Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes!

Who doesn't love Monster Cookies?  It's the best of  all things baked. . .chocolate, peanut butter, creamy, crunchy, delicious!  I found a recipe for something similar to this on the "Something Swanky" blog and had to give it a try!!!  I used her exact recipe for the cake portion. . .but made my own frosting.   

They are amazing. . . especially if you're really looking for that peanut butter flavor!  When I was done making these there was about a cup of leftover Cookie Dough Frosting. . .and I had to throw it away.  Because I knew. . .that if left in a container in the refrigerator, that stuff didn't stand a chance!  Sure, I could have put it in the fridge and walked away. . . for about five minutes. . .but I'd be back.  And so would my kids.  As if having 30 of these babies sitting on my kitchen counter isn't tempting enough, the last thing I need is a giant container of "leftover goodness" calling my name from the fridge!  As I was throwing it away, it was like watching a horror movie in slow motion.  All three of my kids came at me crying :

"""NNNNNnnnnnnooooooooOOOoo!!!!!!!!  Don't do it!!!!!  We'll eeaaatttt ittttt!!!!!"  

That's my worry exactly!  You can pace yourself and eat just one cupcake. . . but given the opportunity to grab a spoon and go for it, there's just no stopping! 

These sweet little cakes will be brought to my church small group tonight, and hopefully devoured! 


Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
2/3 cup milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips

1.  Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugar. 

2.  Add in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. 

3.  Mix together your flour and baking powder.  Add it alternately with the milk. 

4.  Stir in chocolate chips. 

5.  Scoop into cupcake liners (this batch makes about 30 cupcakes) and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.  Cool Completely and frost!

Monster Cookie Dough Frosting:
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 c. Butter, softened
3/4 c. Peanut Butter
3 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar (even more if you really want it thick)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Flour
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
Milk (enough to get desired consistency) 
2 c. Oats (more or less depending on desired texture)
1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
1 cup Mini Reese's Pieces
1 cup Mini M&M's

1.  Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and peanut  butter.

2.   Add in the powdered sugar, brown sugar, and flour.  Mixture will be thick! 

3.  Mix in vanilla, and add enough milk to get desired consistency.  (I like mine right between cookie dough and frosting!) 

4.  Mix in oats and candies and top each cupcake with a big old scoop of "cookie dough!"

Reese's Peanut Butter Silk Pie

It was Dave's birthday on Thanksgiving this year so he didn't really get a cake, or a day all about him, so today I decided to make him a dessert featuring his two favorite things: Peanut Butter & Chocolate. 

This was SO good! So rich, so creamy, so tasty! You only need a small slice to feel satisfied, but I guarantee. . .you'll wake up and have leftovers for breakfast! 

I found it in a Hershey's Cookbook and made just a few changes. I'm sure we will make this many more times! 

Reese's Peanut Butter Silk Pie  

CRUST:

1 Shortbread Pie Crust (In the baking aisle.)

FUDGE LAYER:

1 cup Hershey's Mini Kisses

3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:

1 8oz brick of cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cup Cool Whip 

TOPPING: 

Cool Whip

Chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt together the Hershey Kisses and Whipping Cream.

2. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until set.

3. In the meantime, mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter.

4. Fold in Cool Whip.

5. Spread over Fudge Layer.

6. Top with Cool Whip and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups! 

7. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Butterfinger Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

I LOVE Cheesecake!   I also NEVER make Cheesecake!  Well, I take that back, it's not never, it's rarely.  I usually make a cheesecake once a year, and it's always for Valentine's Day.  

I look forward to that day every year, and then I have one piece, and I'm done for a while.  It's just such a rich, decadent, heavy, dessert that one piece is all you need!   I have never made this recipe before, but WOW, it's amazing!  

I actually did the baking portion of this recipe last night, knowing I'd need it to be perfectly set and chilled for tonight.  And because I also knew that I'd have a hard time waiting till tonight to try it, I used a few spoonfuls of the brownie batter and cheesecake batter to make a "cupcake" version for my husband and I to try first!   It was just the right amount of peanut butter, with just the right amount of chocolate!  

This isn't your every-day kind of treat, but it's definitely a delicious dessert to make on a special occasion.  My occasion is Wednesday Night Church Small Groups!  It's not really a "special" night, or a night any different than any other Wednesday night, but it's an excuse to try a new recipe! 

