Almond Streusel Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Cookie Base and Topping 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix 

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine 

4 oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Filling 

2 1/2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese (20 oz), softened 

1/2 cup sugar 

2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon almond extract 

2 eggs 

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in large bowl. Cut in butter and 4 oz cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat 20 oz cream cheese, the sugar, flour, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

3. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with reserved topping and almonds.

4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator. 

Makes 24 bars

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/almond-streusel-cherry-cheesecake-bars/779ffba3-e4a7-424f-b57a-8a9edfa501e0?p=1

Baklava Bars

Cookie Base 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 egg

Filling 

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 frozen mini fillo shells (from 2.1-oz package)

Glaze 

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Garnish 

5 tablespoons honey

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. 

2. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir walnuts, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt with fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly. 

4. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen fillo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown. 

5. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon uncovered on High 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in vanilla. 

6. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over fillo. Cool completely, about 2 hours. 

7. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Before serving, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon honey over each bar. Store covered at room temperature. 

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/bettycrockerrecipes/3254116278/

Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Squares

Makes: 16 squares

INGREDIENTS 

1 ½  cups powdered sugar  

1 ½  cups creamy peanut butter 

1 ½  teaspoons vanilla

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

DIRECTIONS 

 1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla until well blended.  

2. Cut cookie dough in half. In ungreased 8- or 9-inch square pan, break up half of dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan. Press peanut butter mixture evenly over dough. Crumble and sprinkle remaining half of cookie dough over peanut butter mixture. Carefully spread as evenly as possible.  

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-squares/464e2d24-0c6a-4eac-9f86-bcd76ce034b1/

Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites

1 (30 oz) package Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough (refrigerated section)

 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

 2 cups powdered sugar

 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Roll two teaspoons of cookie dough into a ball for each cookie. Place balls of dough into paper liners mini cupcake/muffin pan. Make a well/indentation into each ball of dough with a flour dipped mini rolling pin or the back of a measurement teaspoon.

 Beat room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Place filling into a piping bag, cut off edge of bag. Place one teaspoon or so of filling into each area of cookie dough.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until cookie tested with tooth pick comes out almost clean.

 Don’t over fill the cookies with filling as they will rise when baked.

 Let cool before removing from cupcake pan.

http://www.createdby-diane.com/2011/11/gingerbread-cheesecake-bites.html

Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

Servings: 1 dozen cookies  

Ingredients 

1 box gingerbread cake and cookie mix

1/4 cup hot water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

4 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla 

Directions:  

Cheesecake:

1.Mix together cream cheese, sugar and salt with an electric mixer until smooth.

2.Add egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla.

3.Refrigerate while you go on to the next step of making the cookie dough.

Cookies:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.Stir gingerbread mix, water, and butter in medium bowl, using spoon, until dough forms.

3.Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a deep indentation with your thumb in each cookie.

4.Bake cookies for 5 minutes and remove from oven.

5.Re-"thumb" the indentations if they widened in the oven.

6.Using half of a teaspoon, fill the indentations in the cookie with the cheesecake mixture.

7.Return to the oven for another 5-6 minutes. Cool completely  before removing from cookie sheet.

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/12/13/gingerbread-cheesecake-cookies-recipe

Tiramisu Cheesecake Bars

 Cookie Base 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix 

2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 

1 egg, slightly beaten 

Filling

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened 

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or crystals 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

2 eggs 

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 

Topping 

6 oz cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup whipping cream  

Chocolate syrup and chocolate curls, if desired 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add milk; beat until well blended. Add coffee, vanilla and eggs; beat until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over cookie base.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Refrigerate 30 minutes to cool completely.

4. In small bowl, beat 6 oz cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in whipping cream; beat about 2 minutes longer or until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled bars. Sprinkle chocolate curls over topping.

5. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 36 bars

Recipe Source: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/tiramisu-cheesecake-bars/44c1827a-2dc9-4a2a-b430-def6d31f9106/?p=1

Chocolate Chip Caramel Crisp Bars

I made the chocolate chip cookie dough from scratch - you can use your favorite cookie recipe and just spread the dough as the bottom layer.  This is the one time where it's okay to use a recipe where the cookies are apt to spread.  In fact, it's better if you do since you don't want a cakey or stiff dough.  I also didn't use caramel apple dip and instead melted caramels with a bit of milk for the caramel.  That's more of a flavor and texture preference on my part.  Once the bottom chocolate chip cookie layer was baked and had cooled, I spread a layer of melted caramel over it and let it set before I covered it with the nutella crunch topping I'm so fond of. 

This turned out to be a nice bar cookie confection - it's good with the chocolate chip cookie layer but if you wanted to make it even more decadent, you can make a chocolate brownie base instead, top it with caramel then the nutella crunch.  Serious calories but worth it.

