Brown Butter Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies

I have a delicious cookie for you today. It's soft, thick, chewy, and crunchy. Because of the browned butter it totally tastes like caramel too! Make these! The recipe is over at Reality Daydream!

Banana Pudding Trifle

Hi! I'm sharing an amazing potluck dessert over at Reality Daydream! This banana pudding is a version of that amazing southern dessert we all love and super quick to put together! Go get the recipe! 

Caramel Apple Shake

I'm guest posting over at Reality Daydream today and we are going to have ice cream for dessert! A caramel apple shake! My favorite part is that you can totally taste the sourness of the apple. Its delicious go get the recipe!

Salted Caramel Sauce

On Friday I'm sharing a recipe for a salted caramel apple crisp with a sugar cookie crust. Its amazing! But before I do that we need to make the salted caramel sauce for it. You wont believe how delicious and simple it is to make your own caramel. It totally makes a difference when you make your own. It is smooth, creamy, and sweet with a hint of salt. Perfect people. Perfect.

Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes about 2 cups

1 cup Heavy Cream
1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Butter
Coarse Kosher Salt to taste

1. In a medium sauce pan heat up cream in until hot but DO NOT boil. 

2. In a large pot combine the sugar and water and stir over a high heat until it starts to turn a deep amber color.

3. Carefully pour the hot cream into the caramel and whisk. The mixture will bubble like crazy, but continue to stir. Add in the butter and stir until its completely combined. Add salt, a little at a time, tasting until its salty enough. Serve.

Recipe Source: The Kitchen McCabe

Turtle Cheesecake

I'm so excited about this cheesecake and sharing it with you! Go over to Sawdust and Embryos and see the step by step how to make it!

Caramel Popcorn Cookies and Secret Recipe Club

Have you ever heard of popcorn cookies? I hadn't. Well not until I was assigned the spectacular blog Food Babbles for the Secret Recipe Club this month. The authors name is Kate, she is a mom to 3 and she has lots of great people in her life who influence her cooking and baking, which is probably why all of her stuff is amazing!

I went on a search of her blog and found so many things to try, Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, Cannoli Roulade, Dark Chocolate Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownies, and Lemon Curd Ice Cream, just to name a few. There are many many more recipes I will be going back to try!

I finally decided on these Caramel Popcorn Cookies because my Maycie's number one requested treat is caramel popcorn and I needed to do something different for my sake. As different as I thought this cookie would be it was delicious! Sweet, chewy, and caramel-y. I made them the way the recipe was written here and then I made a few changes to make them taste more caramel-y. Either way they are worth making, so go over to Food Babbles and check it out, you won't regret it!!

Caramel Popcorn Cookies
Recipe Adapted From: FoodBabbles.com

1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, Room Temp
1 1/2 cups Caramel Popcorn, chopped and divided
1 large Egg
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Quick Oats

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the brown sugar and butter on medium until light and fluffy. Add in 1/2 cup of the chopped popcorn and the egg. Beat until combined. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add into the wet ingredients stir with your wooden spoon until just combined. Add in the quick oats and 1 cup of the chopped caramel popcorn and stir again until just combined.

4. Using a small cookie scoop put them on your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack to continue to cool.

An InLinkz Link-up

Dulce de Leche and Secret Recipe Club

Today my husband and I have been married 7 years. Yay for us! Ha. But in celebration of this I decided to take on something that I found intimidating, later realizing its not. Dulce de Leche.

For the Secret Recipe Club this month I was assigned Easily Good Eats. Its a blog of a professional that loves to cook, and mainly cooks things with few and simple ingredients. There were several things I wanted to make but found a recipe for dulce de leche and was ready to take it on.

Its very simple. It takes a while but it basically just sits on the stove for 3 hours and you have yourself some sweet, rich, creamy 'candy milk'. 

Go over to Easily Good Eats and find something delicious!

Dulce de Leche
Recipe Source: EasilyGoodEats.blogspot.com

4 1/4 cups Whole Milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons Molasses
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1. In a large pot combine the milk, sugar, and molasses and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the baking soda and stir. Reduce to medium low and keep it at a bare simmer.

2. Stir occasionally, but don't mix in the foam that is on the top. Continue to cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.Let cool and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

Obviously I am on a cream cheese kick. This is a baked cheesecake topped with a homemade caramel and sea salt. The creaminess of the cheesecake is lightened with the sweet, smooth caramel. It's a perfect match.

Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

Recipe Source: BakersRoyale.com

Cheesecake

1 cup Graham Crackers, crushed
4 Tablespoon Butter
16 oz Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs

Salted Caramel Sauce
5 Tablespoons Water
3/4 cup Bakers Sugar
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
 

Crust

Combine graham cracker crumbs amd melted butter. Divide among cupcake liners. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cheesecake

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in one egg at a time, be careful to not overbeat. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the cheesecakes cool make the caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Sauce

1. Combine the water and sugar into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

 

2. Increase the heat to high. Using the handle, give the pot a swirl once and a while to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly.

 

3. Once the mixture starts to bubble after approximately 3 minutes it will turn a light shade of amber. After about 1 minute the mixture will turn a dark shade of amber. Once the mixture is dark amber, turn off the heat and add the cream. Whisk to combine.

 

4. Cool until the mixture is warm and pour sauce over cheesecake cups. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Rolo Cupcakes

One of my favorite things are chocolate and caramel so when I saw this rolo cupcake recipe it went right to my 'to make' list. Creamy caramel frosting on a yummy chocolate cake with a rolo surprise in the middle.

