Monster Brookies

Happy Friday! It’s been a busy few weeks over here, but I finally got into the kitchen this week and whipped up something that has all of my favorite things. My new Monster Brookies are a combination of a rich and decadent brownie layer, a peanut butter layer, a chocolate chip cookie layer, with mini M&Ms and flakey salt.

These bars are going to rock your world!

I’m not even going to get fancy with a huge blog post because you just need to make these.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• You’re making a brownie recipe and a chocolate chip cookie recipe.
• You’ll bake the brownie layer on its own for 15 minutes and then pile everything on top and bake again.
• These bars are still kinda gooey when they are done baking – give them at least an hour to cool and set.
• Don’t worry that the top looks golden brown and a little crisp. The center will still be soft and you’ll have an awesome texture combo.
• These store great in an airtight container at room temperature. You can microwave them next day for that gooey center, or serve at room temp for a more solid texture.

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Monster Brookies

Gooey brownies with peanut butter, a chocolate chip cookie layer, mini M&Ms and flakey salt.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Bars

Keyword Brookies, Brownies, cookies, Monster Brookies

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

For the Brownie Layer

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) good quality dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (180 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Cookie Layer

• 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g) vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Fillings and Garnish

• 1 cup (250 g) peanut butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (112 g) mini M&Ms
• Flakey salt

Instructions

For the Brownie Layer

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter and the bittersweet chocolate chips until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar to the butter and chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well between each addition.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Add the flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
• Fold in the 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the brownies for 15 minutes.
• While the brownies bake, make the cookie dough. (Instructions below)
• When the 15 minute timer is up, remove the pan from the oven. Pour the melted peanut butter on top and gently spread into an even layer.
• Using your hands, break apart the cookie dough (instructions below) and drop on top of the peanut butter and brownie. This does not need to be spread out. It will spread as it cooks.
• Evenly sprinkle the mini M&Ms on top.
• Bake for 30 minutes more minutes.
• The top of the cookie layer will be golden brown. Don’t let that scare you that it’s over cooked. The centers will still be gooey and you’ll get a delicious crunch with each bite, as well.
• Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on the salt.
• Allow the bars to cool in the pans for at least an hour.
• The centers will still be gooey after they cool for an hour. If you want the centers more set, allow the bars to sit for an additional hour or two.

For the Cookie Layer

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth.
• Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the egg and mix until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and mix for about 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. 
• Stir in the chocolate chips.

The post Delicious and Gooey Monster Brookies first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Delicious and Gooey Monster Brookies appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

The Best Brownie

Truth be told, my favorite brownie has always been the Ghirardelli dark chocolate box mix. I’m not even ashamed to admit it. They are the perfect balance of rich, dark chocolate flavor, with a chewy but not overly fudgy center.

I love them so much that I decided to search for a homemade version that would compare… but the search left me empty handed. I tried dozens of brownie recipes and none of them were quite right.

So, I recently decided to work on my own recipe to create a homemade brownie recipe that gave me the flavor and texture I was looking for. And while these aren’t the perfect replica of the box mix, I’m super happy with how they turned out.

The Best Chewy Brownies from Scratch

This homemade chewy brownies recipe has a rich chocolate flavor thanks to the combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder, as well as semi-sweet chocolate chips. They get their chewy texture from the brown sugar (no granulated sugar)

Ingredients for Brownies from Scratch

• Unsalted butter
• Bittersweet chocolate chips – I like THIS brand, but any good-quality bittersweet chocolate will work
• Light brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• All-purpose flour
• Dark cocoa powder – I like THIS brand
• Salt
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips

NOTE: good quality chocolate enhances the flavor and texture of the brownies

How to Make Brownies from Scratch

• Melt the butter and bittersweet chocolate over the stove You can also do this in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until smooth.
• With the same bowl, stir in the brown sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla.
• Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt.
• Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.
• Top with Maldon salt, optional

More Desserts to Love

Mom’s Legendary Lemon Bars

No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Biscoff Pecan Crust

Oreo Brownie Banana Caramel Trifle

Fast and Easy Brownie Berry Torte with Vanilla Custard Filling

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Chewy Brownies from Scratch

Delicious chewy brownies with bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Brownies

Keyword Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) good quality dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (180 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter and the bittersweet chocolate chips until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir until smooth.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well between each addition.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Add the flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
• Fold in ¾ cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.
• Bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

The post Best Chewy Brownies from Scratch first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Best Chewy Brownies from Scratch appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

 Back to School

It’s back to school week around here and there’s nothing that makes me think of “school” more than peanut butter and jelly. I used to have it for lunch nearly every day, and it’s still something I love to whip up today. It’s also one of my favorite flavor combinations to use in desserts – peanut butter and jelly cake, peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies, peanut butter and jelly muffins, peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, and these easy peanut butter and jelly bars.

Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

These dessert bars are so simple to make and taste just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If you’re like me and love this simple sandwich, you’ll go nuts for these yummy bars! The shortbread crust and crumble is much like the white bread, stuffed with a jam flavor of your choice (I used raspberry jam) and peanut butter chips.

I highly recommend that you use the Hershey’s Peanut Butter Chips when you’re making these bars. They are the best of the best and taste better than any other peanut butter chip I’ve tried.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Butter
• Eggs
• Jam
• Peanut Butter

That’s it! It’s a short list, which means this dessert bar recipe is a breeze to whip up. About 15 minutes prep time and 30 minutes bake time.

Other Desserts You’ll Love

• Nanaimo Bars
• Blueberry Delight Bars
• Lemon Bars

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PB&J Bars

These delicious Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars are literally the classic sandwich in dessert form!

Servings 15 bars

Author cakebycourtney

Ingredients

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
• 1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 1/2 cup (487 g) strawberry jam, or flavor of your choice
• 2 1/2 cups (450 g) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips, divided

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Set aside
• With a pastry cutter, or in your food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add eggs and blend well.
• Press half the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan, and then spread the jam over the crust.
• Sprinkle 1 ¾ cup of the peanut butter chips over the jam. Stir the remaining reserved crumb mixture with the remaining peanut butter chips and sprinkle over the top.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

The post Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Summer is HERE!! And so are the pool parties, picnics, and neighborhood and family barbecues! While cake is, and always will be, my favorite dessert, here are 5 of my favorite quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing dessert ideas that are sure to be a hit at whatever summer party plans you have.

Don’t forget to tag me @cakebycourtney and @shop.cakebycourtney when you create something delicious. I love seeing all the ways you take my recipes and make them your own.

Peanut Butter Pie

It’s true, I’m not a huge pie lover, HOWEVER, a pie with a graham cracker and pretzel crust is a pie I can stand behind!

Years ago I made a Magnolia Bakery Peanut Butter Pie that filled a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan with a Nilla wafer crust, peanut butter and cream cheese filling and caramel. It was heavenly! I haven’t had it in years and suddenly started dreaming about it. As I thought about looking for the recipe, I wondered if I could create my own version. I remember thinking the original was a little too rich for me (like, how is that even possible?). 

So instead of hunting down the recipe, I decided to create my own version of this decadent dessert. Check out the recipe HERE and see why it’s one of my 5 favorite quick and easy non-cake desserts!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my dad’s favorite treats as a kid was his mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies. I remember him telling me over and over again how they were the best cookies he’s ever had and no one could make them better than grandma.

Over the years, any time we would visit my grandma Margaret, she always had a fresh batch of her cookies waiting for us. I loved opening the tupperware and having the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies hit my nose. It’s a memory I’ll never forget and one I try to recreate often. These Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are my version of Grandma Margaret’s classic cookies.

Nanaomi Bars

I first learned about these Nanaomi Bars about 17 years ago when my husband returned home from living in British Columbia for a couple of years (before we were married). He actually spent time in the town of Nanaimo, where he first learned about this traditional Canadian no-bake dessert made of a graham cracker, coconut, cocoa and sometimes nut crust, with a custard filling and chocolate ganache. I remember thinking how decadent they sounded, but it was years into our marriage before I ever tried one. 

When I finally did try one, I fell in love! The combination of the bittersweet crust and ganache, with the sweet custard filling and the texture just spoke to me. Try these easy, no bake bars HERE.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

I love recipes that remind me of a certain time and place in life. This Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble recipe does just that. Every time I make it, it reminds me of summer vacations at Ryan’s parent’s house. I think his dad has made us this crumble every summer we visit. It’s been one of my favorite desserts since joining the Rich family. A tradition of summer!

Blueberry Delight Bars

This recipe is over 60-years-old and one my mom remembers having at every Christmas dinner growing up. She actually just discovered the old recipe card when going through my grandma’s recipes not too long ago. She snatched up all the cards with my grandma’s writing and plans to make copies and recipe books with them for her siblings. Don’t you worry, I’m asking for one too! Old family recipes are treasures! Hold on to them forever.

These Blueberry Delight Bars are incredibly easy to make and are no-bake! Perfect for the end of summer when it’s too hot to turn on our ovens.

The post 5 Quick and Easy (Non-Cake) Desserts first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post 5 Quick and Easy (Non-Cake) Desserts appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Grandma’s Vintage Dessert

Hi friends! I’m so excited to share with you another new recipe today! Instead of cake, however, this week’s recipe is my grandma’s Blueberry Delight bars. This recipe is over 60 years old and one my mom remembers having at every Christmas dinner growing up. She actually just discovered the old recipe card when going through my grandma’s recipes not too long ago. She snatched up all the cards with my grandma’s writing and plans to make copies and recipe books with them for her siblings. Don’t you worry, I’m asking for one too! Old family recipes are treasures! Hold on to them forever.

