Category: COOKIES, BARS & CANDY

MRS. GIBSON’S CHOCOLATE CHEWS

One of the things I look for when we’re antiquing is old recipe boxes. Not just any old recipe boxes, but old recipe boxes FULL of handwritten recipes. This recipe came from one of those boxes. I have no idea who owned the box, just that MANY of their recipe’s were in the same handwriting and referenced Mrs. Gibson who must have been an excellent cook based on the recipes I’ve tried so far!  This recipe has the added bonus of being a no bake recipe.

MRS. GIBSON’S CHOCOLATE CHEWS yields 24 cookies
1/2 cup (whole)* milk
2 1 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup – 8 tablespoons) butter
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon PURE* vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups quick oatmeal
1/2 cup FINELY chopped walnuts

  • In a large saucepan melt the butter.
  • Whisk in the milk and vanilla.
  • Stir in the sugar and cocoa until dissolved and bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes.
  • In a large bowl sift together the oatmeal and nuts.
  • Pour the cocoa mixture over the oatmeal and nuts.
  • Use 2 spatulas (see note) to mix it all together until well coated. (see notes)
  • With your hands (see note) form into balls and cool on wax paper. (see notes)

NOTE:

  • Based on the age of the recipe card and style of writing I decided whole milk and PURE vanilla extract were a MUST for the texture and flavor of this recipe to be best.
  • I spray the spatulas with non-stick cooking spray to keep the mixture from sticking.  I use food grade rubber gloves also sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to form the balls with. BUT, the best thing I finally started doing was using a cookie scoop sprayed with non stick spray to make the cookies more even.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CANDY COOKIE CUPS

CHOCOLATE CHIP CANDY COOKIE CUPS yields 24 cookie cups
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups mini chocolate chips

  • Combine melted butter, cream cheese, sugars in a mixing bowl until smooth.
  • Add vanilla until well combined.
  • Sift flour and salt into mixture and blend well.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Roll into small balls.

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • Melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips for 60 seconds in microwave until smooth. If 60 seconds isn’t enough continue to heat in 20 second increments until smooth. DO NOT BURN!
  • Line a cookie tin with cupcake liners.
  • Pour the chocolate evenly into the liners.
  • Add a cookie ball to each liner.
  • Slightly flatten each cookie ball.
  • Top each cookie ball with remaining chocolate.
  • GENTLY shake or bounce pan to even out the chocolate.
  • Chill AT LEAST 1 hour to harden cookie cups.
  • Enjoy!

GOLDEN GATE BARS

These decadent bars are so scrumptious! With a wonderful buttery shortbread crust bottom and silky smooth ganache icing on top, the caramel and brownie sandwiched in between finish it off perfectly.

GOLDEN GATE BARS – makes 12 bars

SHORTBREAD
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar

  • Stir together butter, flour, and powdered sugar until well blended.
  • Press into prepared pan.
  • Bake crust 5 minutes.
  • Place unopened caramel pouch in cup of hot water for 5 minutes to soften caramel.
  • Gently spread entire contents of caramel pouch evenly over baked crust.

BROWNIES
1 package Ghirardelli Salted Caramel Brownie Mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Lightly grease 9 x 9-inch baking pan.
  • Place water, oil and egg in medium bowl and whisk until blended well.
  • Add brownie mix and stir until well blended.
  • Spread batter evenly over caramel layer.
  • Bake 40 minutes.
  • Cool brownies completely before topping with ganache.

GANACHE
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
sea salt, optional

  • In microwave-safe bowl, microwave cream on high power just until boiling.
  • Add chocolate and stir until chips are completely melted.
  • Pour warm ganache over cooled brownies and let set before cutting.
  • Garnish with a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.

SALTY MILK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BLONDIES

SALTY MILK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BLONDIES
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup PACKED brown sugar
1 LARGE egg
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1 cup AP flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
4 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup KRAFT caramel balls
¾ cup toast walnut pieces
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper (leave plenty of paper hanging over the edge to use as handles) and then spray with non-stick spray and flour.
  • Whisk together the flour, fine sea salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In your mixer bowl beat the melted butter and brown sugar on medium until combined.
  • Add vanilla and egg, beating 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  • Gradually add flour mixture to the mixer, beating JUST until combined.
  • Fold in the milk chocolate, caramel balls and nut pieces.
  • Spoon batter into pan.
  • Bake 20-22 minutes until lightly browned and BARELY set. Add flaked sea salt after 10 minutes.
  • Let cool 1 hour.
  • Remove from pan and cut into squares.
  • Store in airtight container.

