Bready or Not: Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies
If you can’t make up your mind about whether you want fudge or brownies, I have the perfect recipe for you.
Eat these straight out of the fridge, and you have brownies with a sweet cookie dough taste. Let them warm up to room temperature, and you have chocolately cookie dough fudge.
I found the original recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine. When I visited my hometown last Thanksgiving, my mom handed me a stack of magazines to go through when I unshackled myself from the computer. See, I was zooming through the rough draft of “The Deepest Poison,” and food magazines provided me with a happy, no-effort brain break.
I mixed up the recipe to make it my own. I added marshmallows. I tweaked amounts. Don’t let all the steps in the directions intimidate you. You can make this in layers over a day or so. The leftovers will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge, too.
Do keep in mind that this makes a 9×13 pan. That’s a lot of sweet cookie dough brownie-fudge love, people.
Greatly modified from Two-Tone Fudge Brownies from Taste of Home June/July 2001
Bready or Not: Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie layer:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 cups mini marshmallows about half a 10 ounce bag
Cookie dough layer:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips mini chips work well
Ganache:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
Instructions
Brownie layer
- Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Let them cool slightly.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate. Combine flour and baking soda, and slowly mix into the wet ingredients. Stir in the walnuts and half of the marshmallows.
- Glop it into the ready pan and spread the dough out evenly. Top it with the remaining marshmallows. Bake it for 18-22 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Allow to completely cool.
Cookie dough layer
- Cream the butter and two sugars, then add the milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour. Add the chocolate chips last.
- Dollop the dough on top of the brownies and use an offset spatula to form a thin layer across the top. Set it in the fridge to chill for an hour or so.
Ganache
- Set chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until you can stir it smoothly. Use an offset spatula to smooth it over the cookie dough layer. Set it at room temperature or chill in fridge to set.
- Use the aluminum foil to lift the brownies out for easy cutting. I found it cut smoothest with the brownies flipped over, chocolate on the bottom. Note that the chocolate will still likely shatter some as you cut it.
- Brownies are best chilled and stored in the fridge. If kept at room temperature for a while, they soften a lot and become very fudge-like, but firm up again when chilled. It's awesome either way.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Maple Brussels Sprouts
I’m here to convert you to the goodness of Brussels sprouts. Also known as: maple syrup makes everything better.
If you’re like me and a lot of other folks, you have scarring childhood memories of Brussels sprouts (or as I remember them, nasty mini cabbage-like things). My mom, bless her heart, boiled them. The result was not delicious.
It was only last year I decided to make my own Brussels sprouts. For a few years, I had noticed recipes on Pinterest that made the roasted version look delicious. Then I ate some at a nice restaurant and realized, “I can do this myself for a whole lot cheaper.”
The maple syrup doesn’t make these sugary sweet, but the sweetness is definitely there. It makes these the perfect complement to all sorts of savory, salty meats. Leftovers are also fabulous cold out of the fridge or chopped into a sweet salad.
On that note, you can also use this maple vinaigrette as a salad dressing. Just increase the amounts in proportion (say, 1/2 cup each of olive oil and maple syrup, and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar) and store the leftovers in the fridge. Use it on mixed greens, slaws, etc.
Maple. Best stuff ever.
Bready or Not: Maple Brussels Sprouts with Maple Vinaigrette Dressing/Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 2 Tb olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 Tb pure maple syrup
- 1 Tb apple cider vinegar
- salt
- 2 - 3 slices bacon optional, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Brussels sprouts. Remove any damaged leaves and trim the stem to remove any browning, then slice the sprouts into quarters or halves depending on their size. Place them in a gallon-sized Ziplock-type bag. (If you want to add bacon, add it to bag.)
- Add the oil, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar to the bag. Seal the bag and give everything a good jostle and shake. You can bake right away or set the bag in the fridge for several hours. If you let it marinate, turn the bag every so often.
- Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Set out a rimmed cookie sheet; for easy cleaning, line it with aluminum foil. Pour the Brussels sprouts onto the sheet and make them as even as possible. Add some salt.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turn and stir sprouts, then roast for another 10 or 15 minutes until they are firm yet tender.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Dutch Baby Pancake
Need a small batch of pancakes? Or don’t want to stand there and flip individual pancakes?
Go big!
I had Dutch pancake baby recipes pinned for years. For some reason, they looked intimidating to me. Shows what I know. It turned out, these are much easier than standard pancakes. Mix, pour, bake.
The only tragedy here is that they look beautiful as soon as you pulled them from the oven, and as soon as you cut it, they deflate. The taste is fabulous, though–that doesn’t go flat!
I tried out a Snickerdoodle variation as well. Just add a little cinnamon to the batter and more on top. It’d be just as easy to add some chocolate chips or fresh or dried fruit. Mix it up!
Modified from Martha Stewart.
Bready or Not: Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk almondmilk works fine
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Snickerdoodle variation:
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in batter plus more sprinkled on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and stick it in oven as it warms up.
- In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend until foamy, about 1 minute. Pull skillet from oven--be careful, that handle is hot! Pour batter into skillet and bake for about 19 to 20 minutes. The pancake should be puffed and lightly browned.
