Ultimate Pecan Pie Bars

OH MY MY!! These Pecan Pie Bars are one of the best I have EVER had.  They are rich with a warm caramel flavor.  The texture is soft and chewy with a slight crunch from the pecans and buttery crust. These need to be made for every holiday gathering from now on.  It is guaranteed you will come home with an empty platter.

I loved these plain, but my hubby chopped his up and added to ice cream and said it was the best ice cream he has ever had.  I also took them to a family get together and the plate was empty in a matter of minutes.  

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Pecan Bars with Almond Glaze

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Ultimate Pecan Pie Bars
adapted from: Taste of Home
(Printable Recipe)

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 (8 oz.) pkg. milk chocolate English toffee bits
1 1/4 c. roughly chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar.  Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Press firmly onto the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish (I also like to line my pan with parchment paper).  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, egg, vanilla and salt and whisk until combined.  Stir in the toffee bits and chopped pecans.  Pour over warm baked crust and carefully spread out evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes longer or until lightly browned.  Cool completely and cut into bars.  Store in the refrigerator.  

Chewy Brownies with Malted Robin Egg Frosting

No matter how hard I try, I can't resist buying at least one bag of Robin Eggs each Easter.  I love the texture and flavor.  I have always been a fan of chocolate malt flavor . . . milkshakes, candy, cupcakes - you name it and I will love it.  I decided to crush up some of those delicious little candies and add them to my buttercream frosting.  It was a great decision.  I prefer the flavor best after day one.  The malt flavor really develops overnight. 

 I spread this colorful speckled frosting over my Mom's chewy brownies.  If you don't want to make brownies from scratch, you can always used a box mix.  I was actually planning to use a box mix, but the grocery store was out of my favorite one, so I decided homemade brownies was the way to go.  These homemade brownies are so soft and chewy and full of chocolate flavor.  I hope you all give these fun and festive brownies a try.

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Robin Eggs Malted Milkshake

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Chewy Brownies with Malted Robin Egg Frosting
From: Mom
(Printable Recipe)

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and cocoa powder.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.  Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until combined.  Stir in one cup of flour at at time.  Batter will be very thick and you might think it won't come together, but it will.  Spread batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool completely and then top with frosting.  

Malted Robin Egg Frosting
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbl. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini Robin Eggs, crushed

Using a hand mixer, beat butter and salt in a medium bowl until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition, adding milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the crushed Robin Eggs and mix until combined.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Slice and serve. 

Mint Oreo Brownies with Oreo Creme Buttercream

What the heck is going on with Utah weather?  Yesterday was warm and sunny and I was even outside in a t-shirt and was fine.  Today, I wake up to a lot of snow and it's still snowing.  You never know what you are going to get when you wake up this time of year.  If you want consistency, then make these brownies ASAP!  Since they start out with a brownie mix, it's a no-fail recipe, unless you over bake them of course, so don't do that :)

These might possibly be the most DIVINE brownies ever.  The flavor is outstanding and the texture is soft and chewy and fudgy and exactly what I like in a brownie.  The buttercream uses the filling of Mint Oreos and has a nice subtle mint flavor.  I like to add a tiny bit of almond extract to enhance the flavor just a little bit. The flavor combo is perfect.  You can always leave that out or add a tiny bit of mint extract instead.  

Seriously . . . these will disappear in no time.  

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Thin Mint Fudge Ribbon Cake

Andes Mint Brownies

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Mint Oreo Brownies with Oreo Creme Buttercream
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

1 Fudge Brownie Mix (I prefer Betty Crocker)
Ingredients called for on the brownie mix
8 Mint Oreos, roughly chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mint Oreo Creme Buttercream
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
8 mint creme fillings from Oreos, save the cookies for garnish
3 c. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbl. milk, if needed
a few drops green food coloring, opt.
1/8 tsp. almond extract, opt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions with the addition of vanilla extract.  Gently fold in chopped Oreos.  Pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Spread out evenly.  Bake according to package directions.  I bake mine for 23 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Top with buttercream and crushed cookies.  

For the buttercream:  Add butter, salt and the creme filling from 8 Oreos (reserve cookies for garnish) to a medium mixing bowl.  Mix until smooth.  Mix in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, adding milk as you go, if needed until desired consistency is reached.  Last, mix in a few drops of green food coloring and almond extract and mix until smooth and creamy.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Crush reserved Oreo cookies and sprinkle over top of brownies, for garnish.  Cut and serve.  

Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Bars

These cookie bars are SOOOO good.  This recipe is my go-to cookie bar recipe that I use all of the time, but I switched things up this time and added Peanut Butter M&M's. 

I think this might have been the first time I have bought Peanut Butter M&M's and it definitely won't be the last. They made these cookie bars outstanding.  The cookie is soft and chewy and then when you bite into the M&M's with the crisp outer shell and creamy peanut butter filling, you will be in heaven.  These come together super fast and taste great for several days.

