Course: Dessert

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

If you’re a fan of the movie, My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll love these cute little tarts with bellies full of blueberry filling. I watched this movie multiple times over my break from Christmas to New Year’s Day. 2024 was such a roller coaster, that I needed something that brings happiness and comfort. I hope these yummy little cuties will bring you happiness too!

I shared my flaky pie crust recipe below along with the filling. If you want to streamline the process, you can certainly use store bought pie crust. But I must say that that I’ve made them both ways and the homemade crust tastes so much better! You can use a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* to make the pies or you can use the free printable pattern** I provided below. For best results, make sure your dough is nice and cold when cutting it out. You can also use any leftover pie scraps to make tiny Chibi Totoros if you like. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for a few minutes until light golden brown.

Print Recipe
 Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts
Totoro-shaped blueberry tarts with vanilla icing
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Instructions
Crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed. Work in the butter until flat, dime-size pieces are formed.
  2. In a glass measuring cup, stir the ice water and the vinegar together. Sprinkle it over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring the dough until it comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Form the portions into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Filling & Assembly
  1. Set aside 1/2 cup of blueberries. In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of blueberries and the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberries and the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 9-10 Totoro shapes out of each dough portion using a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* or cut with a paring knife using the provided pattern.** You should get 20 Totoro cut-outs out of the homemade dough, only re-rolling the dough scraps once. Store bought dough will yield about 18 cut-outs, re-rolling the scraps once. (Let the re-rolled dough scraps rest in the refrigerator until firm before cutting.) Place half of the Totoro cut-outs, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets.
  4. Brush the edges of the Totoro cut-outs with egg wash, using your finger or a small pastry brush. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Place a second cut-out over each one. Press the edges together with your fingers, beginning at the bottom and working your way up the sides. Wipe up any excess blueberry drips with a paper towel. Crimp the edges with a small fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small ventilation slit into the center of each tart. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. (If the ears start to brown too fast, you can cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.) Transfer the tarts to a cooling rack.
Icing & Decor
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla and salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the bellies of the cooled Totoro tarts. Pipe dots for the eyes. When the icing has dried, you can use melted chocolate to make the eyeballs, noses and decorate the bellies.
Recipe Notes

*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.

**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

These star-shaped sugar cookies with pretty butterscotch windows are often called stained glass cookies. The center of the cookie is cut out and filled with crushed hard candy. It melts in the oven, creating a beautiful glass-like effect. They’re perfect for the holiday season.

I named my star cookies after Evangeline from the Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. When my mom passed away, my dad used to say that he dreamed of her as a beautiful lady in the stars. Recently, I lost my dad too. I like to think that my mom and dad are reunited up there somewhere. The story of Ray the firefly and Evangeline the star from The Princess and the Frog reminds me of them. I made these cookies as a small holiday tribute to my cherished parents.

Print Recipe
 Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies
Vanilla sugar cookies with butterscotch candy windows
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth and well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Mix in the flour until combined.
  2. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven tp 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  4. On a lightly floured surface (or between parchment sheets), roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 18-20 star shapes using a 4-inch cookie cutter.* Place the stars about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Cut the center out of each star using a 2-inch cookie cutter.* Place the small star cut outs on a separate cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Fill the cut out section of the large stars with the crushed butterscotch candy. I recommend chilling the cut cookies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to prevent excess spreading.
  5. Bake until the candy melts and the edges of the cookies start to turn light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Bake the small stars for 6-8 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

*To find 4-inch and 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutters, click here.

Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake

Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake

This moist, fudgy chocolate cake with a generous amount of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate crumb topping and powdered sugar snow is perfect for frosty mornings with a cup of hot coffee or tea. It’s also perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch served with fresh raspberries and/or raspberry sauce.*

Print Recipe
 Fudgy Chocolate Crumb Cake
Rich, moist, fudgy chocolate cake with melt-in-your mouth crumb topping and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, crumb
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, crumb
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like dirt, with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square cake pan** with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang to serve as handles to lift the cake out of the pan. If you want to serve the cake directly from the pan, you can skip the parchment paper and simply spray the pan with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil until combined. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
  4. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter in 2 additions, alternating with half of the sour cream after each addition. Beat just until combined. Gradually beat in the hot coffee just until smooth and well combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Top the batter evenly with the crumb topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter), about 28-37 minutes.
  6. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and continue cooling on a cooling rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

*To find my raspberry sauce recipe, click here.