- Slice into wedges--it will deflate and look a lot less pretty, but it's still delicious. Serve with butter and any other desired toppings (maple syrup, dulce de leche, powdered sugar, etc).
Serves one hungry person, or along with sides can feed several people.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Lemon Cake Batter Fudge
No foolin’. Back in December, I shared my Cake Batter Fudge to rave reviews. Soon after that, I noted a box of lemon cake mix in my pantry that I needed to use.
I got to thinking, “What if…?” I searched on Pinterest and couldn’t find any recipes that used cake mix for lemon fudge.
Therefore, I resolved to make my own.
I figured the amount of lemon extract used for a cookie recipe should also work for a fudge recipe. Bingo!
The crazy thing about this fudge is that it tastes just like lemon cake and icing all in one. It’s weird in a way, because your brain realizes that the texture isn’t right for either, but the taste nails it.
No joke!
Based on my recipe for Cake Batter White Chocolate Fudge.
Bready or Not: Lemon Cake Batter Fudge
Ingredients
A Bready or Not Original
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp lemon cake mix any brand, sifted
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick) cut into chunks (or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt)
- 1/4 cup milk almond milk works
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles/non pareils/jimmies
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. Measure the white chocolate chips and the sprinkles in separate dishes so they are ready to add quickly.
- Mix sifted cake mix and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add milk and butter, without stirring, and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Promptly mix ingredients until the butter is fully melted and incorporated. The batter will be very thick. Fold in white chocolate and lemon extract. Add the sprinkles last and stir gently so they don't leak too much color.
- Scoop into prepared baking pan. Level it across the top. Chill the fudge in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting into small blocks.
- Fudge will keep upwards of a week in the fridge, if it lasts that long.
OM NOM NOM
Bready or Not: Oreo Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars
A picture is worth a thousand words, right?
The original version at Mom on Time Out looked pretty darn amazing to start, but as usual I decided to improve something by adding 1) Biscoff spread, and 2) Oreos.
These things will blow your mind and your waistline. Imagine dense bricks of caramel and goodness. I stored these in the fridge–because I live in Arizona and even at room temp chocolate goes too soft–and to my surprise, these bars didn’t harden. Nope. Even chilled, they were chewy and amazing. The Biscoff probably helped with the soft and chewy aspect.
Of course, you can also make this using any nut butter instead of the Biscoff spread, or substitute another cookie for the Oreos. Mix it up. So many things pair well with a thick layer of caramel.
Make these. You know you want to.
Modified from Mom on Time Out.
Bready or Not: Oreo Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Caramel Filling
- 11 oz bag caramels Caramel Bits work well
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 Tbsp butter
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 sticks 3/4 cups unsalted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy Biscoff spread or nut butter
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 cups chopped Oreos about 1/3 of package, a little over 1 row
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and butter or use nonstick spray. Chop the Oreos and set them aside.
- Place caramels in a small saucepan with butter and sweetened condensed milk. On medium-low heat, stir often until caramels are melted and mixture smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the Biscoff spread (or nut butter) and mix. Add eggs and then vanilla, and mix well.
- Combine the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Slowly pour the flour mix into the large mixing bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips and then the Oreo pieces.
- Drop about 2/3 of the dough into the prepared casserole pan and smooth it out over the bottom. Slowly pour the caramel mixture over the dough and spread out to the edges. Dollop the rest of the dough on top; don't worry about covering all of the caramel.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into bars.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Baked French Vanilla Mini Donuts
It’s been far too long since we’ve done mini donuts. They’re just so gosh darned cute.
I did a similar recipe to this ages ago and the results were meh. I used plain milk and the donuts tasted BLAND. It was like putting delicious glaze on cardboard.
However, when company came and left behind some So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Creamer, I knew I needed to use it up somehow. I decided to try donuts.
I’d never tried coconut creamer before. The stuff was fabulous. The flavor added the mildest touch of coconut and strong vanilla, and it carried through in both the donuts and the glaze.
I think the recipe would also work very well with other French Vanilla-flavored creamers, too. Or other flavored creamers, period. From my experience, the stuff is a great substitute for milk/liquid in all kinds of baked goods.
Donut recipe modified from Bakers Royale; glaze recipe modified from Averie Cooks
Bready or Not: Baked French Vanilla Mini Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour sifted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup French Vanilla Coconut Creamer or other flavored creamer
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp butter melted and briefly cooled
Glaze
- 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 + teaspoons of French Vanilla Coconut Creamer or water, milk, half & half, etc
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Apply nonstick spray to mini donuts pan(s).
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add the creamer, egg and butter and stir until just combined.
- To fill the pan, it's easiest to use a pastry bag or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped. Only fill the cavity to half full, which is usually about three circuits of batter.
- Bake 4 to 6 minutes or until the top of the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes before removing. Makes about 32 donuts. Unglazed, they can be frozen.
To make the glaze:
- Combine ingredients and stir. Add more liquid as needed for the right consistency. Dip one side of the donut into the glaze, then immediately add sprinkles, if desired. Let donuts sit out an hour or so, until set.
Once glazed, the donuts keep best for about a day.
OM NOM NOM!