CHOCOLATE PRETZEL PB SQUARES

The beauty of this recipe is that there is NO baking involved!  This is a new favorite recipe that we will be making again and again!  You can cut them any size so they make the perfect addition to any goodie plate.

CHOCOLATE PRETZEL PB SQUARES
2 cups pretzels, crushed into crumbs
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ¼ cups peanut butter
¾ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
½ cup Heath bit pieces

  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray!
  • In a large bowl mix together the pretzel crumbs and powdered sugar until well blended.
  • Mix in melted butter and 1 cup of the peanut butter.
  • Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle evenly with Heath Bit pieces.
  • In a microwave safe bowl melt combine the remaining peanut butter with the milk chocolate chips. Heat at 30 second intervals, stirring after each until melted and smooth.
  • Spread over the layer in the baking dish.
  • Garnish with Heath bit pieces and broken pretzel bits.
  • Chill at least 1 hour before cutting.
  • Store in airtight container  in the refrigerator.

BOURBON EGGNOG SUGAR COOKIES

EGGNOG SUGAR COOKIES yields 2 dozen 1 ½ inch cookies
COOKIES
1 1⁄8 cups all purpose flour
¹⁄³ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon FRESHLY grated nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line baking sheet with silicone mat.
  • Using your mixer on low speed combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
  • Increase speed to medium and add butter 1 piece at a time until dough starts to form into a ball.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc.
  • Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes minimum.
  • On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.
  • Cut out cookies with a 2 inch cutter and use a metal spatula to place cookies on silicone sheet.
  • Return any dough scraps to plastic wrap in the refrigerator .
  • Bake 15-18 minutes when edges begin to brown.
  • Completely cool in pans before icing.
  • Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

ICING
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons prepared eggnog
scant 1 tablespoon Bourbon
LEMON and/or ORANGE zest, for garnish

  • Whisk together the sugar, Bourbon and 1 tablespoon of the eggnog at a time, until you have a thin glaze consistency.
  • Spread glaze on cookies.
  • Garnish with zest.
  • Allow icing on cookies to set 30 minutes or until completely set.
  • Store in airtight container.

CORN FLAKE HOLLY WREATHS

Christmas is right around the corner so I thought I’d share one of my favorite holiday recipes. My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me and I would wait out on the front steps for her arrive just to see them and know they were there. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!  They are delicious and they are a quick, easy, no bake treat and they’re so pretty to add to the cookie & candy tray selections.

CORN FLAKE HOLLY WREATHS
(these are better when they are made a few days ahead)

30 large marshmallows (or 3 cups mini marshmallows or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon green food color
3 1/2-4 cups cornflakes
Red Hots or sprinkles for decorating
  • Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler.
  • Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
  • Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
  • Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
  • Decorate with red hots.
  • Let cool.
  • If your house is warm – chill in refrigerator until set.

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SALTED PEANUT OATMEAL COOKIES another ANTIQUE RECIPE

This is my new GO TO recipe!  SO SO Good!

SALTED PEANUT OATMEAL COOKIES another ANTIQUE RECIPE yields 5 dozen cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening (crisco stick) (next time I’ll use half crisco stick, half butter)
3 LARGE eggs (next time I’ll only use 2)
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup peanuts
¾-1 cup golden raisins
½ cup peanut butter chips

  • Preheat oven 350°.
  • In a small food processor grind the peanuts and set aside.
  • Cream together the shortening and both sugars.
  • Add eggs one at a time and blend well.
  • Add vanilla and mix well.
  • Whisk together the oatmeal, ground peanuts, flour, baking soda and baking powder.
  • Sift flour mixture into wet mixing until blended well.
  • Fold in raisins.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes.

LEMON LIME BARS

LEMON LIME BARS
You have 2 choices for the crust – a yummy short bread or delicious cookie crumble. I love the cookie crumble, but cannot always find the OREO lemon cookies so often substitute the shortbread crust.

CRUST #1
2 packages of OREO lemon thins
1 stick butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • LIGHTLY coat a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a food processor chop and grind cookies into a fine crumble.
  • In a mixing bowl stir together the cookie crumbs and butter until well blended.
  • Press the crumb mixture firmly into the prepared baking dish and set aside.

