5
Sweet Treats
Imagine a snake-shaped cake, candy-bar pie, and even “baked” apples that you don’t have to bake! Are you more of a cookie person? We have a recipe for the best chocolate-chip cookies and fruity crumb bars you’ll ever taste. If ice-cream sandwiches or hot fudgy brownies are on your recipe radar—well, we’ve got that covered, too. These recipes have the power to satisfy any sweet tooth!
HOMEMADE FUDGY ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES
MICRO-BAKED APPLES WITH DRIED CHERRIES
No-Bake
SNAKE CAKE
This serpent has a secret: he’s made from puffed-rice cereal treats. Ssssweet!
TOTAL TIME →2 HOURS (PLUS DECORATING) MAKES →12 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons butter
1 bag (10 ounces) miniature marshmallows
1 box (12 ounces) puffed-rice cereal
1 container (16 ounces) caramel frosting
M&M’s, strawberry fruit leather, and chocolate wafers, crushed, for decorations
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 300
Protein: 1G
Carbohydrates: 54G
Total Fat: 10G
(Saturated Fat: 4G)
Fiber: 0G
Sodium: 127G
1. Grease 9-inch round springform pan. In large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add marshmallows, setting 2 aside. Cook for about 3 minutes or until melted, stirring. Remove pot from heat. Add 6 cups cereal to pot, folding until evenly coated.
2. Wait for marshmallow mixture to cool slightly, then press into prepared springform pan. Let cool completely.
3. Remove “cake” from pan. Using any 28-ounce can as guide, cut 4-inch circle from cake’s center and set aside. Cut the remaining O shape in half. You should now have two C-shaped pieces
4. On platter, separate and arrange the two pieces into a snake. Slice off sides of cut-out circle to form the head.
5. Frost cake with caramel frosting. Time to decorate! Use marshmallows and M&M’s for eyes, strawberry fruit leather for tongue, and chocolate wafers for “dirt.”
Cupcake
QUEEN
If you’re ready to say yes to the dress, our pretty-in-pink “gown” takes the cake! Feel free to stray from the directions about decorating in order to design the dress of your dreams.
TOTAL TIME → 1 HOUR (PLUS DECORATING) MAKES → 27 CUPCAKES
INGREDIENTS
1 box (15¼ ounces) yellow cake mix
5½ cups confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup butter (1½ sticks), softened
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
6 to 8 tablespoons milk
red liquid food coloring
silver, white, and pink candy dragées or nonpareils
tiara and wand, optional
EACH CUPCAKE
Calories: About 240
Protein: 1G
Carbohydrates: 37G
Total Fat: 9G
(Saturated Fat: 4G)
Fiber: 0G
Sodium: 169MG
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-seven 2½-inch muffin-pan cups with paper liners.
2. Make cake mix as label directs. Spoon batter into lined muffin-pan cups. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
3. In large bowl with mixer at medium-high speed, beat sugar, butter, vanilla, and 6 tablespoons milk until smooth. Beat until frosting is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
4. Add food coloring, one drop at a time, until frosting is tinted pink. Transfer ⅓ cup frosting to small bowl and add more coloring, one drop at a time, until frosting is tinted dark pink.
5. Transfer pink frosting to large piping bag fitted with star tip. Decoratively pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
6. Arrange cupcakes in dress shape on a platter or piece of cardboard.
7. Fill small piping bag with dark-pink frosting and fit with star tip. Pipe “flowers” to fill in gaps between cupcakes. Decorate flower shapes with silver dragées. Arrange silver, white, and pink dragées to make a “belt.” Add tiara and wand for a decorative flair, if using.
Peanut
BUTTER CUP PIE
Sweet, salty, and oh-so yummy, this candy bar–inspired pie is also a cinch to make.
ACTIVE TIME → 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 20 MINUTES (PLUS CHILLING) MAKES → 12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups thin pretzel sticks, broken into pieces
1 (9-inch) ready-made chocolate piecrust
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 380
Protein: 8G
Carbohydrates: 31G
Total Fat: 26G
(Saturated Fat: 10G)
Fiber: 3G
Sodium: 218MG
1. In 2-quart saucepan, combine chocolate and ½ cup cream. Cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until chocolate melts, stirring. Pour half of chocolate into medium-size bowl; set aside.
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in peanut butter until blended. Cool completely.
3. In another large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining ½ cup cream until stiff peaks form (i.e., when you remove the beater from the cream and it stays firm, without losing its shape).
4. With rubber spatula, fold whipped cream and 1 cup pretzels into peanut-butter mixture until blended. Spread in piecrust. Spread reserved chocolate mixture on top; cover evenly with remaining 1 cup pretzels. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
HOW TO: USE A MIXER
When using this nifty contraption, remember:
NEVER put your hands in the mixing bowl when the mixer is on.
EVEN on low speed, a mixer is fast. When adding dry ingredients, do so gradually so they don’t splash out of the bowl.
BEFORE scraping ingredients down the side of the mixing bowl, turn off the mixer and wait for the beaters to come to a complete stop.
DON’T remove the beaters until you turn off the mixer and unplug it.
Crispy
CHOCOLATE-CHIP COOKIES
If you like your chocolate-chip cookies with a butterscotch flavor and an airy crunch, this recipe is for you.
