Favorite Cookie Recipes

 Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an avid baker. Here are a few of my favorite Cookie recipe that you can find here on my site. These are great for the holidays or anytime you could use a homemade sweet treat. All of these recipes are made with simple ingredients and are so easy that anyone could recreate them at home.

Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Upgrade your next batch of sugar cookies by adding brown sugar and a hint of maple. The results are deeply delicious!

Get the recipe: Brown sugar cookies.

Golden Graham Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

If you like golden graham cereal, you will love these cookies! They are large, sweet and have a really great texture. These remind me of crumbl cookies, but are so easy to make!

Get the recipe: Golden graham cookies.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This bar cookie recipe is so good! With a tender cream cheese cookie base, and loads of frosting, this is sure to be a favorite sweet!

Get the recipe:  Cream cheese sugar cookie bars.

Cake Mix Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This is such an easy and yummy cookie recipe! Make these with a cake mix and some peanut butter for a fast and flavorful option that is foolproof, even for those who don’t bake.

Get the recipe: Cake mix cookies.

Mint Chocolate Chip S’mores

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

This idea uses chips a hoy cookies, or your favorite homemade chocolate chip and makes them into the best s’mores! With a minty kiss you won’t be able to resist these gooey goodies!

Get the recipe: Mint chocolate chip s’mores.

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Grab some shortbread biscuits and dip them for an easy upgrade to a pre-packaged snack. Add nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you like!

Get the recipe: Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

The combination of chocolate and cherries is perfect for the holidays, or anytime you need a chocolate fix. This recipe is a favorite with anyone who has the pleasure of sampling one.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.

Find more of my favorite cookie recipes here:

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Unique and Tasty Tiramisu Recipes

Homemade Boozy Butter Cream Candy

Last year, I made several tasty vintage candy recipes for the holidays, to the delight of my family. It was fun, but this year, I decided I wanted to do something different.  That is where these decadent butter cream cake vodka candies came into play. 

I made homemade butter creams last year, and they were so good that I didn't even offer the kids the chance to lick the bowl after I scooped them out. I hid in the pantry and enjoyed it myself. HA! So, this year, I started on the butter creams but decided to do something wickedly decadent. I added cake vodka to the mix. And Holy Cow, they were amazing!

Ingredients:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces of softened cream cheese

5 to 6 cups of powdered sugar

½ cup of cake vodka

For coating

½ teaspoon of crisco

4 ounces of almond bark or milk chocolate

Directions:

Combine butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add cake vodka and blend for 30 seconds.

Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar and begin stirring.

Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and stir until you have a thick cream.

If needed, add the remaining powdered sugar.

You want to have a consistency that is very thick!

Begin scooping out the buttercream and dropping it on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Freeze the butter creams for 1 hour.

When the butter creams are completely frozen, melt the chocolate or almond bark with a ½ teaspoon of crisco over a double boiler.

When you can stir the chocolate smooth, remove from heat.

Working quickly, dip the butter creams into the melted chocolate, place them back on the baking sheet and put them back into the freezer for 15-25 minutes to harden the chocolate.

These are best stored in the fridge or the freezer until they are ready to be served.

 

These are an awesome and unique gift from the heart to share. They are sweet, have a little kick from the vodka, and will certainly offer a boozy treat that will set off the holidays just right for grown up friends.

As these are boozy, it would be a good idea to put a little warning on them before sharing. 

I am going to be serving these at my Christmas party; I think I will also make a batch in white chocolate.

If you like cocktails, check out some of my favorite recipes:
Night King Cocktails
15 Amazing Wine Cocktails
Bomb Pop Cocktails
Blueberry Vodka Lime Sorbet

Homemade Rice Pudding

This rice pudding recipe comes together in about 35 minutes and will impress your family in ways that the pre packaged variety of this classic dessert could only dream of!

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If you like rice or pudding, you are going to love this recipe for homemade rice pudding! It comes together easily and creates a deliciously economical dessert that your family will love!