CRUST #2
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sifted flour
pinch sea salt

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • LIGHTLY coat a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
  • Cut in butter until coarse crumbs.
  • Press the crumb mixture firmly into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.
  • Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

FILLING
6 LARGE eggs at room temperature
3 cups sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup FRESH lemon juice
1/4 cup FRESH lime juice
2 tablespoons FRESH grated lemon and lime zest
powdered sugar, for dusting

  • Whisk eggs.
  • Add sugar and whisk until blended.
  • Alternately whisk in flour, zest and juices until well blended and smooth.
  • Pour over prepared crust and bake 35-45 minutes until center no longer jiggles. You may need to cover with a loose layer of foil part way through to prevent too much browning.
  • Lightly dust with sprinkled powdered sugar and cool completely before chilling completely.
  • Cut into bars and enjoy.

HARVEST APPLE CAKE & PINEAPPLE VANILLA RUM SAUCE

One of the things I look for when we’re antiquing is old recipe boxes. Not just any old recipe boxes, but old recipe boxes FULL of handwritten recipes. This recipe came from one of those boxes. I have no idea who owned the box, just that MANY of their recipe’s were in the same handwriting and referenced Mrs. Gibson who must have been an excellent cook based on the recipes I’ve tried so far!

HARVEST APPLE CAKE & PINEAPPLE VANILLA RUM SAUCE

CAKE
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup CRISCO*
2 eggs, unbeaten
1/3 cup WHOLE milk
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples
1/2 cup golden raisins

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Cream together the sugar and crisco, it will be a bit grainy.
  • Add milk until smooth.
  • Add in the eggs until well blended.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  • Blend flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
  • Fold in apples and raisins.
  • Pour into 9×13 baking dish and spread even.
  • Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • COOL to lukewarm before pouring sauce over top and serving.

SAUCE
1 stick (8 tablespoons butter)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pineapple vanilla
1 teaspoon Malibu pineapple rum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

  • In a small saucepan melt butter.
  • Whisk in sugar until dissolved.
  • Whisk in remaining ingredients until smooth and heated through. DO NOT BOIL.

NOTES:

  • Based on the age of the recipe card and style of writing I decided whole milk and PURE vanilla extract were a MUST for the texture and flavor of this recipe to be best.  Her original recipe was extremely flavorful, but also extremely dense.  The milk helped lighten it and made it fluffier too.
  • I use the crisco sticks.
  • The cinnamon, raisins, flavored rum and flavored vanilla are MY additions and I sometimes alternate them with craisins for even more oomph in flavor.

ROOT BEER FLOAT BROWNIES

ROOT BEER FLOAT BROWNIES

START TO FINISH PREP & BAKING 2 HOURS, but oh so worth it!!

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cups unsweetened baking cocoa
4 LARGE eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon root beer extract

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Spray 8 inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray.**
  • In a small sauce pan melt butter and chocolate chips until mixture can be stirred together smoothly. Remove from heat
  • Stir in the eggs and root beer extract.
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa and the salt.
  • Stir together the wet and dry mixtures JUST until combined, but not lumpy.
  • Pour batter into pan.
  • Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • COOL completely!!!! before glazing.

FROSTING

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon root beer extract
2 tablespoons STRONG root beer
QUALITY French Vanilla Ice Cream

  • In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa.
  • Add root beer and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour glaze over brownies.
  • Cut into squares.
  • Top with a scoop of ice cream & Enjoy!

NOTE:** I like to use my square springform pan to make life easier.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OAT BARS

This is one of those recipes that I LOVE(d)! BUT had to rework to lower the sugar so I could have just 1 bite! I now cut them into really small squares so they are easier for me to eat without a reaction and they actually last longer too 😀

Here’s the original recipe that I believe came off the box of graham crackers many moons ago.  I will follow it with the “NEW” recipe with a much reduced sugar.

MAGIC CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS
2 1/2 cups crushed Honey Maid graham cracker crumbs
1 cup melted Land O’ Lakes unsalted butter
1 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon butter

  • In a LARGE mixing bowl, stir together the butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar.
  • Fold in graham cracker  crumbs.
  • Press into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
  • Place the chocolate chips and butter in a measuring cup and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
  • Spread the chocolate over the peanut butter layer.
  • Place in the refrigerator until set.
  • Cut into bars and serve.

AND the new recipe:

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OAT BARS
1 cup butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate chips work well too)
3/4 cup peanut butter

  • Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan, or line with parchment paper.
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
  • Stir in brown sugar, vanilla and salt.
  • Mix in the oats. Cook and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until ingredients are well combined.
  • Press half of the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Reserve the rest for topping.
  • Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture over the oat layer in the pan and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer and press in gently.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to cut.
  • Cut into bars and serve at room temperature.

NOTE: If you are in a real hurry fold the chocolate mixture into the oat mixture before pressing into the pan.  Personally this is my favorite way to make this as it distributes the flavors better.