Prep Time: 35 mins | Bake Time: 10 mins per batch | Yield: 5 dozen

Ingredients:

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 tbsp half-and-half cream

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine coffee granules and cream, set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and reserved coffee mixture. Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Divided dough in half. to one portion, add the cocoa and walnuts and remaining cream. Stir chocolate chips into the other half.
3. To form cookies, place 1 tsp of each dough on an un-greased baking sheet; lightly press doughs together. Repeat with remaining doughs. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 mins. Cool for 1 min ebfore removing from pans to wire racks.

Prep time: 25 mins + Freezing | yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp sugar

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 chocolate crumb crust (9 in.)

2 pkg. (4 3/4 oz. each) chocolate-covered peppermint candies, divided

1 pint chocolate ice cream or fudge ripple ice cream

1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp peppermint extract

2-3 drops green food coloring, optional

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 cup cream until soft peaks form. Fold in walnuts. Spread into crust. Coarsely chop1 pkg. peppermint candies; fold into ice cream. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with fudge topping. Freeze for 1 hr.
2. In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Add the confectioners’ sugar, peppermint extract and food coloring, if desired; beat until stiff peaks form. Garnish pie with whipped cream mixture and remaining candies. Freeze. Remove from the freezer about 15 mins before serving.

Prep Time: 50 mins + chilling

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups plain yoghurt

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cold water, divided

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

3 tbsp half-and-half cream

2 cups cubed angel food cake

1/2 cup whipped cream topping

Instructions:

1. Line a strainer with four layers of cheesecloth or one coffee filter; place over a bowl. Add yoghurt to strainer, fold edges of cheesecloth over yoghurt. Refrigerate 8 hrs or overnight.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop, about 15 mins. Set aside 1/3 cup berries for garnish; cover and refrigerate until serving. Mash and strain remaining cranberry mixture, discarding pulp; stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Remove yogurt from cheesecloth and discard liquid from bowl. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over remaining water; let stand for 1 min. Cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the cream, cranberry puree and yoghurt.
4. Place 2 tbsp gelatin mixture in each of four parfait glasses; top each with 1/4 cup cake cubes. Repeat layers. Top with remaining gelatin mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs. Just before serving, garnish with whipped topping and reserved berries.

Servings: 6 | Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook time: 2-3 hrs | Total time: 3hrs 5 mins

Ingredients:

Cake Batter

1 cup flour

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

3 tbsp neutral vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tbsp dark chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups boiling hot water

To serve

ice cream (optional, but not really 🙂 )

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour, sugar, 3 tbsps cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a 3 1/2-4 qt slow cooker. Pour in the milk, oil and vanilla and stir into a thick, smooth batter.
2. Sift the 1/4 cup cocoa powder over the top, sprinkle with the brown sugar and chocolate chips, and finally pour the boiling water on top. DO NOT stir! Let the water sit on top!
3. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hrs, or until the middle is just set. Remove the lid and let the cake cool for 5-10 mins before serving hot with ice cream.

Ingredients:

4 cups applesauce

1 pkg. gingerbread mix

1 stick butter

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Melt butter. Add applesauce and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Add lemon juice.
2. Prepare gingerbread mix according to box. Drop bu spoonfuls around top of hot sauce. Cover and cook 20-30 mins over low heat.

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For Cheesecake Filling:

2 lb cream cheese, at room temp

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsps cocoa powder

4 eggs, at room temp

10 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For chocolate topping:

3/4 cup heavy cream

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions:

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, grease a 9″ springform pan and set aside.
2. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor, add melted butter and blend until it’s all moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 mins. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool while making the filling.

To make the filling:

1. Melt 10 oz bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.
2. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth, mix in cocoa powder.
3. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing on low speed and do not over-beat it.
4. Add melted chocolate and mix on low speed to combine.
5. Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
6. Bake the cheesecake until the center is set and the top looks dry, about 1 hr to 1 hr 10 mins.
7. Cool on a wire rack for 5 mins, then run a thin knife around the sides of the pan and set the cake in the refrigerator (uncovered), for at least 8 hrs, or better overnight.

To make the topping:

1. In a medium saucepan stir together cream, chocolate and sugar on low heat until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Cool and pour over the cheesecake.
3. When the topping is set and cool again run a thin knife around the sides and remove the springform pan sides.
4. This cheesecake can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance; just store covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 9″ pie

Ingredients:

1 9″ baked pie shell

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

4 egg yolks

3 cups milik

2 tbsp butter, softened

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups dark chocolate chips

whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-qt saucepan. Combine egg yolks and milk in a container with pouring spout. Gradually blend milk mixture into sugar mixture.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 min. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Add 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips; stir until chips are melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into prepared pie shell. Press plastic wrap onto filling. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled and firm. Garnish with whipped cream and remaining chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup chopped nuts*

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by round tbsps onto un-greased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 9-11 mins or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 mins; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Pan Cookie Variation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 15×10″ jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.
5. For high-altitude Baking: (3500-6000 ft): Increase flour to 1 1/2 cups. Add 2 tsp water with flour and reduce both sugars to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8-10 mins and pan cookies for 17-19 mins.

*If omitting nuts, add 1-2 tbsps of all-purpose flour

Makes about 24 blondies

Ingredients:

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp

1 14 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp instant espresso powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

3-4 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8″ square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, espresso powder and vanilla. Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then continue beating until very fluffy, about 2 mins.
3. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and mix in. Continuing to mix on low speed, fold in the nits and white chocolate just until blended. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 mins. transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool. Cut into 24 bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Ingredients:

2 cups graham crackers, crushed

1 1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1 large (21-oz) can cherry pie filling

2 (8-oz) blocks cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 (16-oz) carton whipping cream, whipped

Instructions:

1. Mix together first 3 ingredients. Press into 9×13″ pan and bake at 300°F for 5-10 mins. Cool well on rack.
2. Whip cream; set aside.
3. Mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended. Gently fold in whipped cream. Spread over crust and chill 1-2 hrs at least. Spread pie filling evenly over top.