Blondies

makes one 13x9 inch pan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 package pound cake mix
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup strawberry jelly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

2. Mix together melted butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, into mixture. Stir in water, cake mix and vanilla until smooth.

3. Spread mixture into a 13x9 baking pan. Add tablespoon sized mounds of peanut butter and jelly to the top of the batter, spreading them around evenly. Marble the peanut butter and jelly with a knife to create a swirl effect on top. 

4. Bake for 22-27 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Pudding Mix

I have TWO recipes from Jell-O's Pumpkin Spice Pudding mix to share. When I saw this in Wal-Mart, I knew I wanted to come up with something creative and delicious to end the fall season with. I grabbed two packages and started thinking.

I decided to make fudge because like I have said before, I LOVE MAKING FUDGE! It's so easy and make a lot so it's great for sharing. I have used pudding mix in a fudge recipe before - for my Birthday Cake Golden Oreo Confetti Fudge - so I thought why not?

It turned out great! I did a layer of classic chocolate fudge and topped it with the pumpkin spice fudge made from the pudding mix. The two layers work really well together and it is a very simple, no-bake recipe!

Then I decided to make cookies with one of my favorite things ever - Nutella. I've used Nutella before in my Nutella Stuffed Brownie Bites but I've never made cookies with it before until now. I didn't want to mix the two because I knew the nutella would overpower the batter, so I made two separate cookies and then put them together!

I used two different batters - a pumpkin cream cheese pudding cookie and a chocolate Nutella brown sugar cookie and stuck a pumpkin spice hershey kiss in the middle! They were perfectly crumbly and delicious. The key is to chill the dough for a few hours before mixing them together. 

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Fudge

makes one 9x9 pan

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 package pumpkin spice pudding mix
• 6 tbsp butter
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 7 oz jar of marshmallow creme
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Line a 9x9 pan with aluminum foil

2. Combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan. Warm over low heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour into pan and refrigerate.

3. Heat butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan on medium high heat. Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes while stirring continuously. 

4. Remove from heat and quickly stir in white chocolate, pudding mix and marshmallow creme. Pour over chocolate fudge layer and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.

Pumpkin Spice Nutella Cookies

makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

For pumpkin cookies:

• 1 package pumpkin spice pudding mix
• 1 package pumpkin spice hershey kisses
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt

For Nutella cookies:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup nutella
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt

Instructions:

For pumpkin cookies:

1. Combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy for about 5 minutes

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low until combined.

3. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours

For Nutella cookies:

1. Combine butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and Nutella until fluffy for about 5 minutes

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low until combined

3. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours

After both doughs have been refrigerated:

1. Form 1 inch balls of dough. Take a dough ball of the pumpkin dough and a dough ball from the Nutella dough and press them together, forming one large ball.

2. Place the large dough balls on a well-greased baking sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes at 350F Degrees. 

3. After the cookies come out of the oven, press a hershey kiss into the center. Let cookies cool and enjoy!

Cookie Butter Cocoa Swirl Cookies with Pumpkin Spice M&Ms

I LOVE COOKIE BUTTER! It is so delicious and I find myself constantly wanting to bake with it. Last time I combined by love for cookie butter and fudge with my Cookie Butter Fudge recipe. This time I'm using a new Trader Joe's Cookie Butter product to make cookies. Yes, cookies out of what is basically crushed up cookies.

Trader Joe's came out with this new product a few weeks back and it is fantastic! I wanted to combine it with something special to make the perfect fall cookie...and I found the perfect ingredient

Pumpkin Spice M&M's, chocolate and cookie butter. It was wonderful combination! The cookies are extremely soft and chewy with just the right hint of pumpkin from the M&M's.

These cookies have turned into a new fall favorite! And if you aren't the biggest chocolate fan, go ahead and substitute just plain cookie butter! Either way this cookie offers a delicious cinnamony, gingerbready and pumpkiny combo that will make you come back for more.