I usually purchase Rice Pudding in a container and feel content with it, but a few days ago, I was inspired to try my hand at making it myself. The process was simple and the results were marvelous!

Cooks Tips

• I used long grain rice. If you have another variety, feel free to use it and adjust the cook time.
• You can use raisins or craisins in this recipe if you like. 
• I like to top my rice pudding with cinnamon, brown sugar makes a sweet addition too!
• This dessert serves deliciously both warm and cold!
• If you like it cold, store in a sealed container for up to 3 days, if it lasts that long!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; stir rice into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a clean saucepan, combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 18 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and beaten egg; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Top with cinnamon or raisins if desired. Serve warm or cold, per preference.

More Yummy Rice Pudding Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding {Tastes of Lizzy T}

Pressure Cooker Jasmine Rice Pudding {Organized Island}

Hawaiian Rice Pudding {Shaken Together}

Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding {This Silly Girl's Life}

Fresh Blueberry Napoleons

If you need a yummy dessert to take to your 4th of July festivities you won't want to miss this recipe for Fresh Blueberry Napoleons. Imagine something fruity, sweet and rich that will leave your loved ones talking about your amazing baking skills... 

Ingredients

• 6 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 1 teaspoon butter, softened
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole or part-skim milk or cottage cheese)
• ¼ cup mascarpone or cream cheese
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 cup blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. With a rolling pin, roll bread slices very thin
3. Cut each slice in half lengthwise
4. Lightly butter bread on one side
5. Arrange on baking sheet
6. Sprinkle wtih sugar
7. Bake until crisp and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes
8. Cool to room temperature (If making ahead, wrap tightly store at room temperature)
9. In medium bowl, with electric mixer, beat ricotta, mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, and preserves until smooth
10. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use
11. Just before serving, place 8 toasts on work surface
12. Spread cheese filling on toasts, dividing evenly
13. Dot with berries
14. Stack 4 of the prepared toasts on remaining prepared toasts
15. Top each with a plain toast
16. Press gently to secure
17. Place each on a serving plate
18. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over Napoleons
19. Serve immediately

Thanks to my friends at the Blueberry Council for sharing this recipe.

Peanut Butter Waffle Cake

Peanut Butter Waffle Cake is the solution to summertime baking dilemmas. You can have your cake without heating up the house with this incredibly easy recipe.

A few weeks ago my daughter and I made birthday cake waffles because we wanted to try it out. We are funny like that, we get an idea and we almost have an itch to discover what might happen as a result! We had so much fun making cake waffles that we had to do it again!

This cake begins with a white cake mix and becomes a layered, moist cake that no one can resist! Best of all, you can make this cake in just about 15 minutes from start to finish!

We knew we couldn't go wrong with peanut butter. It is the one thing our family can agree on usually! We are crazy for peanut butter chicken and of course, peanut butter pie, so peanut butter waffle cake was the natural choice for a unique dessert!

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

3 whole eggs

1 cup of water

Directions:

Combine the ingredients and mix well. 

Heat your waffle iron and pour the cake batter in, preparing as you would a waffle.

Allow the cake waffles to cool, as they are, mix up the peanut butter frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

4 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter

1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream

Directions:

Add powdered sugar, peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of milk to a mixing bowl and blend with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add another tablespoon of milk if needed. 

After the cake waffles are cool, begin layering the waffles and the frosting. Generously top the last waffle with remaining frosting and serve.

You might also enjoy these recipes :
Overnight Oat Recipe
Peanut Butter and Jelly Pound Cake

EASY Apple Pie Cheesecake Parfaits

When time is short, but the craving for a treat is strong, you can't go with this EASY Apple Pie Cheesecake Parfait recipe!

This is one of those shortcut creations that has saved the day and dessert a few times for my family. It takes 3 easy ingredients and requires only about that many minutes to create!