 

1 18-ounce roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, well chilled

2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided

1 16-ounce container (about 1 ½ cups) caramel apple dip, divided

3 cups crisp rice cereal

1 ¼ cups chopped lightly salted cashews

1.       Preheat oven to 350⁰F.  Spray a 13 x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil.

2.       Slice cookie dough into ¼-inch-thick slices.  Arrange slices in bottom of the prepared pan.  With floured fingers, press dough evenly to form crust.

3.       Bake 10-14 minutes or until light golden brown (dough will appear slightly puffed).  Remove from the oven; cool 15 minutes.

4.       In a large saucepan, combine 1 cup of the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the caramel dip.  Cook over medium heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cereal and cashews; immediately spread over cooled crust.

5.       In small saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup chips and ½ cup caramel dip.  Cook over medium heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly.  Spread over cereal mixture.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.  Cut into bars.

Recipe Source: http://pastrychefbaking.blogspot.com/2011/07/chocolate-chip-caramel-crisp-bars.html

Peanut-Buttery Fudge Bars

INGREDIENTS:

Cookie Base 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon water

1 egg

Topping 

1 cup hot fudge topping

1 cup Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 bars (2.1 oz each) chocolate-covered crispy peanut-buttery candy, unwrapped, finely crushed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. 

2. Spread hot fudge topping over cooled cookie base. In large bowl, combine frosting and peanut butter until well mixed. Add whipped topping and candy; gently fold until well blended. Spoon mixture over hot fudge topping then carefully spread to evenly cover. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator. 

Recipe Source: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/bettycrockerrecipes/4625090358/

Coconut Butterscotch Fudge Cookies

Ingredients: 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1 to 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup butterscotch topping

3/4 cup hot fudge topping

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in coconut. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. 

2. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown and coconut starts to toast. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to waxed paper. 

3. Drizzle each warm cookie with butterscotch topping. In small microwavable bowl, microwave hot fudge topping uncovered on High 15 to 30 seconds or until spreadable. Carefully spread on top of each cookie. Serve warm or cool. Store loosely covered.

Recipe Source: www.bettycrocker.com/cookies

Buckeye Delights

Cookie Base 

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

Filling  

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping 

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon peanut butter

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 36 mini muffin cups with mini foil candy cups (about 1 1/4 inch). In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until dough forms. Press about 1 tablespoon dough into each foil cup. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until puffy and set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove from pan.

2. In small bowl, mix filling ingredients until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon mixture on top of each cooled cookie.

3. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cooled. Spread about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture over each cookie cup.

4. Place remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 to 60 seconds or until softened; knead to mix. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate mixture over each cookie cup. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Store covered in refrigerator.

Recipe Source: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/bettycrockerrecipes/4120715534/

Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

By: NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE
Yields: 24 turkeys.

You will want to gobble these up! Using our refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough as the base of these adorable cookies, frosting and almond slices are used to decorate the "turkey's" body. For the finishing touches, white and semi-sweet mini morsels are used for the eyes, candy corn as the nose and pretzels pieces are used as the feet for this tasty treat! Who says you can't have turkey for dinner and dessert!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
3/4 cup prepared chocolate frosting
1/3 cup sliced almonds
48 NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
48 NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
24 candy corns
48 pretzel twist pieces for feet

Directions:

PREPARE cookies as directed on package. Cool completely.

FROST cookies with chocolate frosting. Insert 8 to 10 almond slices into frosting for feathers on each cookie. Place two white morsels upside down on each as eyes. Adhere mini morsel pupils to white morsels with frosting. Place candy corns as nose and two pretzel pieces for feet on each.

NOTE: Candy corns can be used for feathers instead of almond slices.

Recipe Source: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/144663/Thanksgiving-Turkey-Cookies/detail.aspx

Turtle Tassies

Source: Betty Crocker

1 Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

butter and egg called for on the pouch

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 (14 ounce) bags caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Make dough according to package directions. Make 36 (1-inch) balls. Press each ball into a the bottom of each mini muffin cup and press up the sides.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Meanwhile in a small saucepan place unwrapped caramels and cream and heat until melted. Reduce heat to low.

Remove pans from oven. Using the back of wooden spoon press down the sides and bottom of each cup to flatten being careful not to make holes.

Bake for 2 minutes more. Remove from oven and immediately place 4-5 chocolate chips in each cup.

Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of caramel into each cup and immediately top with pecans and slightly press them down. Cool for five minutes then remove with narrow spatula or a knife.

Makes 36 turtle tassies.

Recipe Source: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/12/turtle-tassies.html