Oreo Brownie Cookie Bars

Have you ever had trouble deciding whether to make cookies or brownies? These 3 layer bars are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth with a chocolate chip cookie base, a layer of Oreos, and a layer of brownies on top! What could be a better combo?

This weekend, my younger sister came to visit me at college, and we decided to spend one night baking. I had heard about this recipe before, and since my sister loves anything and everything with chocolate and Oreos, I figured we would give this recipe a try. These bars were very easy to make, and they taste just as good as they look in the photo! Some recipes tell you to make your own brownie batter, but we took a shortcut and used a box mix. You could probably use store bought cookie dough too, but we went with homemade!

OREO BROWNIE COOKIE BARS
printable recipe
1 9x13 brownie mix (and ingredients to follow recipe on brownie box)
1 package Oreos (you can use any variety - we chose double stuffed)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, brown, sugar and sugar.

Add the egg and vanilla.

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Stir in chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, prepare brownie mix according to box instructions.

Press cookie dough in bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

Layer Oreo cookies on top of cookie dough (as many as will fit!)

Pour prepared brownie mix on top.

Bake for 35 minutes or until brownies appear sufficiently cooked.

Allow to cool before cutting!

Enjoy!

Studying, Studying, and Cookies!

It tugs at my heart to know that my baking blog hasn't been updated in over a month. However, it isn't for lack of interest, no, I am officially a college kid. With all of the classes, clubs, and commitments, it is hard to find time for cookies! Even with delicious desserts in the dining hall (think self serve fro-yo!), it has been sad to spend time away from my Kitchen Aid mixer. Since I couldn't pack up all of my cookie sheets and mixing bowls, I am happy that my school has baking materials that students can check out for all of the impromptu baking that goes on!

Yesterday was the perfect occasion for baking. Word has gotten out that I have a baking blog, and it is hard to keep denying my fellow students delicious baked goods. How else can I convey that my alias is Betty Crocker!

What made yesterday an even better occasion to bake is that my friend Hannah and I had our first college chemistry test. We spent many hours practicing problems, reviewing our polyatomic ions, and lugging around our textbooks, but needless to say, science tests in college are challenging. So what does one do after suffering through a 2 1/2 hour chemistry test? Bake my favorite cookies!

No joke, these cookies are my favorite. Brown butter chocolate chip cookies will please everyone's sweet tooth - whether you enjoy the traditional chocolate chip cookie or you set your cookie standards higher, this recipe is perfect. With two sticks of butter and brown sugar, how could they not be???

The aroma of brown butter was escaping the community kitchen, and I made many new friends who couldn't wait to taste the cookies! Nothing puts a smile on people's faces like receiving a homemade cookie. Typically cookies made in college are from Toll House pre-made dough, but after tasting these cookies, my friends understand why I adhere to higher standards :)

My resources for baking and photo taking were limited, but nonetheless, here is a recipe for no-fail cookies. So whether you need cookies for a bake sale, a party, or simply to indulge after a hard chemistry test, these cookies are for you. I hope to periodically keep updating the site, and look forward to Thanksgiving and Winter break when I can bake up a storm! Until then, Happy Baking!

The dorm community kitchen!

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
printable recipe
2 sticks butter
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Studying chemistry...

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Brown butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until it is melted and turns amber in color. Allow butter to cool.

Cream brown sugar, sugar, and melted butter. Add eggs and vanilla.

Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes depending on your preferences!

Yields 40 cookies.

Recipe adapted from one of my favorite baking blogs Sweet Peony!

Enjoy!

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

My inspiration for Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies (my own creation!)

- Have you ever had an abundance of opened, half-empty chocolate chip bags in your pantry? Well the bottom shelf of my pantry contained bags of white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and semisweet chocolate chips - every baker's dream!

- Recently I have been on a peanut butter kick as well (Primarily in the form of PB&J toast for breakfast!).

- I also spent about 5 minutes eyeing the oatmeal cookies in the bakery yesterday.

- I have been dying to make another batch of browned butter chocolate chip cookies. (Think, the best chocolate chip cookies you have ever tasted!)

With all of these ideas in mind, I came up with this recipe... it's so good, your cookies are sure to vanish quickly!

I enjoy experimenting with recipes and the first time I made these cookies, they would not flatten in the oven. However, with a few tweaks to the ingredients, these cookies are perfect. I encourage you to come up with your own recipes with the ingredients you have in your kitchen. Whenever I try a new recipe, I bake the first batch and do a taste test. Then I can make any tweaks after the first batch is out of the oven!

