Deserts for Everyone!!!

So the past couple weeks there have been several occasions for making some yummy deserts in my new kitchen.  Truffels are one of those deserts that are easy to make and are so easy to package so it is an easy desert to make when you are making something for someone else.   Joe and I were making a gift basket for Julia who helped us get our beautiful new home, so we wanted to add some home made goodies to put in the basket as well.  I made two different truffles, Oreo and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough as well as a Peanut butter Toffee Cookies.

There was also the wonderful opportunity of celebrating Lisa's bachelorette party!  Mallory (Lisa's sister) had ordered a cake for one night but I volunteered to make some deserts for the other night/lunch desert!  I made two of my favorite recipes.  One is a white chocolate peanut butter brownie that is gooey and rich but not too sweet! The other was a simple oreo cheesecake cupcake, because who doesn't love oreos and cheesecakes.  So, with that, below you will find all the recipes!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz. dark chocolate candy coating

Directions:

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

1 pack Oreos

1 8 oz. pack of cream cheese

12 oz. white chocolate

Directions:

Beat cream cheese.  Blend Oreos and then add cream cheese mixture.  Roll into balls then freeze for 1 hour.  Melt chocolate then dip balls into chocolate.  Allow to cool.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 to 1 tablespoon milk (add this at the very end just to make dough smooth and creamy)

1 cup Toffee

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Add milk (from 1/2 Tablespoon to 1 Tablespoon just enough to make the dough moist and creamy. Add toffee and mix till just incorporated. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drop cookies by scooping them out of the bowl with a spoon dropping them in small balls onto your greased cookie sheets.  Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

Oreo Cookie Cheesecake Cupcake

Ingredients:

21 Oreos (12 whole, 6 chopped)

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup sour cream

2 8 oz. packs of cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

Salt

Directions:

Line about 15 muffin pans and place full Oreo at the bottom.  Beat cream cheese in a bowl then add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla then eggs and then add sour cream and salt.  Stir in chopped cookies.  Pour batter into cupcake cups.  Bake for 22 min at 275°F.

White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar

1 cup salted butter softened

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

11/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cube cream cheese softened

1 can Eaglebrand sweet condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz. peanutbutter chips

6 oz. white chocolate chips

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add one egg in at a time. Mix in cocoa, flour and baking powder. Beat until smooth. Mix peanut butter chips (or cut up Reeses) into batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes in a 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Do NOT over bake.   Allow brownies to cool for one hour.  For the frosting beat together the cream cheese, sweet condensed milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Mix in white chocolate chips.  Spread on top of the brownies. Sprinkle the remaining reese's, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips on top and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.