Rolo Cupcakes

Recipe Source: MyBakingAddiction.com

Cake

1 package Devil’s Food Cake mix
1 large package Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Warm Water
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
24 frozen Rolos, frozen for at least 2 hours

Frosting
4 sticks Butter; room temp
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Caramel 

6 cups Powdered Sugar

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 - 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, water and vanilla until well combined and smooth.

3. Evenly divide the batter in the cupcake liners. Gently push a frozen Rolo into the center of the batter and smooth the surface covering the candy with batter.

4. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.

For the Frosting

1. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract, salt and caramel syrup and combine well.

2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Frost cupcakes.

I shared this at
Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday Link Party

 

Better Than....Cake

This is a really simple cake. It doesn't take much work and it tastes delicious. We had it with strawberries on the side. Its so good!

Better Than....Cake

Recipe Source: AllRecipes.com

1 pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/2 -14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
6oz Caramel Ice Cream Topping
3 Skor Bars, chopped
1-8oz container Cool Whip, thawed

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, make sure you don't go through to the bottom.

2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and combined. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits, then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm.

3. Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more Skor bar chunks and caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve.

I shared this at
Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

I hadn't ever heard of chocolate caramel cheesecake before but its a brilliant idea. It isn't heavy, its light almost like a mousse. So good and totally made the drama with that pie I made that didn't work out very well a little less painful.

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

Recipe Source: MelsKitchenCafe.com

1  Chocolate Crust (recipe below)
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
8 oz good-quality Bittersweet Chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
3 (8 oz) pkgs Cream Cheese, softened
4 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1. Make crumb crust as directed in the recipe below. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook sugar in a dry large saucepan over med-low heat, stir slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. This step takes a good 10-15 minutes. After the sugar turns pale golden, cook without stirring, swirling pan, until the color turns deep golden. Remove from heat and carefully add heavy cream (mixture will steam and caramel will harden). Cook over med-low heat, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Stir in sour cream.

3. Beat cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy, then beat in chocolate mixture on low. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then the vanilla, beat on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated, scraping down bowl between each addition.

4. Put springform pan with crust on a cookie sheet. Pour filling into crust and bake on the cookie sheet in the middle of the oven for 55 minutes or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when the pan is gently shaken. To prevent cracking cook cheesecake in a water bath.

5. Run a knife around the edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a cooling rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate.

Crumb Crust

1-10 oz box Chocolate Teddy Grahams, finely ground
5 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt

Stir crust ingredients together and press onto bottom and 1 inch up the side of a greased springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

I linked these at 
Sweets for Saturday 
Sweet Tooth Friday 
Themed Bakers Sunday
 

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

This is one of my favorite things to eat at this time of year. I don't know why but they feel like a Christmasy dessert. The caramel is so soft and the chocolate compliments it so well. It takes a little time to make but its totally worth it.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

Recipe Source: melskitchencafe.com

Caramel

1 cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
dash of Salt 

Mix ingredients in order over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly, to soft ball stage (about 15 minutes more, use a candy thermometer or test in a bowl of cold water – a drop of caramel in the cold water should roll into a soft ball in your fingers). Remove from heat. Dip the pretzels in the caramel once it has stopped boiling. If you are putting cookies or candy directly onto the caramel do so immediately because the caramel sets very quickly. If you are dipping in chocolate put the pretzels in the fridge for about 30 minutes so the caramel will be cold and won't melt off the apple when it was dipped in the hot chocolate.

Chocolate for Dipping

16oz Semisweet Baking Chocolate

4oz White Baking Chocolate

Melt the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler. (I used a regular sauce pan and a metal bowl. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl when its placed on the saucepan.) You need to go pretty quickly when dipping the caramel covered pretzels because the coldness of the caramel with start to solidify the chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted, using a large spoon put it in a Ziploc bag and cut off the tip of one of the corners to make the stripes.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I am officially in love with caramel frosting. The chocolate cake, in my opinion, is the perfect accent to the frosting. It is a very easy dessert and worth the little effort it takes. I promise!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies 

Recipe Source: MarthaStewart.com

For the Cookies:

1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1 Tablespoon Butter, softened

1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 large Egg

1 cup Whole Milk

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 11 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. 

4. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1/4 cup Caramel Sauce, cooled

3/4 cup Butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

In a bowl, beat together caramel and butter until smooth; gradually beat in confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.

Caramel Sauce

One day I went to a small bakery and tasted something that I was surprised I loved so much. That thing was caramel frosting. It was on a chocolate cupcake. It was so sweet and creamy I almost didn't know what to do with myself. I have found a recipe for that caramel frosting but it is to go with a recipe that I am going to share later. The base of the caramel frosting comes from this very simple caramel sauce recipe. This is good all on its own, well, not just eating it with a spoon, but on some ice cream it is divine.

Caramel Sauce

Recipe Source: MarthaStewart.com

1 cup Sugar
6 Tablespoons cold Butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high until melted and brown at edges, 3 minutes. With a heat-resistant spatula, pull melted sugar toward center until all sugar is melted and caramel is deep amber in color, 3 minutes more.

2. Immediately whisk in butter, coarse salt, and pure vanilla extract (take care as mixture is extremely hot and will bubble).

3. Whisk in heavy cream.

Pour into a heatproof container(I used a glass bowl) and let cool. To store, refrigerate, up to 3 weeks.