VANISHING OATMEAL COOKIES
printable recipe
12 tbsp. butter (browned) + 4 tbsp. butter softened
2 cups + 2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg +1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt 12 tbsp.  butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter turns amber in color (about 5 minutes).

Cream brown sugar, sugar, and slightly cooled brown butter.

Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Mix in peanut butter and 4 tbsp. softened butter.

Stir in oats, cranberries, and chips.

Scoop by heaping tablespoon onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 18 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

Enjoy!

WildFlour Pastry

Sprinkle Charms is almost at its one year anniversary! I still remember when I first started baking and blogging in summer 2011. Since then, I have baked, photographed, and blogged about 50 different dessert recipes. With college in my near future, I questioned how I could continue blogging without having a kitchen and ingredients easily accessible. I have decided to add a new category to my blog titled Bridget’s Bites. This section of my blog will not include my own baking projects, but instead, I will post bakery and restaurant reviews as well as miscellaneous foodie finds!

To kickoff Bridget’s Bites, I have recently visited a bakery in Charleston, South Carolina. If you have never visited Charleston, please, add it to your list of places to visit! From an outdoor market, historic housing, eclectic galleries, and delicious eateries, you are sure to find hidden treasures around every corner. So after lunch at the King Street Grill, I headed to Pastry Chef Lauren Mitterer’s Wild Flour Pastry to purchase a few desserts to sample. The bakery’s website says customers can expect wild, out-of-the-box pastries and desserts.

Here’s the verdict: The storefront is small, and the inside is trendy. One glass display case houses a sufficient pastry selection. When I visited, the desserts included cupcakes, cookies, fruit parfaits, and mini quiches. However, the shop also sells gourmet coffee and tea drinks. Prices are reasonable, but I was disappointed that the dessert flavor profiles were not out-of-the-box creative. The cookie flavors were classic and the cupcakes were decorated plainly.

My family and I had a taste test party! Here is how we rank and review the desserts we tested.

#1 Double Chocolate Cookie ($1.50): Fudgey middle, light and pillow-like outside, intense chocolate flavor, thick crackle style cookie, delish! Would recommend!

#2 Red Velvet Cupcake ($2.25): The buttercream icing was delicious and very sweet, different and more airy than a traditional cream cheese icing that is on many red velvet cupcakes. 1:1 cake to icing ratio. The sugar sprinkles on top provide a nice crunch and win me over any day! The cake was was slightly dry and lacked a strong red velvet flavor, but probably tastes better fresh out of the oven!

#3 Peanut butter cookies ($1.25): Smooth peanut butter cookies without any real peanuts, chocolate drizzle on top. The cookies were thick and buttery, but slightly dry. Good afternoon snack!

#4 Chocolate Chip Cookie ($1.25): With a traditional cookie, I expect nearly perfect execution. However, this cookie missed the mark. The name was deceiving because there were no “chips” in the cookie. Instead the chocolate was melted and mixed throughout the cookie in thin ribbons. The cookie was tough, crumbly, and dry. Overall our least favorite.

Wild Flour Pastry is most noted for its “Sticky Bun Sundays” which are held every Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. unfortunately I did not have the chance to sample the famous Sticky Buns, but I would definitely consider stopping by on a Sunday if I had the opportunity!

Overall, I would go to the bakery again if I were in the area and in need of an afternoon sugar fix. The prices were reasonable, and the treats tasty.

WildFlour Pastry      
73 Spring Street, Charleston, SC  29403      
843.327.2621 

Tuesday ~ Friday 6:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Sticky Bun Sundays 8:00 a.m until 1:00 p.m.

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Chip Cookies

After what seems like a blogging hiatus, I am ready to get back into the kitchen and bake! Anyone else ever feel this way? After a much needed vacation to Cancun, a weekend trip to South Carolina, and a lot of homework, my imagination is overflowing with cupcake, cookie, and other dessert recipes that I want to make.

So much so, that even though I did not have a lot of time tonight, I decided to make these delicious brown sugar cinnamon chip cookies. I picked up a package of cinnamon chips at the store a few weeks ago, and I have been dying to use them in a recipe. I found a recipe that used brown sugar and butterscotch chips, and I decided to substitute my cinnamon chips for the butterscotch. The verdict: melt in your mouth AMAZING!

Since I was a little short on time, and after the recent news surrounding the sale of the Instagram company, you will notice my photos look a little different than usual! I was able to upload the photos to this blog post straight from my phone through the blogger app; oh, how I love technology!