Blueberry Delight

This Blueberry Delight dessert is incredibly easy to make and it’s no-bake! Perfect for the end of summer when it’s too hot to turn on our ovens. Here’s what you need:

• One 11 oz. box of Nilla wafer cookies
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pint blueberries
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. corn starch
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 9″x13″ baking pan

Helpful Tips

While this recipe is pretty foolproof, here are a few tips I think will be helpful to you while you prep and make these bars.

• Make the compote first – the compote is the only thing you’ll be “cooking.” You’ll heat the compote ingredients over the stove to thicken the mixture. This means the mixture will be hot and it for sure needs to cool completely before adding to the bars. I think it’s best to make the compote a day or two early, or at least a few hours before you want to assemble the bars.
• Use a cold stainless steel bowl – about a half hour before you whip your cream, place your stainless steel bowl in the freezer. Starting with a cold stainless steel bowl before whipping your cream helps the cream to thicken faster.
• Chill the bars for a few hours before serving – when mom and I made these bars a couple of weeks ago, we dug in right away. However, mom said they didn’t quite taste the same as they did when she was little. The reason being – we didn’t chill the bars long enough. Give the bars at least three hours in the fridge to chill and set before serving.

That’s it! There are really no other tips to offer because Grandma’s Blueberry Delight is so easy to make.

And stay tuned for next week’s recipe! I’ll have a new cake based on these bars.

Similar Recipes You’ll Enjoy

• Old Fashioned Blueberry Delight Cake
• Florida Orange Flower Cake
• The Perfect Summer Cake: Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Blueberry Streusel Muffin Cake
• No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Biscoff Pecan Crust

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Blueberry Delight

No-bake, layered dessert made of Nilla wafers, whipped cream and blueberry compote.

Course Dessert

Keyword Beginner, Blueberry Delight

Servings 15

Ingredients

Blueberry Compote

• 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries I prefer fresh
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp. corn starch measured and then sifted

Nilla Wafer Crust

• 11 oz. crushed Nilla wafers One 11 oz. box
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

Whipped Cream Filling

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Compote

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the blueberries to burst and the liquid to thicken. It should coat your spoon well.
• This is best made ahead of time and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple weeks.

For the Wafer Crust

• In a food processor or blender, pulverize the cookies to a fine crumb.
• Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are wet.
• Pat the crumbs firmly into place in a 9"x13" pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Whipped Cream

• Combine the whipped cream and powdered sugar. Beat to stiff peaks.

Assembly

• Evenly spread the whipped cream over the crust.
• Gently spread the blueberry compote over the whipped cream.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

The post Grandma’s Vintage Blueberry Delight Recipe first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Grandma’s Vintage Blueberry Delight Recipe appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats

It’s a treat I grew up making almost weekly with my family, and one I love to whip up on a whim with my kids. Having marshmallows and Rice Krispie cereal in my pantry is just as common as me having ingredients to make my Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Classic Yellow Cake on hand. Basically, you’ll never come to my house and not have dessert. I may not have things to whip up dinner for you… but you’ll always get dessert!

While I love the classic combination of marshmallows and Rice Krispies, I also love to put some twists on the treat every now and then. One of my favorite spins on Rice Krispie Treats is adding white cake mix, clear vanilla extract and sprinkles to make Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats.

Add just a couple tablespoons of the cake mix, a teaspoon or so of the clear vanilla extract and a handful of sprinkles really brings the cake flavor to life! I can’t wait for you to give them a try!

Other Rice Krispie Treat Flavors to Try

• Browned Butter Rice Krispie Treats: before mixing the butter and marshmallows, cook your butter on the stove for about 5 minutes. You’re looking to create a brown-ish color in your butter. You know it’s cooked when it starts to crackle and you see brown specks. Add the browned butter to your melted marshmallows and stir well. Then just add your Rice Krispies, a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and you’re all set.
• Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats: combine 2 tablespoons butter, ½ cup peanut butter and a 16 ounce bag of marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for about 1 to 2 minutes and stir until you’ve created a smooth consistency. Add the Rice Krispies, one teaspoon of vanilla, and pour into your pan to set. You could also add peanut butter baking chips, but wait for the marshmallows to cool a bit so the chips don’t completely melt.
• Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats: follow the directions for peanut butter rice krispie treats above, but use Biscoff spread or Cookie Butter in place of the peanut butter.
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Rice Krispie Treats: follow the directions for the peanut butter rice krispie treats, but use only 6.5 cups of Rice Krispie cereal and add ½ to 1 cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries.

Similar Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treat Cake
• Milk Bar Birthday Cake
• Top 5 Best Cake Layer Combinations 
• Baking with Kids: Tips and Recipes for Making it a Fun and Stress-Free Experience
• Top 5 Favorite Strawberry Birthday Cakes

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The post Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats appeared first on Cake by Courtney.