Oreo Beignets (Mini Oreo Donut Bites)

 

I love donuts of all kinds. Beignets are adorable little bite sized donuts that... if you stuff with Oreos... are exactly what heaven tastes like. Pretty sure. 

Donuts of any kind are always a little bit of work because you have to make the dough, let it rise, shape it, let it rise, then cook it. They are ALWAYS worth the effort though. Don't let anyone tell you different. These little pillows of deliciousness are no different. All the tastiness of a beignet with a little secret surprise inside! 

Oreo Beignets (Mini Oreo Donut Bites)

Ingredients 

one recipe for our Old Fashioned Jelly Donuts (HERE) 

one bag Mini Oreo Cookies

icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

Prepare dough as per original recipe (HERE) to just after the first rise. 

Punch dough down and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 2 - 3 inch cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough. 

Place a mini oreo into the center of each round. 

Pinch the edges together very tightly. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. (NOTE - I like to cut the parchment paper into small squares, this makes it easier to transfer to the oil without deflating the dough.)

Let rise for another 30 minutes, then start heating oil to 350 degrees.

When oil reaches 350 (for best results use a thermometer), fry 5 or 6 beignets at a time. One minute, then flip and another minute on the other side. Dough should be golden brown. 

Remove from oil to paper towels to cool. 

When all are fried and cool, sprinkle generously with icing sugar. Donuts must be cool or the icing sugar will disappear. 

These are best eaten the day they are made but can be kept for a day in an airtight container. 

You get A LOT of these bad boys. I didn't count but I'd say about 4 - 5 dozen? Next time I make them I will count so I have a better idea! 

A perfect treat to make to share with friends and family! 

You can freeze them before you put the icing sugar on and then thaw them at a later time. Once completely thawed you can then sprinkle with icing sugar. 

Big Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

 

I've been on a bit of a cupcake making bender lately. 

Remember when cupcakes were at the top of the social media dessert food chain? Cupcakes...everywhere...

Let's bring those days back. 

I mean... cupcakes are everything. Cake you can hold in your hand... the perfect dessert. And options? holy heck the choices cupcakes offer! There's a million bazillion. 

I know you're on my side. #cupcakesforever

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting and Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

Cookies

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup + 3 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Cupcakes

3 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cookie Dough Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups icing sugar

2/3 cups flour

pinch salt

2 Tbsp cream (milk will also work)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Prepare cookies - Preheat oven to 350. 

Beat together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips and beat briefly to combine. Finish stirring with a wooden spoon a dough will be very stiff. 

Scoop with a small cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp) on to a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes, cookies should be ever-so-slightly brown at the edges but still appear a little under done in the middle. Take them out and let them cool on wire racks. 

Prepare cupcakes - Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in dry ingredients with the milk until just combined. A few flour streaks may remain. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop into 24 muffin tins lined with muffin cup papers.

Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean and top is light, golden brown - about 15 - 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. 

 Prepare cookie dough frosting - Beat together butter and both sugars until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in flour and salt, cream, vanilla, and chocolate chips. You may have to finish with a wooden spoon as frosting gets very thick. (FYI - if you are worried about using "raw" flour then simply toast it at 350 for about 5 minutes before adding it to dough.)

Scoop about 2 Tbsp of frosting onto each cupcake and then flatter slightly with your fingers. 

I used a medium cookie scoop and had just enough for the 24 cupcakes. 

Lightly press a cooled cookie on top of the frosting. 

24 delightful, handheld treats that are going to make ALL THE PEOPLE happy. 

Well, maybe not all.... some people just want to watch the world burn...

I mean... who doesn't love chocolate chips... *sigh*

I love using mini chocolate chips for these but feel free to use regular, butterscotch, mini m&ms, peanut butter, skor bits, or even white chocolate chips. 

You can half the recipe for only 12 cupcakes, if you like, but these do freeze very well so making a bigger batch is always a good idea! :) 

Can't decide between vanilla and chocolate? Split the difference and go with chocolate chip!

Savory Gingerbread Man Cheese Ball

 

Anyone else about done with this year? I mean... I know it's only just barely coming into fall but I figure if we start with the Christmas/Thanksgiving/Halloween posts maybe we can just rush through the rest of this year and start new in January....

It might help. You never know.

Anyway, this adorable little guy is super easy and super delicious and you definitely want to Pin him or save him however you do. 

Bacon makes everything better... especially cheese balls. #youknowimright

Savory Gingerbread Man Cheese Ball

Ingredients

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temp

2 cans crab meat (about 1/2 cup shredded)

1/4 cup finely diced onion

generous dash of Worcestershire sauce

salt & pepper

Toppings

bacon bits

sour cream

red pepper

Directions

Place all ingredients in a bowl, except for the toppings. Beat until well mixed and creamy. 

Chill mixture for about half an hour to let it firm up a little. 

Shape into gingerbread man shape on a serving platter. Wet your finger in a bit of cold water and smooth the surface and edges. 

Press the bacon bits all over the cheese ball. 

Clean off any extra bacon bits and chill the cheese ball for about an hour to let set. Put a small amount of sour cream, about 2 Tbsp, into a small plastic baggie and snip off a tiny, tiny bit of the corner. Pipe squiggles on the arms and legs, a face, and three dots on his tummy. 

Press 3 small round bits of red pepper on his tummy where the sour cream dots are. The sour cream will help them stay in place. 

FYI - if you don't want to use crab you can sub in canned ham instead. 

Chill until ready to use. 

Serve with crackers, baguettes, veggies, or pretzels. 

Couple of notes - You can make this up a day ahead of time; just keep covered in the fridge until you need it.

If you find it too hard to shape because it is "gloopy", just chill it longer before shaping. 

This makes a LARGE cheese ball but can easily be halved for smaller gatherings! 

Leftovers store well for several days in the fridge.... if you have leftovers...