Butterfinger Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Brownie Bottom:
1 package Brownie Mix, any variety

Filling:
3 8oz packages of cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 bag of crushed Butterfingers (Set aside 6 for the topping.)

1.  Prepare brownie batter as directed on box.  Pour into a 9" springform pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Bake at 350 until set.  (About 30 minutes.)

3.  In a mixing bowl, blend together cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter.

4.  Add in eggs one at a time.

5.  Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

6.   Fold in the crushed Butterfinger Bars.

7.  Pour over the brownie crust, and bake at 300 for about 1 hour.   (Middle of cheesecake should be slightly set, but not firm.)

8.  Cool in refrigerator overnight!!!!!  This is the key to getting the right texture/consistency in cheesecake! 

9.  Top with Peanut Butter Buttercream and Crushed Butterfingers! (Recipe for Buttercream is below.)


PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk


1. Prepare cupcakes and let cool completely.

2. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

Works in "cupcake" form as well!

Christmas Crunch

This is actually called "Puppy Chow" in my family. (For 11 months out of the year anyhow.) But in December, we put a little spin on it, and call it Christmas Crunch. This is similar to the Chex Mix Muddy Buddies, but WAY different. Our version, I have to say, in my opinion, is the best. The difference is, ours doesn't have butter in it, instead it has butterscotch chips. It's so delicious and addicting! I like to keep it in the freezer. . .because it's insanely tasty when it's frozen!

Christmas Crunch
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 box of chex cereal
Powdered Sugar

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, melt together chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter.

2. Add in cereal, and stir till well coated.

3. Add in powdered sugar, top with a lid, and shake like crazy.

4. You may need to add more powdered sugar to get the desired coating.

Nut Goodie Bars

Nut Goodie Bars

CHOCOLATE LAYER:
1 12oz bag of chocolate chips
1 12oz bag of butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups peanuts

1. Melt together all ingredients EXCEPT peanuts and spread 1/2 of the mixture in a parchment lined 10 x 15 pan. Refrigerate until set.

2. Top with vanilla layer, spread evenly.

3. Mix remaining chocolate with peanuts, and spread over vanilla layer. Refrigerate until set.


VANILLA LAYER:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3oz box of COOK AND SERVE vanilla pudding
2 lbs of powdered sugar

1. Melt butter, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and pudding together in a saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat until thickened.

3. Remove from heat and, with electric mixer, mix in the powdered sugar.

4. Spread over chocolate and finish bars!

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

Well. . .here's another recipe that started with a favorite flavor combo. Made Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches for lunch. I like to add a drizzle of honey to my sandwich so it's just messy and tasty! My kids like it too, but due to the "no peanuts" rule at school, I can't pack it in their lunch. Instead they enjoy it as a treat at home.

I have a pile of 9 bananas, ripe as can be, setting on the counter and need to use them. So here we are, Peanut Butter Banana Caramel Cupcakes! I've never made them before, but think they turned out fantastic!

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, very soft
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 cup ripe banana, mashed (2 large)

1. Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add in eggs one at a time.

3. Mix in mashed bananas.

4. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Stir until combined.

6. Scoop into paper lined cupcake pan.

7. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.


PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk

1. Prepare cupcakes and let cool completely.

2. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcakes

So a few months back, for my brother-in-law's birthday, I created the Snickerdoodle Cupcake. It was a hit. A new fave of most who tried it. So going with that theme, I decided to create a whole line of "Cookie Jar" Cupcakes! The Peanut Butter cookie is one of my husband's favorite cookies, so this one was a must try. I went with a chocolate cake . . .because everyone knows that chocolate and peanut butter go hand in hand!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:
1 cup softened butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cool
1 1/3 cups sour cream

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar and vanilla.

2. Add in eggs, one at a time.

3. Stir in vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda.

5. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients alternately with coffee and sour cream.

6. Scoop into a muffin pan lined with cupcake papers, mostly full.

7. Bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until set.


PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk


1. Prepare cupcakes and let cool completely.

2. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

5. Pipe onto cupcakes and top with a cookie!


REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter (I recommend Jif or Reese's. . .In my ipinion it's the BEST!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups flour

1. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, and butter.