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Cookie Butter Bars

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Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Bars

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (18.4oz.) bag Peanut Butter M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.  Stir in the Peanut Butter M&M's.  Press dough into a greased 9x13-inch cake pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool, cut into bars and serve.  

Chewy Butterscotch Zucchini Blondies

Zucchini season is finally here!  Hopefully you guys are zucchini fans, because I am planning to try out a bunch of new recipes.  First up, we have these seriously amazing blondies.  I have made this recipe twice in the past week.  This recipe doesn't require a mixer and it only dirties one pan.  Who knew you could add zucchini to a blondie and still have a rich and chewy cookie bar.  These are going to become a regular at my house.

Even though these have a bunch of brown sugar in them, they aren't overly sweet.  They have really really good flavor.  I added butterscotch chips to these, but you could add a different type of chip, if you prefer.  

Since the mixture is warm when you stir in all the ingredients a lot of the butterscotch chips will melt into the batter and make it extra yummy.  Just like with brownies, the extra chewy edges are my favorite.  I love these plain and they taste great for several days, but I also love them cut up extra small and served with ice cream.  Yum!!

These were a huge hit.  Even my niece and nephew loved these and they had no clue there was zucchini in there :)

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Chocolate Zucchini Sheet Cake

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Chewy Butterscotch Zucchini Blondies
(Printable Recipe)

11 Tbl. unsalted butter
2 c. light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. finely grated zucchini
1 c. butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together.  Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Quickly stir in the egg (remember the mixture is warm and you don't want the egg to scramble).  Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mixture will be thick and slightly dry at this point.  Stir in the zucchini and 3/4 cup of the butterscotch chips until evenly incorporated.

Spread into a 9x13-inch baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  Cool and cut into 24 squares.  

adapted from: Creations by Kara

Andes Mint Brownies

Hi, how is everyone doing?  Life has been so crazy lately and I haven't been posting as much.  Not sure if that will change anytime soon, but I'll try to post as much as possible.   

This recipe is back from 2011 and these brownies are still a family favorite. It was long overdue to re-share them with all of you.  

If you like Andes Mints then you will LOVE these brownies.  They are a chewy brownie with a layer of mints in the middle.  I have made them so many times and they come out perfect every time.  I love biting into the soft brownie and getting a snap from the mints.  The flavor is rich and minty and very refreshing.  

You might want to plan on sharing these with friends and neighbors or you will be very tempted to eat the entire pan by yourself.  

Andes Mint Brownies

adapted from: Paula Deen

(Printable Recipe)


1 1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 c. sugar
4 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 boxes Andes Mints (individually wrapped)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa, stirring well; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Slowly beat in butter mixture. Add flour, salt and vanilla beating just until combined.  Spread half of the batter in pan.  Unwrap each mint and place, side by side, covering batter completely.  Carefully spread remaining batter over mints, sealing to edges.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Let cool in pan completely.  

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

These are one of my current favorite cereal treats.   I have made them several times in the last few months.  They have the perfect texture and flavor. 

Most people have probably had regular s'mores bars with Golden Grahams, marshmallows and chocolate chips, but they will be so surprised when they bite into these and taste peanut butter.  The peanut butter cups are the perfect touch to take these cereal treats to another level.  You won't be able to resist them.  

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Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispie Treats

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Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

22 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (miniatures) 
4 Tbl. unsalted butter
7 c. mini marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla
8 cups Golden Grahams cereal

Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.  Chop the peanut butter cups into 6th's and place in the freezer until ready to use.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the marshmallows and vanilla and stir to coat in butter.  Heat until marshmallows are melted, stirring occasionally.   

Remove from heat and stir in the cereal.  Then, stir in the chopped peanut butter cups until everything is evenly distributed and coated in marshmallows.  Pour into prepared pan and press out evenly.  Allow to set, cut into squares and serve.

Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars are one of my favorites.  They are so soft and chewy and they have a sweet buttery flavor.  Plus, they are so easy to customize for different holidays.  

By adding Halloween colored sprinkles to the cookie dough, topping with colorful frosting and more sprinkles, it immediately transforms a plain bar cookie into something extra special.  I seriously love these sugar cookie bars and could eat the entire pan by myself.  They taste great on day one and soften up even more on day two.  

I wrote this recipe for a 9x13-inch pan, but it can easily be doubled and baked in a large cookie sheet if you are serving a crowd.    

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Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. sprinkles, plus more for garnish (Halloween colors)

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbl. milk, plus more if needed
purple or orange food coloring, opt.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at at time, beating after each addition.  Combine the flour, salt and baking soda and add to the creamed mixture.  Last, stir in 1/4 cup of sprinkles.  Press dough evenly into a greased 9x13-inch pan.  It will be a little sticky.  Bake in preheated oven for 14 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  

For the Buttercream:  Beat butter until creamy.  Add a pinch of salt and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined.  Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy, adding a little milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.  A little milk goes a long way, so don't add too much.  If adding food coloring, add now and mix until combined.  Spread over cooled sugar cookie bars and garnish with additional sprinkles.  Cut into squares and serve.    
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