**To find my favorite 8-inch square cake pan, click here.

 

Gingerbread Friends Cookies

Gingerbread Friends Cookies

I got a set of the teeny tiniest cookie cutters last year. Ever since, I’ve been coming up with cute ways to use them. Since Christmas is coming, I made the littlest and cutest gingerbread people. They look so cute adorning my full size gingerbread cookies. Working with such small cookies can be challenging but I have a few tips to make it easier. The dough has to be rolled very thin, so I found it easier to manage by rolling it between sheets of parchment paper. Since the dough is so thin and fragile, it has to be kept very cold during the entire process , so pop it into the fridge if it becomes too warm. A toothpick dipped in melted white chocolate was the easiest way for me to draw on their little faces, but a black edible marker would work too. You can also use royal icing if you’re comfortable working with it.

Print Recipe
 Gingerbread Friends Cookies
Gingerbread cookies topped with white chocolate, mini gingerbread cookies and sprinkles
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, gingerbread
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, gingerbread
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together until well blended.
  2. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, shortening and brown sugar together, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, then the molasses until well combined.
  3. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in two additions. Beat just until combined. Set aside about 1/4 of the dough for the mini cookies. Form it into a disk. Divide the remaining dough into 2 portions and form them into disks. Wrap all of the dough disks in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Place the small portion of dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut out 40-50 mini cookies using a 1-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter. Place the cut outs on a parchment paper lined tray. Freeze for 20-30 minutes. this will help the cookies keep their shape when baking.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the remaining dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 3/4-inch or a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 18 cookies. Re-roll the scraps as needed. place the cookies at least 1-inch apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake until the cookies are set and slightly puffed, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
  6. Place the mini cookies, about 1/2-inch apart onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until the cookies are set and slightly puffed, about 5-6 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Decorate the cooled mini cookies with melted white chocolate, using a toothpick to make the eyes, smiles, etc.
  7. Spread melted white chocolate onto one side of each round cookie. Top with the mini gingerbread cookies and the sprinkles of your choice.
Recipe Notes

*To find the mini gingerbread man cookie cutter I used, click here.

To find round cookie cutters, click here.

Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel

This incredibly easy-to-make cake is like a sleeper that takes you by surprise. The two-ingredient frosting is an unlikely winner, but will end up pleasantly surprising you, especially when the salted caramel is added as a finishing touch. The combination of sweet potatoes and marshmallows is a classic pairing that will remind you of a sweet potato casserole in cake form. My family adores it and I think you will too. If you’re not a fan of marshmallows you can frost this cake with my silky cream cheese frosting instead. Click here for the recipe.

Print Recipe
 Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel
Soft moist, single layer sweet potato cake topped with a luscious 2-ingredient frosting and drizzled with salted caramel
Course Dessert
Keyword cake, sweet potato
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cake
Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Dessert
Keyword cake, sweet potato
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cake
Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Sweet Potato Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer or whisk by hand until smooth and well combined. Stir in the sweet potatoes until incorporated. Mix in the flour mixture just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 23-28 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.
Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the Marshmallow Fluff and beat with an electric mixer just until smooth and well combined. Don't over beat. Over beating can cause the cream cheese to curdle.
  2. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Drizzle the caramel over the top of the cake or top each piece of cake with a spoonful of caramel.
Recipe Notes

*It's okay to use canned sweet potatoes if you don't have fresh ones. Make sure to rinse them before using.

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

When you combine cranberry orange crumb cake with white chocolate chip cookies, you get these delicious, unique cookies that are perfect for the holiday season. They make a festive addition to your holiday cookie platter. I came up with these delightful cookies when I was looking for a way to use up leftover cranberry sauce. If your family is like mine, it’s rare for us to have leftover cranberry sauce because we love it so much. Click here to view my Cranberry Sauce recipe. Don’t worry, you can certainly use store bought whole berry cranberry sauce for this recipe and the cookies will be just as delicious.

Print Recipe
 Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies
Orange scented vanilla cookies with white chocolate chips, topped with cranberry sauce, crumb topping and orange icing
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, cranberry orange
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, cranberry orange
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand with no large chunks of butter. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
  4. Form the cookie dough into sixteen 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping into the cookies.
  5. Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of orange juice until well combined. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies

Pecan Pie Cookies

My Peach Crumble Pie Cookies were so popular that I decided to make a Pecan Pie version. These buttery little tarts have a sweet, gooey pecan filling that’s the perfect contrast to the tender shortbread crusts. They taste like autumn and Thanksgiving in a cute little pie. They also make a delightful addition to your Christmas cookie platter. Make sure to use good quality butter, so your shortbread crusts will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Print Recipe
 Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies
Tender, buttery shortbread crusts topped with rich, gooey pecan pie filling in a cute mini size
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Instructions
Shortbread Crusts
  1. Lightly spray a 12-serving muffin pan* with nonstick spray. (If you're concerned about the cookies sticking to the pan, see notes below.**)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed or by hand, just until combined.
  4. Press generous tablespoon size (about 20g each) portions of dough into the bottoms and 1/4-inch up the insides of the muffin pan cups with a pastry tamper dipped in flour. You can also use the bottom of a flat shot glass. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the pecan filling.
Pecan Filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a medium-size saucepan, combine the pecans, butter, brown sugar and maple syrup over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let the mixture bubble gently for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, cinnamon and salt. Return the pan to the heat and let the mixture bubble gently on low heat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the vanilla and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
  2. Top the cookie crusts evenly with the pecan filling mixture. Bake until the cookies are set and the topping is golden brown and bubbly, about 14-16 minutes. Cool the cookies completely in the pan. Once cool, remove the cookies from the pan by running a small offset spatula or paring knife around the inside perimeter of the muffin cups to loosen them.
Recipe Notes

*To find the12-serving  muffin pan I used, click here.

** You can line the bottoms of the muffin cups with 2-inch parchment circles to make sure your cookies release. I don't recommend cupcake liners because the cookies stick to the ridges of the liners. You can, however, cut the circles from the bottom of the cupcake liners if you don't have parchment paper.

Double Chocolate Marble Cookies

Double Chocolate Marble Cookies

If you like marble cookies, you’ll love my amazing deluxe version. They have crisp edges with soft, chewy centers and plenty of chocolate which makes them the best marble cookies ever! I used a combination of dark chocolate pieces and milk chocolate chips for the perfect balance. Set aside some of the dark chocolate pieces for the tops for the most beautiful, decadent pools of melted chocolate.

Print Recipe
 Double Chocolate Marble Cookies
Double chocolate marble cookies with crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. Chocolate dough with dark chocolate pieces is swirled together with vanilla dough with milk chocolate chips.
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, double chocolate, marble
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, double chocolate, marble
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
  3. Divide the cookie dough in half, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Place half of the dough in a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder into half of the dough, mixing just until combined. Set aside several pieces of dark chocolate for the tops of the cookies, then fold the remaining dark chocolate pieces into the chocolate dough.
  4. Add the cornstarch and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the other half of the cookie dough, mixing just until combined. Fold the milk chocolate chips into the vanilla dough.
  5. Divide each type of dough into 28 portions, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Roll them into balls. Take two balls of each type of dough (4 total) and arrange them in a checkerboard pattern then roll them together to form a large ball. Repeat this process to make 14 large dough balls. Cover the dough balls and chill them in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the dough balls 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Top each one with 1 or 2 pieces of the reserved dark chocolate. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set, but still soft, about 10-14 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will spread a bit. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve perfectly round cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

To find dark Dutch process cocoa powder, click here.

Soot Sprite Treats

Spirited Away Soot Sprite Treats

If you’re a fan of Ghibli movies, you may remember the cute Susuwatari or Soot Sprites from Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. These easy-to-make chocolate covered treats are also known as haystacks or tumbleweeds. They’re often made with shredded coconut or chow main noodles. I love using potato stick snacks for a delicious, crunchy salty-sweet snack.

In Spirited Away, the cute sprites are fed handfuls of Japanese konpietō candy. If you aren’t able to find it, candy star sprinkles are a nice substitute for decorating your Soot Sprites. (See the links below.)

Print Recipe
 Soot Sprite Treats
Chocolate covered potato stick snacks shaped like the beloved Spirited Away Soot Sprites
Course Dessert
Keyword candy, snacks, soot sprite treats, tumbleweeds
Servings
treats
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword candy, snacks, soot sprite treats, tumbleweeds
Servings
treats
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. In an extra-large bowl, combine the potato sticks and nuts.
  2. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and the oil. Heat in the microwave for 20 second bursts, stirring gently between each burst, until melted and smooth. Stir in the food coloring if using.
  3. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the potato stick mixture. Stir gently with a spatula until the mix is completely coated with the melted chocolate.
  4. Scoop or spoon rounded 2-tbs-size portions of the mixture onto the baking sheets. Add candy eyes and stars. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes

*To find black oil based food coloring, click here.

**To find candy eyes, click here.

***To find Konpieto candy, click here.

****To find pastel star candy sprinkles, click here.

 

Cyclops S’mores Bites

Cyclops S'mores Bites

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? These spooky Cyclops S’mores Bites can’t help but stare at you. They’re a fun, easy-to-make Halloween treat. Mini graham cracker crusts are filled with a sweet, silky chocolate filling and topped with monster eyeball marshmallows.

