M&M Walnut Drops

A while back I made some M&M cookies and wanted to try a new version with the fall M&Ms. I found this recipe in a free M&Ms recipe booklet I got about seven or eight years ago. Cookies never go out of style!

Overall, I like the first M&M cookies I made better due to the chewier texture and chocolate punches from the M&Ms. If you are looking for a more brownie-like and chocolaty version with the added flavor and crunch of walnuts, this is definitely the cookie for you! I will say, I was craving these the next day.

Halloween is just about here! Are you dressing up? I just have a Halloween T-shirt and socks. Maybe I'll wear a cape, too...


Ingredients
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup M&Ms
1 cup chopped walnuts


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. 
In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. 
In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. 
Stir in M&Ms and nuts. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. 
Bake 15 minutes.
Yields 18 cookies.

Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats

I know what you are thinking... Candy corn mixed in with Rice Krispies treats? Sugar overload, right? Wrong!

This is a delicious treat perfect use for all of the candy corn available at this time of year. Oddly, I find candy corn too sugary to eat on its own, but mixed in with the cereal treats, it is a great way to enjoy this seasonal candy icon. Fearing I had become immune to sugar, I brought these for some skeptical coworkers to try. They were pleasantly surprised as well and have requested another batch!

A few months ago, I made another twist on Rice Krispies treats. Do you have any favorite variations?


Ingredients
3 Tbsp margarine

4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 1/2 cups candy corn

Instructions

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. 
Add cereal and stir. Add candy corn and stir.
Press mixture into a 13x9 inch pan.

Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
Yields 30 squares. 

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

As promised, here is a homemade version of the Nestle Toll House Filled cookies. Plus the candy theme continues! This has a brownie-like flavor and texture and will make a great base for future chocolate cookie recipes. I made some cookies larger than others, and the smaller ones turned out much better (more flavor, better Rolo to cookie ratio).

Have you tried any filled cookies?

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

24 rolos (2 rolls)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Add egg and mix. Gradually add in cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda.

Take one Rolo and press the dough around it to make a small ball. 

Bake for 12 minutes.

Yields 24 cookies.

Oatmeal Raisinette Cookies

This is a delightful twist on a classic, and I will certainly be making these throughout the year, not just at Halloween when there is a ton of candy around. These cookies are not overly sweet, and they have a chewy texture. As you know, I'm not in love with raisins, so having chocolate covered raisin is just the right mix of chocolate and raisins in this cookie.

What's your favorite twist on a classic?

Ingredients

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 egg whites

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup raisinettes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg whites and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. When it is fully incorporated, mix in the rolled oats and raisinettes. Drop by rounded tablespoon-fulls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 

Makes 18 cookies.

Junior Mint Cookie Bars

An easy recipe for incredibly addictive bars with gooey mint pieces! What could be better?!?!  Making these bars is a much better way to enjoy Junior Mints than sneaking them out of the Halloween candy bowl. Next time I'll eat mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

What do you cook for Halloween?

Ingredients

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup Junior mints

 

Instructions

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the 4 ounces of chocolate chips with the butter. Heat in microwave until almost melted.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla together until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Slowly add the melted chocolate, and mix until well-combined. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and Junior Mints. Pour the dough into a 8x8 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. 

Yields 9 bars.

Milky Way Cookies

With Halloween just around the corner, my next few posts are going to be dedicated to cookies that include candy. Some of my favorites are M&M cookies, Peanut Butter Cup cookies, and Peanut Butter Delights.

 

Today I'm making Milky Way cookies. These are very easy to whip up. Be sure they don't stay in the oven too long. They will brown quickly, and the caramel in the Milky Way will become too hard and ooze out of the cookie.

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe that includes candy?

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup melted margarine 

6 fun size Milky Ways, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Mix condensed milk and butter. Add in flour mixture. Stir in Milky Way pieces. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Drop rounded tablespoons two inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes. 

Yields 1 dozen

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

If you have a chocolate peanut butter craving (like I did this weekend), this is a cookie for you! The brownie-like texture was an added bonus. My mouth is watering just thinking about them now...

Neither the chocolate flavor nor the peanut butter flavor are too overwhelming. If you want to make one flavor stronger, just use one kind of chips. Usually I'm craving peanut butter more, so next time I'm going to mix in choped Reese's peanut butter cups or put a mini peanut butter cup in the center. Maybe even Reese's pieces... Yum!

Are you a chocolate person or a peanut butter person?

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/3 cup Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugar. Add egg and mix. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips and milk chocolate chips. 

Drop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.  

Yields 18 cookies.

Fancy Fortune Cookies

Mr. Sleuth found a great discount special for Fancy Fortune Cookies, so we went on a fortune cookie shopping spree! We got the $10.00 sample pack of fortune cookies (graham cracker, cherry, and strawberry banana- about 5 of each flavor) and the Fancy Fortune Cookie Deluxe Sampler tin ($39.99 for 65 assorted fortune cookies). I am swimming in fortune cookies!

Overall this was more of a great gift find (unusual flavors, personalized fortunes, reasonable prices) than a great cookie find. Some of the flavors have an artificial taste, and I don't want to know how much food coloring they use! The mint fortune cookie is excellent, and graham cracker is a close second.

I would consider ordering the tin as a gift (never again for myself), however sometime I would like to try the jumbo chocolate covered fortune cookie. In the meantime, I will stick with fortune cookies from Panda Inn.

I know some people make their own fortune cookies at home. Have you had any luck with homemade fortune cookies?