Graham Cracker Chip Blondies

Why eat cookies when you can eat cookie bars? (Well, cookie-like blondie bars!) These graham cracker blondies remind me of my amazing Cookie Bar recipe; they’re both sweet, chewy, and delicious!

Gooey Vanilla Cake Bars (St. Louis Style!)

Fun fact: this is my first post from an airplane! Although technology just frustrates me most of the time, I must admit that blogging from 35,000 feet above ground is pretty cool! On the way home from New York, my family and I are stopping in St. Louis, so I took it upon myself to explore its dessert attractions. I was certainly not disappointed, for although they might be best known for ribs and their Gateway Arch, my favorite one of their specialities is their St. Louis gooey butter cake!

S’mores Brownie Bars

S’mores the season! Although s’mores always trigger campfire memories of romantic summers, they also remind me of cold nights in front of the fireplace while clutching a hot chocolate in one hand and a thick blanket in the other.  My grandpa, who could easily supply about 3 warehouse stores from his collection of “tools” in his garage, recently gave me a blow torch to use for baking feats. I contemplated making a baked alaska or lemon merengue pie with my newly acquired toy, but then I thought: S’MORES!!! These s’mores brownies combine a campfire classic with a chocolate lover’s favorite dessert…When the marshmallows are freshly melted and gooey, who can resist this amazing treat?! If you think brownies are good, think again, for these s’mores brownie bars top them all! Enjoy!!

Recipe: S’more Brownies

***NOTE: Instead of using the big marshmallows, you could substitute them for mini marshmallows or even marshmallow fluff. Also, if you don’t have a torch, the recipe instructs you to bake the marshmallows in the oven for the last 10 minutes.

Paula’s Lemon Bars

I find most of my dessert recipes through intense Pinterest, Foodgawker, and blog research. Instead of Christmas wish-lists and “wanted shoes” as my  Safari bookmarks, I file over 700 recipes (and counting) into differnt bookmark menus–cakes, layer cakes, pies/tarts, bars/brownies, cookies, macarons, and “bites”. I mean business! You can certainly consider at350degrees recipes obsessively pre-scanned by a Type-A baker! Usually, I ignore big-name/Food Network chef recipes, except Martha Stewart and of course THE Paula Deen. Paula Deen is the only chef whose recipes I trust without a reference picture  because all of her recipes are incredible! To pay homage to her baking magnificence, I would post this as an early birthday present to her, but Janurary 19th is a little while away. (Yes, I know her birthday, and yes, expect an all-things-Paula birthday post!) Anyways, I had made these incredible lemon bars a while back, when I was still baking cakes from mixes, but I wanted to make them again to share with all of you. I was so surprised when I had first made them (I had never tasted lemon bars before) because these bars were so lightand tasty with a great flaky shortbread crust! They are also pretty easy to make, always a plus! Remember, the powdered sugar on top is a crucial–it’s just so pretty!! Enjoy!!

Recipe: Lemon Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

My friend and I were browsing the web when we came across this outrageous fudge recipe. Being a cookie fanatic, she begged me to make this cookie-tasting candy for her; perfect to add to my newly established candy recipe collection! This super sweet cookie dough fudge tastes exactly like my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies right before baking! (They even have the same vanilla-butterscotch flavor that I love!)  They are a cookie lover’s fantasy come true; you can eat all of the “cookie dough” you like without the worry of unsafe ingredients! This candy treat will certainly fill your sweet tooth with its rich cookie taste and chocolate chip crunch. Enjoy!!!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge 

**NOTE: Feel like mixing it up? Try making this fudge using butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, nuts, or marshmallows!

Cookie Dough Blondie-Brownies

Summer School week 4: Brownies. Brownies are always a never-fail crowd pleaser! Although I keep getting requests to make my World’s Best Brownies for my physics class, I wanted to experiment with a new brownie recipe. Personally I LOVE blondie-type bars, like my M&M Cookie Bars, so I was so excited to find a Blondie-Brownie recipe that combines the best of both worlds; It’s a fudgy chocolate brownie on top with a layer of sweet blondie perfection on the bottom. These brownie bars were crowned “Best Brownie” by my class, and my mom swears they are are “to die for”!!! Enjoy!!

Recipe: Blondie-Brownies

World’s Best Brownies (Better than the box!)

I’m not usually a brownie lover, but after tasting these chocolaty treats, I think I have been converted! When I took these to summer school for a brain-powering snack, everyone else agreed– these brownies are AMAZING! The fudgy chocolate center is absolutely delectable, and the brownie-from-the-box thin, perfectly crinkled top  makes this the ultimate brownie recipe. They are truly the best of all time!! Feel free to add your own twist (Oreos, Peppermint Patties, Girl Scout Cookies, etc…), but these brownies are amazing just own their own, so I say be a purist! I added chocolate chips to mine, and if you want to keep the chips intact, make sure to put them in the freezer while you make the batter and do not mix them in until the batter has cooled. Enjoy!!

Recipe: The Best Brownies You’ll Ever Eat….

***NOTE: DO NOT OVER BAKE!!!!!! (I have to force myself to take out the brownies even before I think they are fully cooked)

My only regret: Not using a brownie baking pan for a never-ending crust! But still, these are just mouthwatering!

AMAZING M&M Cookie Bars (Updated)

These M&M Cookie Bars are heavenly. They are like sweet, chewy, buttery cookies in bar form, just begging to be devoured. Because I LOVE Martha Stewart’s chewy chocolate chip cookies SO much, I wanted to try out  these amazingly delicious blondie cookie bars. Feel free to add your own toppings! (Try out using M&M’s, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, candy pieces, or even plain!) Don’t blink; these bars will be gone within seconds…they are a crowd (and personal!) favorite!!!

Recipe (for the dough): Soft and Chewy Cookies (See directions  below…)

Make cookie dough as directed. Place dough in pirex (spray with baking pam) and bake until the dough becomes shiny and slightly firm (about 7-10 minutes). Sprinkle M&M’s over dough (or chocolate chips, etc…) and bake until brown. The dough should appear firm and cooked, but a toothpick should NOT come out totally dry (about 25-30 min). DO NOT OVER BAKE because the bars will solidify!!! Again, DO. NOT. OVER. BAKE. Take out the bars and let the dough sit to cool. Cut into bars and pour yourself a tall glass of milk. Enjoy!!!