Print Recipe
 Cyclops S'mores Bites
Silky chocolate filling in a graham cracker crust, topped with spooky monster eyeball marshmallows
Course Dessert
Keyword Halloween, s'mores bites, tarts
Servings
bite size mini tarts
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword Halloween, s'mores bites, tarts
Servings
bite size mini tarts
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 24-serving muffin pan** with mini cupcake liners.***
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and flour until well combined. Stir in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly coated and the mixture looks like wet sand.
  3. Evenly distribute the crumb mixture into the muffin cups. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottoms and up the sides of the muffin cups, using a pastry tamper, the flat bottom of a small shot glass or a 1/8 cup measuring cup. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  4. In a medium-size microwavable bowl, heat the sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate chips together in the microwave for 20 second burst, stirring in between each burst, until melted and smooth. (Alternately, you can melt the mixture in a medium-size saucepan over low heat.)
  5. Working quickly, fill the graham cracker crusts almost to the top with the melted chocolate mixture using a small scoop or a piping bag. Carefully remove the chocolate-filled crusts from the muffin pan and top each one with a monster eyeball marshmallow. Enjoy as is or place a few at a time on a microwave safe plate and heat them in the microwave for 7-10 seconds for a gooey eyeball treat.
Recipe Notes

*Marshmallow eyeballs are sold at Walmart and World Market.

**To find the muffin pan I used, click here.  

***To find mini muffin liners, click here.

Honey Caramel Popcorn

Honey Caramel Popcorn

Autumn is my favorite time of year to make caramel popcorn. That’s when the weather start to get cooler and we love curling up in a blanket with some snacks to watch a movies. Honey Caramel Popcorn has a buttery, sweet, earthy flavor that brings back memories of past fall seasons. It’s easy to make and fun to share. I added roasted almonds to mine but you can use your favorite nuts or leave them out if you wish.

If you want to share your Honey Caramel Popcorn, place it in food safe treat bags. I created some free printable labels that you can add to your treat bags. To get the free printables, click here.

Print Recipe
 Honey Caramel Popcorn
Honey caramel coated popcorn with roasted almonds
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel popcorn, snacks
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel popcorn, snacks
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºF (95Cº). Line a large baking sheet with nonstick parchment paper or a silicone mat, such as a silpat.* Place the popcorn in an extra-large lightly greased bowl. Wipe out any excess oil or grease with a paper towel.
  2. In a medium-size, heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, honey, corn syrup and salt together, stirring gently. When the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring and let the mixture bubble for 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will foam up. Remove from heat.
  3. Carefully pour half of the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Stir gently, then pour the remaining caramel over the popcorn. Stir again. Add the almonds, then stir once more. Transfer the caramel popcorn to the baking sheet, arranging it in an even layer. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring gently every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste if desired.
Recipe Notes

To find my favorite large baking sheets, click here. 

To find a silicone mat, click here.  

Brown Butter Monster Cookie Bars

Brown Butter Monster Cookie Bars

If you’re looking for an easy, delicious and cute Halloween bake, Brown Butter Monster Cookie Bars are perfect for you. These spooky bars are crisp and golden on the outside, buttery, soft and chewy on the inside. They’re loaded with milk chocolate M & M’s and semisweet chocolate pieces which makes these the best Halloween cookie bars ever! I used a chocolate bar broken into pieces, rather than chocolate chips because the chocolate pieces melt into generous, silky pools of chocolate. The fun part is adding the spooky candy eyes. You can even create expressions with sprinkle eyebrows.

Print Recipe
 Brown Butter Monster Cookie Bars
Crisp and golden on the outside, buttery, soft and chewy on the inside with M & M's and chocolate pieces. The best Halloween cookie bars ever!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bars, monster cookie
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bars, monster cookie
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a medium-size light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan*** with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  4. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract to the cooled brown butter and stir until combined. Add the egg and egg yolk and stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and well combined. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Set aside a few of the larger chocolate pieces for the top. Gently fold the remaining chocolate pieces and the M & M's into the dough.
  5. Transfer the dough to the baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the reserved chocolate pieces on the top. Bake until the top is set and light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 20-25 minutes. Add the candy eyes and sprinkles while the bars are still warm. Let the bars cool in the pan.
Recipe Notes

*To find candy eyes, click here.

**To find green sprinkles, click here. Alternately, if you have rainbow sprinkles, you can take the  green ones out to use for your cookies bars if you don't want to purchase green sprinkles.

***To find the 8-inch baking pan I used, click here.