BROWN SUGAR CINNAMON CHIP COOKIES
printable recipes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

4 tbsp. butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup cinnamon chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients, leaving out the cinnamon chips, and mix well.

Gently stir in cinnamon chips.

Roll dough into 18 balls and place on cookies sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes

Yields 15-18 cookies

Enjoy!

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, you read that right - Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies! After spending too many hours on Pinterest, I saw several recipes for this new "trendy" dessert, and I could hardly wait to try it myself. If you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, use it! If not, the one I used was fantastic. I think the name says it all - buy a package of Oreos, wrap cookie dough around them, pop them in the oven, and you have created little pieces of heaven! I went a little overboard on the cookie dough to Oreo ratio, so my cookies were huge, but I certainly didn't complain. Make sure you leave several inches between each cookie when baking, as the dough will spread (this also helps ensure the cookies bake evenly).



OREO STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
printable recipe
1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
10 oz. bag chocolate chips
1 package of Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugars until combined.

Add eggs and vanilla.

Finally, add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips.

Use a cookie scoop to place equal amounts of dough on the top and bottom of each Oreo cookie. Use your hands to roll the dough smooth and completely cover the edges of each Oreo.

Place on cookie sheet, leaving several inches between each cookie (I only baked 6 at a time).

Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are golden brown.

Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from pan.

Yields 24 very large cookies.

Recipe from Picky Palate

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Cookies

Valentine's Day is two weeks away, and these cute cookies would be perfect to give away to friends or to bring to a party! I love decorating cookies with polka dots because it is easy and pretty.

I followed my recipe for Ultimate Cut Out Cookies with Royal Icing. This recipe yields 35 cookies and the cookies hold their shape while baking. I have included decorating tips as well.

ULTIMATE CUT OUT COOKIES
printable recipe
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter (cold)
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter and sugar together.

Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Mix in flour, salt, and baking powder. Mixture will be crumbly, so it is necessary to use hands to knead dough together before rolling out.

Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick onto lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes and once cookie sheet is full, place in freezer for 5 minutes before baking (this will help the cookies keep their shape.) Re-roll scraps. In order to make 35 cookies, I used a 2 1/2 inch diameter cookie cutter.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Yields 35 cookies.

Recipe Adapted from Bake at 350.

NUTRITION INFO (1 cookie) Calories: 107, Carbohydrates: 13, Fat: 5, Protein: 2, Fiber: 0

ROYAL ICING
4 tbsp. meringue powder
1/2 cup water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Americolor Icing Coloring

Beat meringue powder and water until foamy. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and beat on low to combine (sifting the powdered sugar is essential to achieve the best texture). Add corn syrup and vanilla extract. Beat until icing becomes shiny and soft peaks form. Add desired Americolor Icing Coloring. If not using icing right away, be sure to cover with plastic wrap immediately to prevent the surface from hardening.

Yields enough icing to frost 35 cookies.

NUTRITION INFO (1/35 of total recipe) Calories: 33, Carbohydrates: 8, Fat: 0, Protein: 0, 
Fiber: 0

TIPS FOR DECORATING
When making the icing, I sift the powdered sugar using a 5 cup hand crank sifter. You can find one on Amazon for less than $10, and it will improve the smoothness of your icing.

I use Americolor Icing Coloring because it is highly concentrated and the squeeze bottles are easy to use! It is especially good for making red icing.

First, outline cookies using Wilton Tip #3. Next, flood cookies with a solid background color. To do this, slowly add water to the icing until it is the consistency of syrup. Put the thinned icing into Wilton squeeze bottles and then flood the cookies. Use a toothpick to spread the flooded icing all the way to the outlined edges of the cookie.

To add decorative polka dots to the cookies, allow the background icing to set for several minutes first. Use another squeeze bottle to dot the cookies. The background icing should still be wet enough so that the dots settle into the background color, but without mixing. Allow the cookies to sit for several hours for the icing to harden.

Happy Baking!

Ultimate Cut Out Cookies

I have been on the lookout for a good sugar cookie and frosting recipe to make cut out cookies. If you are interested in making circle shaped cookies with Buttercream frosting, I suggest using the recipe that I posted when making Carol's Sugar Cookies. Carol's cookies are moist and rich, and Buttercream frosting tastes the best! However, these cookies hold their shape better when baking. Additionally, I have recently had problems with my Buttercream frosting separating when I try to decorate my cookies with piping bags. This frosting recipe has no butter, and so it is perfect for achieving the prettiest cut-out cookie! I plan on using this cookie and frosting recipe for all my future decorated cut out cookies. I have included photos of a few products that I found helpful when baking these cookies. You will also find the nutritional information for the cookies at the bottom of the recipe - only 140 calories per iced cookie!