Cookie Butter Cocoa Swirl Cookies with Pumpkin Spice M&M's

makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Trader Joe's Crunchy Cookie Butter
• 1/2 cup Trader Joe's Cookie Butter Cocoa Swirl
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
• 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon caking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup Pumpkin Spice M&M's

Instructions:

1. Cream together egg, cookie butters, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer.

2. Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, mix well. Add M&M's and mix again.

3. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours. After refrigeration, form dough into 2-inch balls and place on a well-greased cookie sheet. 

4. Bake cookies for 8 minutes at 350F degrees.

Cookies n Creme Crunch Brownies

One of my FAVORITE candy bars is Hershey's Cookies n Creme. I am usually not a huge fan of white chocolate but there's something about these candy bars to me that I cannot get enough of.

I decided to use one of my favorite Hershey's products to make cookies n creme inspired brownies. Using a plain brownie mix is such an easy way to get creative in the kitchen. I've previously shared my recipe for Oreo Marshmallow Fudge Brownies which uses a store bought brownie mix with a few fun tweaks that make the biggest difference. Today I'm sharing the cookies n creme brownies I came up with!

The bottom fudge brownie layer is covered with Hershey's Cookies n Creme chocolate and then a final layer of Hershey's Cookies n Creme cereal coated in chocolate rests on top. Yep - you heard right, Cookies n Creme cereal! These are a mix between brownies and rice krispie treats. The crunch of the cereal adds an element to the dessert that is unique and yummy!

I didn't know this cereal even existed! I'm not sure how it tastes on it's own (sounds a little too sugary for my breakfast liking) but it is perfect for these brownies or even just making cereal marshmallow treats! 

Cookies n Creme Crunch Brownies

makes one 13x9 pan

Ingredients:

• 1 package brownie mix (plus ingredients on back of package)
• 1/4 cup hot fudge topping (optional)
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 2-3 king size Hershey's Cookies n Creme chocolate bars
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cups Hershey's Cookies n Creme cereal

Directions:

1. Mix brownie mix according to directions.  I always add fudge topping to brownie mixes to make when more fudgy and delicious but feel free to skip this step. Bake the brownies according to directions.

2. Break up candy bars and distribute evenly over the brownies. Next sprinkle the marshmallows over the chocolate evenly. Bake for 5-7 minutes.

3. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave for one minute, stirring and repeating until completely melted. Repeat this step with the white chocolate then combine the two chocolates. Pour chocolate over cereal in a bowl and mix well. Spread cereal chocolate mixture over brownies and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Birthday Cake Golden Oreo Confetti Fudge

One of my favorite recipes to date are these Birthday Cake Remix Blondies. Today, I bring you another recipe with one of my all time favorite birthday cake / confetti / funfetti / cake batter / whatever you wanna call it flavors!

This is what I like to call Birthday Cake Golden Oreo Confetti Fudge. These are bite size pieces of heaven in my opinion. The combination of flavors of white chocolate and vanilla from the pudding mix taste just like cake batter! I LOVE to make fudge. I think it's the perfect treat to share with others and is so easy to make. I've shared my recipe for Butterscotch Fudge before, and I've also made numerous types of peanut butter and chocolate fudge but this has been by far my favorite. Maybe I am a little bit bias due to my love for cake batter anything, but you will have to try it for yourself!

I used birthday cake flavor Oreos (which I personally think are absolutely delicious). However if you are not a fan, this recipe would work well with regular golden Oreos or even original Oreos if you're a chocolate fan.

Birthday Cake Golden Oreo Confetti Fudge

makes one 9x9 pan

Ingredients:

• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup water
• 6 tbsp rainbow sprinkles
• 8 birthday cake golden Oreos

Instructions:

1. Add water, butter and white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until melted. Add instant pudding and mix well.

2. Add confectioner's sugar one cup at a time while mixing.

3. Add in sprinkles and mix together. Crush 4 Oreos and add to the mixture.

4. Pour mixture into a 9x9 pan lined with foil. 

5. Crush remaining Oreos and sprinkle on top. Press them lightly down into the mixture. Add additional sprinkles if desired and also press them down lightly.

6. Refrigerate for about one hour and enjoy! Keep stored in an air tight container. I cut mine into hearts using a small cookie cutter.