2. Add peanut butter.

3. Add in egg and mix until combined.

4. Mix in baking soda, salt, and vanilla.

5. Mix in flour until combined.

6. Roll balls in sugar, and then press criss-cross with fork.

7. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cookies are puffy and slightly browned.

8. Top cupcakes!

Peanut Butter Snack Cake

Peanut Butter Snack Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.

2. Stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl.
3. Add peanut butter and butter; blend at low speed with mixer until crumbly.
4. Remove 1 cup of crumbs and set aside.
5. Add milk, eggs and vanilla to crumbs left in bowl.

6. Blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
7. Pour batter into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

8. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top of batter.
9. Sprinkle 1 cup of reserved crumbs over top.
10. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Cool before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup cocoa powder, I used Hershey's Dark
2 cups flour
1 bag Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

2. In a separate bowl mix together powder, soda, flour, and cocoa.

3. Add eggs to the butter mixture and cream.

4. Mix in vanilla extract.

5. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients.

6. Stir in peanut butter chips.

7. Drop onto baking sheet and bake at 350 for 9 minutes.

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 cups powder sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups peanut butter, melted
1 bag chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chips

1. Mix together cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.

2. In another bowl, mix together melted butter and peanut butter.

3. Stir together the dry ingredients with the wet, and spread in a 9 x 13 pan.

4. In another microwave safe bowl, mix together chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Microwave until melted. Stir frequently.

5. Spread frosting on top of peanut butter bars.

6. Put in fridge until set.

Peanut Butter Munchies

Peanut Butter Munchies

COOKIE:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Cream together, butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until combined.

2. Add in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well.

3. Stir in flour.

4. Form dough into 32 balls, and set aside.
5. For filling, mix together powdered sugar and peanut butter.

6. Shape filling into 32 small balls.
7. For each cookie, shape the chocolate cookie dough ball, around the small peanut butter ball.
8. Lightly flatten balls with a glass dipped in sugar.

9. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Bark Cookies

I make these every year. They are a favorite of my husbands. Not even kidding, he eats so many before the Holidays, that by the time I'm filling cookie trays, they're almost gone. Today my sister came over and baked with me, and while I was working on the Candy Cane cookies, (and picking up kids from school) she was making these. They're not the most beautiful cookie on the tray, but definitely one of the most delicious!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Bark Cookies

1 2lb bar of white almond bark
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups peanuts
2 cups marshmallows

1. Melt together the almond bark and peanut butter.

2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

3. Drop by Tbsp onto waxed paper and freeze until solid.

Snickers Cookies

Snickers Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Jif)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 bag Snickers Miniatures

1. In a mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until fluffy. To get the best texture for your cookies, at LEAST 5 minutes. It should be very pale in color.
2. Add in the eggs and baking soda.

3. Add in the flour and beat until just incorporated. Don’t over mix.

4. Then with a standard cookie scoop, scoop out 40 dough balls.

5. Refrigerate the dough balls for about 20 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Flatten the dough slightly. Place a Snickers bar in the center of the dough and cover it completely.

8. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes.

NOTE: I like to add a chocolate drizzle so they don't look like you're everyday cookie.

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

These are another fave of my husbands. They are peanut butter, inside of peanut butter. (Cutest puffy little cookies you'll ever see!) Reese's Pieces are his favorite candy ever, so when I found these cute little mini pieces, I had to get them. They are perfect for cookies! They seem to only come out during the Holidays. I normally do all my shopping at Target, groceries and all, but I had gone to Walmart with my mom a few days ago and found them there. When I was unloading groceries and putting things away, he was dying to dive into that bag of Mini Pieces! (Of course, he didn't! After all, they were for my Holiday baking!) So when I made these cookies, I was sure to set aside a few for him before tossing them into the freezer for Christmas. He'll be happy when he gets home from work tonight!

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter (I recommend Jif-In my ipinion it's the BEST!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1 bag of Reese's Peanut Butter chips or if you're lucky enough to find them, Mini Reese's Pieces.

1. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, and butter.

2. Add peanut butter.
3. Add in egg and mix until combined.

4. Mix in baking soda, salt, and vanilla.

5. Mix in flour until combined.

6. Stir in peanut butter chips/or Mini Pieces.
7. Roll into balls, and then roll in sugar.8. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cookies are puffy and slightly browned.

Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

Notice a theme? I'm starting out this year with the simplest recipes I have. No cook. All chocolate covered. Simply Delicious. My mom made these every year. They are my Dad's FAVORITE cookie. My husband's as well. I make a big batch and toss them in the freezer. By the time Christmas rolls around, there are about half of them left. My husband cannot walk by the freezer without grabbing one. My mom and sister make these with just straight up peanut butter in the middle, but I like this combo. Between Kim's cookie tray and mine, there's always a variety on the Holidays!

Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

1 box Ritz Crackers
2 2lb pkgs. of chocolate almond bark
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk
Sprinkles

1. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

2. Stir in milk.

3. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

4. Top 1/2 of the crackers with the peanut butter frosting. (I use a large ziploc bag to pipe the filling on top of the crackers.)
5. Top the cracker and peanut butter with another cracker to create a sandwich.
6. Freeze sandwiches until filling is set.

7. Meanwhile melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.

8. Dip cracker sandwiches in chocolate to coat.

9. Set on pan lined with foil and top with sprinkles.

10. Freeze until set.

Peanut Butter Candy Cups

Peanut Butter Candy Cups

1 pkg. white almond bark
1 12oz pkg chocolate chips
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 lb peanuts

1. Melt together the almond bark and chocolate chips.

2. Stir in peanut butter until melted.

3. Mix in peanuts.

4. Fill paper cups and freeze until set.

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

Yet another Taste of Home recipe. Got last months magazine and there were TONS of great recipes to try in there. This one was good but rich! It's peanut butter, and it's chocolate. I don't know what more to say. . .I mean really, is it even possible to go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate?

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

1 box family size brownie mix, prepared and cut into 1" cubes.
2 bags of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, unwrapped and cut into fourths. (Saving 4 cups for garnsih.)
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
4 cups milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 large container of Cool Whip (Reserving 1/2 cup for garnish.)

1. Layer 1/3 of the brownie cubes in the bottom of a Trifle Bowl.

2. Top with 1/3 of the peanut butter cups.

3. In a large bowl, mix together pudding and milk.

4. Stir Peanut butter and vanilla extract into the pudding mixture.

5. Fold Cool Whip into the peanut butter pudding mixture.

6. Top brownies and peanut butter cups with 1/3 of the pudding mixture.

7. Repeat layers two more times.

8. Garnish top of trifle with additional cool whip and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

After School Apple Snack

This snack came about today because of leftovers. As usual. Gotta find a way to use up that Peanut Butter Buttercream. After school today I took the kids to the grocery store. We bought apples. . .Honeycrisp Apples. Our fave. Can't beat those sweet, crisp, cold, Minnesota grown apples. We got them home and sliced them up. At the same time, I was making a batch of Peanut Butter Brownies. The kids were BEGGING to dip their apples in the buttercream frosting. . . and voila! After school snack!

After School Apple Snack

2 Honey Crisp Apples, sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk
Reese's Pieces!

1. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

2. Stir in milk.

3. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

4. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each apple slice and top with a Reese's Pieces piece.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 pkg. Brownie mix of choice. (9 x 13 or Family Size) plus ingredients to make
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk
Reese's Pieces!

1. Prepare brownies as directed on package. Let cool completely.

2. Cut brownies into 1" to 1 1/2" squares. (This works best using a plastic knife. Brownie will not stick to knife which will help create a clean cut.)

3. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

4. Stir in milk.

5. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

6. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each square and top with a Reese's Pieces piece.

NOTE: The top photo is in bar form, but I usually make these as "Bite Size." (Pictured Below.)

Scotcheroos!

My mom made these a lot when I was a kid. It's about as basic as it gets yet tastes SO GOOD! Is there anything more addicting that chocolate and peanut butter?

Scotcheroos

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
8 cups Rice Krispies

1. In a large pan combine sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until melted and bubbly.

2. Stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth.

3. Add Rice Krispies, stir, and put into a 9 x 13 pan. Let cool and frost.

Frosting

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 peanut butter

1. Melt together and spread on Scotcheroos.

I think they're best when cooled and firm. . .however my husband likes to dig in when they are still a gooey mess. Guess you can't go wrong either way!