ULTIMATE CUT OUT COOKIES

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter (cold)
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter and sugar together.

Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Mix in flour, salt, and baking powder. Mixture will be crumbly, so it is necessary to use hands to knead dough together before rolling out.

Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick onto lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes and once cookie sheet is full, place in freezer for 5 minutes before baking (this will help the cookies keep their shape.) Re-roll scraps. In order to make 35 cookies, I used a 2 1/2 inch diameter cookie cutter.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Yields 35 cookies.

Recipe Adapted from Bake at 350.

NUTRITION INFO (1 cookie) Calories: 107, Carbohydrates: 13, Fat: 5, Protein: 2, Fiber: 0

ROYAL ICING
4 tbsp. meringue powder
1/2 cup water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Americolor Icing Coloring

Beat meringue powder and water until foamy. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and beat on low to combine (sifting the powdered sugar is essential to achieve the best texture). Add corn syrup and vanilla extract. Beat until icing becomes shiny and soft peaks form. Add desired Americolor Icing Coloring. If not using icing right away, be sure to cover with plastic wrap immediately to prevent the surface from hardening.

Yields enough icing to frost 35 cookies.

NUTRITION INFO (1/35 of total recipe) Calories: 33, Carbohydrates: 8, Fat: 0, Protein: 0, Fiber: 0

TIPS FOR DECORATING
When making the icing, I sift the powdered sugar using a 5 cup hand crank sifter. You can find one on Amazon for less than $10, and it will improve the smoothness of your icing.

I use Americolor Icing Coloring because it is highly concentrated and the squeeze bottles are easy to use! It is especially good for making red icing.

First, outline cookies using Wilton Tip #3. Next, flood cookies with a solid background color. To do this, slowly add water to the icing until it is the consistency of syrup. Put the thinned icing into Wilton squeeze bottles and then flood the cookies. Use a toothpick to spread the flooded icing all the way to the outlined edges of the cookie.

To add decorative polka dots to the cookies, allow the background icing to set for several minutes first. Use another squeeze bottle to dot the cookies. The background icing should still be wet enough so that the dots settle into the background color, but without mixing. Allow the cookies to sit for several hours for the icing to harden.

 


Happy Baking!

Carol's Sugar Cookies

It has been a while since I have had time to bake. Hopefully with the holidays around the corner I will have more reasons to put my apron back on! Last night was the first time I went out for Black Friday shopping, and I now believe this is an experience everyone should have at some time in their life. The first store opened at 10 pm, and I did not go to bed until 5:30 am. I was not looking for anything in particular, but had a few gift cards to spend, so figured it would be fun to go find a few deals. My best purchase? A Cuisinart ice cream maker. I have been wanting one of these so badly! I can't wait to try it out, and I have found some fun ice cream recipes, so be sure to check back soon to see my newest ice cream creations. Tonight I had a little free time, so inspired by the Christmas music that is starting to play on the radio, I decided to make my first Christmas cookies of the season. This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe from my friend Carol. I can never make them taste as good as she makes them taste, but they are always delicious and get eaten quickly because they are so good!

CAROL'S SUGAR COOKIES
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 lb. butter
1cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Combine room temperature butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour.

Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles with cookie cutter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

ICING
1/2 cup butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients, gradually adding the powdered sugar until well combined.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

With endless possibilities for recipes, I am always ready to try something new, but this recipe is an old go-to favorite. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you are going to LOVE these cookies!

COOKIES

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 squares (1oz.each) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Butter Flavor CRISCO (I used the stick form of CRISCO)

2 eggs

1tsp. salt

1tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp.baking soda

1 cup finely chopped peanuts

36 mini peanut butter cups

1 cup peanut butter chips.

PREHEAT: oven to 350 degrees

MELT: chocolate chips and squares, allow to cool slightly.

COMBINE: sugar, CRISCO

ADD: eggs, salt, vanilla, chocolate

MIX IN: flour, baking soda

SHAPE: dough into 1.25 inch balls

ROLL: in chopped peanuts

BAKE: for 9-11minutes

PLACE: peanut butter cup on top of cookie immediately after taking out of oven.

DRIZZLE: melted peanut butter chips over cooled cookies using a plastic bag with corner cut off.

Makes 3 dozen cookies, recipe from The Cookie Bible 

ENJOY!