Category Archives: Brownies/Bars

Apr8

Cheesecake Bars

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It’s been a while! I’ve been SO busy baking and decorating and updating That Sweet Ang…  🙂

Happy Easter! I always like to try something new on a holiday to mix in with my usual treats.  These cheesecake bars were a hit. And so easy. 🙂

Cheesecake Bars

2 (8 oz.) can crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
ground cinnamon

Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with Pam or any other spray oil.
Open one can of crescent rolls and stretch on bottom of pan. Seal holes together to form a crust.
Blend together cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla with mixer until fluffy.
Spread over dough, do not go all way to the edges.
Stretch second can of dough over cream cheese filling, seal together with other crust.
Melt butter in a saucepan mixed with remaining sugar.
Brush or pour all of the butter mix over top crust, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon.
Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool, then refrigerate before cutting into squares.

From: Gourmet Day To Day

Jul18

Buttermilk Pie Bars

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I bought some buttermilk this week and planned to make my regular buttermilk pie.  Then, completely by accident, I came across this recipe and had to try them.  A new twist to Scott’s favorite pie. 🙂

Buttermilk Pie Bars
Crust
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or used the Baker’s Edge).
Begin by making the crust. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly. Pour mixture into prepared pan and press into an even layer.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, until it just begins to turn golden brown.
While the crust bakes, prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a food processor, combine all filling ingredients and whisk (or pulse) until mixture is well combined and very smooth.
When crust is done, pour the filling into the hot crust and return to oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until filling is just set. Cool bars on a wire rack. Chill before slicing.

Serves 16

From: baking bites

Nov27

Cheesecake Squares

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I’ve wanted to make cheesecake for a long time.  Well, I still haven’t made one but these squares were the next best thing.  The taste of cheesecake but a lot easier!

Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups (200 grams) graham wafer crumbs or crushed digestive cookies

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

2 – 8 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Directions
Aug31

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

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These are made using the recipe for lemon sugar cookies and just spread into a pan instead of rolled into balls for cookies. Just a faster way to get the same great taste and texture of the cookies.

These take about 12 minutes to bake in my oven at 350 degrees.  Instead of sprinkling these with sugar, I make a simple glaze using confectioner’s sugar and warm water. Slowly drizzle water into a few cups of sugar, mixing as you add it, until you get a nice glaze to drizzle over the bars while they are still warm.  Let set for a few minutes before cutting.  

DSCN1161

Jul24

Funfetti Cookie Bars

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Pillsbury’s Funfetti cake mix is my favorite mix, hands down. It’s one cake mix that I don’t have to add anything to. A few years ago, I discovered Funfetti cookies. The recipe has been on the side of the box for years. I don’t know what took me so long to try them! They are divine.

A couple months ago, I was craving something sweet at the lakehouse and there was a box of Funfetti mix there that I’d bought a while back and never used.  To be honest, these bars came about because I was too hungry and too lazy to make the cookies.  It takes a while to roll the dough into balls, flatten them out, etc.  So, I made the dough the same way and just spread it all on a cookie sheet. Within 15 minutes, I had my dessert! 

Whether you use Funfetti mix to make cake, cupcakes, cookies or bars, you just can’t go wrong. It will always make you happy! 🙂

Funfetti Cookie Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 package Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • flour
  • Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Funfetti Vanilla Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cake mix, oil and eggs until well moistened. Spread dough evenly onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle a little flour on  the top to make this easier. When making cookies, you do not need to grease the sheet but for cookie bars lightly spraying the pan helps, particularly around the edges. Bake for about 8-9 minutes. Watch carefully- they bake fast! Allow to cool before frosting. If you use sprinkles, add them immediately after frosting.

Jul15

Glazed Vanilla Brownies

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glazedvanillabrownies

Ingredients:

Brownies
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 bag (10 oz) white vanilla baking chips (1 2/3 cups)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (omitted)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened (omitted)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons warm water or milk

 
 

Directions:

  Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 13×9-inch pan. In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and baking chips over low heat, stirring frequently, just until melted. (Mixture may appear curdled.) Remove from heat; cool.
2. Stir in remaining brownie ingredients until well blended. Spread evenly in pan.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
4. In medium bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Spread glaze over brownies.

 

From: Betty Crocker

Jul15

Chocolate Chip Cake Bars

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Ingredients:

  • 1 package yellow cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (omitted)
    		•

    Directions:

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

    From: Taste of Home

    Jun17

    Platinum Blondies

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    platinumblondies

    Ingredients:

     3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
    1 large egg
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 cup chopped pecans, toasted     (omitted)
    4 ounces white chocolate, chopped, or 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

    Directions: 

    Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking pan with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high. (I used a round baking pan.)Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, beat together the sugar and egg until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and butter and beat to mix well. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter mixture, beating until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Using a spoon, stir in the pecans and white chocolate. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and use a flat metal spatula or a butter knife to smooth the top. Bake the blondies for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is dry and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached (not wet, but not perfectly dry). Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut the blondies into 2-inch squares. The blondies can be stored, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days (these seem to get better as they sit) or frozen for up to 2 months (thaw before serving).

     From: Taste of Home

    Nov9

    Brownie Cupcakes

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     Several years ago, I made Hershey’s Best Brownies and they were such a hit that they became my standard brownie recipe. Today, I decided to make the Hershey’s deep dish brownie recipe but at the last minute made them into cupcakes.  Shania helped me make them and I have a big announcement to make- she can finally crack eggs! Without getting them all over the floor! 🙂

    One thing I love about making brownies from scratch is that you can easily make them by hand.  This is an easy and fast recipe.  As cupcakes, they were done in 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. We topped some of them with Reese’s topping mix.

    Hershey’s Brownies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
    • 1-1/2 cups sugar
    • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3 eggs
    • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Directions:
    1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

    2. Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

    3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 16 brownies.

    From: Hersheys