I used canned apple pie filling, graham cracker crumbs and Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling. This is pre made and sold in a big tub. I always like to keep this on hand for last minute entertaining or indulging!

All you have to do to create this yummy parfait is to layer those 3 ingredients {apple pie filling, graham cracker crumbs and Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling} in a pretty glass and serve chilled!

The luscious cheesecake filling pairs well with juicy apples. The graham crackers add a nice texture to this mix! Of course you could use cherry pie filling, or any flavor you prefer in this recipe.

You might also like this Coconut Rice Krispie Treat Recipe. It is dairy free and delicious!!

Blackberry Cheesecake Float

You guys! I have an awesome summer drink recipe to share with you that is so easy and literally only requires 2 ingredients!

I have been craving all things blackberry lately. Normally I am not the biggest ice cream eater, but this little pint of blackberry cheesecake ice cream practically fell into my cart and begged to come home with me.

Immediately I knew how I was going to enjoy this treat! In an ice cream float!

Ice cream floats completely change the ice cream game in my book. I cannot resist them and love to try different flavors! They can be as simple as root-beer and vanilla or as complex as you care to make them.
This one is not too wild in terms of the combination, but it is wildly delicious!

To make a Blackberry Cheesecake Float you will need:

2 scoops of blackberry cheesecake ice cream
1 can of Cream Soda {I used Diet A&W}

optional:
graham cracker crumbs
whipped cream

Directions

Add ice cream to a tall glass
Top with cream soda

Optional:
Top with whipped cream and 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs

This was a fantastic flavor for a float for a summer indulgence that took only a moment to prepare and share!


You might also like this Strawberry Shortcake Float recipe.

Berry Vanilla Parfaits {Easy Patriotic Parfaits}

This easy recipe requires no baking and is a perfect sweet treat with berries, sponge cake and ice cream. So easy to assemble anyone can make this scrumptious dessert that combines 5 simple ingredients.

Unless you spend time in my company on holidays, you wouldn't know this secret fact me. On a holiday, I take a nap! I feel drained after all of the preparations usually and my husband is home on every holiday known to mankind, {hooray!} so there is an able bodied adult to keep our little ones happy.

On Memorial Day, I really wanted to have a nap. I shooed the family out the door for a round of frisbee golf and the house was quiet. As I looked around, I realized it was now or never. I attacked the closets, the massive amount of blankets and the aftermath of a what feels like a constant toy tornado with a vengeance. I folded laundry, sorted out items we no longer need for donation and tidied up my office/studio.

As I smiled and surveyed my impromptu cleaning spree I realized I had not made dessert, and my family had let me know several times they wanted cake. Luckily I had 3 slices of sponge cake left over from a recipe I made a few days prior and a few other simple ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

1 pint of strawberries, cleaned, destemmed sliced

1 pint of blackberries, cleaned

1/4 cup of white sugar

Vanilla Bean ice cream

3 x 2" thick slices of sponge cake, cut into 1" cubes

1/4 cup of water

Directions

Add your strawberry slices and blackberries together in a bowl

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Gently stir.

Layer 3 or 4 cake cubes into a pretty glass or parfait bowl

Add 2 small scoops of ice cream {I used a cookie dough scoop for the perfect size}

Spoon berries and a little of the sugar water/ juice mixture over the cake cubes and ice cream

Add 2 more cake cubes to the glass

Serve immediately as the cake will get saturated with the liquid for a delicious flavor infusion

Repeat until the ingredients are depleted.

This recipe will serve 6.

This was the perfect easy patriotic parfait to make for Memorial Day. I will definitely be serving this to guests on the 4th of July and Labor Day as well! Actually, strike that, this is going to be one of those easy recipes for the hot summer months that I add into my rotation without a doubt!

What is your favorite no bake dessert recipe to serve in the summer months?

You might also enjoy this Fruity Waffle Recipe made with Gerber Baby Food.