ACTIVE TIME → 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 40 MINUTES (PLUS CHILLING) MAKES → ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
EACH COOKIE
Calories: About 110
Protein: 1G
Carbohydrates: 14G
Total Fat: 6G
(Saturated Fat: 3G)
Fiber: 0G
Sodium: 78MG
1. In large bowl with wire whisk, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In another large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugars for 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon water and vanilla. Beat in egg until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Transfer dough to zip-seal plastic bag; squeeze out air and seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 72 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5. With 1½-inch-wide cookie scoop, scoop chilled dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges and centers are browned. Slide cookies, still on parchment, onto wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and cooled, newly lined cookie sheets.
SMART CHEF! Save some dough for later: Scoop the dough as directed, but freeze half (or more) of the scoops on a rimmed baking sheet or large tray until firm. Transfer the scoops to zip-seal bags and freeze for up to two months. Thaw for 10 minutes before baking.
Chocolate Volcano
COOKIES
Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, customize these cookies with your favorite chips (milk chocolate, or dark chocolate, or peanut butter, or . . .).
ACTIVE TIME → 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 45 MINUTES MAKES → ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
1 package (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
EACH COOKIE
Calories: About 135
Protein: 2G
Carbohydrates: 27G
Total Fat: 4G
(Saturated Fat: 2G)
Fiber: 2G
Sodium: 60MG
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper; lightly coat paper with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl with wire whisk, mix confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add egg whites and vanilla; stir with wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Set dough aside for 5 minutes.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until set and crackly. Cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheets on wire racks; with metal spatula, carefully transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
WHAT IS IT?
A stainless-steel COOKIE SCOOP portions equal mounds of dough onto a cookie sheet. This way, you get perfectly shaped cookies every time.
Maine Blueberry
CRUMB BARS
These berry-topped streusel squares taste like mini blueberry pies. For extra crunch, add ¼ cup old-fashioned oats to the topping.
ACTIVE TIME → 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES MAKES → 1½ DOZEN BARS
INGREDIENTS
1 lemon
2½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut up and chilled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
EACH BAR
Calories: About 235
Protein: 2G
Carbohydrates: 34G
Total Fat: 11G
(Saturated Fat: 7G)
Fiber: 1G
Sodium: 140MG
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 13-by-9-inch baking pan with enough foil to fold over rim. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. From lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice.
3. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel, and salt until combined. Add butter and vanilla. Pulse just until dough resembles crumbs. Transfer half of dough to prepared pan. Place remaining dough in refrigerator. Firmly press dough in pan into even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss blueberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
5. After taking crust out of oven, spread berry mixture over crust. Firmly squeeze chilled dough into small clumps and scatter all over berries. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until topping is golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. Bars can be made ahead, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated up to 1 day.
SMART CHEF! To make sure the cut-up butter is super-cold for this recipe, stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes before making the dough in step 3.
Cocoa
BROWNIES
Once you try these easy-peasy brownies, you’ll never go back to the boxed stuff.
ACTIVE TIME → 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 35 MINUTES (PLUS COOLING) MAKES → 16 BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips, optional
EACH BROWNIE
Calories: About 120
Protein: 2G
Carbohydrates: 17G
Total Fat: 6G
(Saturated Fat: 3G)
Fiber: 1G
Sodium: 100MG
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8 x 8-inch metal baking pan. In medium bowl with wire whisk, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
2. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat; with spatula, stir in sugar; eggs, one at a time; and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.
3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in brownies 2 inches from center comes out almost clean. Cool brownies completely in pan on wire rack.
4. When cool, cut brownies into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares.
SMART CHEF! If a few moist crumbs cling to the toothpick in step 3, the brownies are done.
Cute Little
CHEESECAKES
These poppers are irresistible!
ACTIVE TIME 4 → 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 1 HOUR (PLUS COOLING) MAKES → 2 DOZEN CHEESECAKES
INGREDIENTS
CRUST
1 sleeve graham crackers (about 9 crackers)
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
raspberries and mint sprigs, for garnish
EACH CHEESECAKE
Calories: About 75
Protein: 1G
Carbohydrates: 7G
Total Fat: 5G
(Saturated Fat: 3G)
Fiber: 0G
Sodium: 60MG
1. Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 48 miniature muffin-pan cups with paper liners.
2. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse graham crackers, sugar, and salt until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Press about 1 heaping teaspoon crumb mixture into bottom of each liner. Bake for 5 minutes or until pale golden. Cool completely on wire racks. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
3. Prepare Filling: In large bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream. Divide filling among prepared liners.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until filling is set but still slightly jiggly and moist in center. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; transfer cheesecakes to wire racks to cool completely. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprigs.
Home-Style
BANANA BREAD
When life gives you (overripe) bananas, make banana bread!
ACTIVE TIME → 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES (PLUS COOLING) MAKES → 16 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (4 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 200
Protein: 3G
Carbohydrates: 32G
Total Fat: 7G
(Saturated Fat: 4G)
Fiber: 1G
Sodium: 205MG
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 8½-by-4½-inch metal loaf pan. In medium bowl with wire whisk, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. In small bowl, combine bananas and vanilla until blended.
2. In large bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat batter just until blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Homemade Fudgy
ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES
These ultimate sandwiches pair ice cream (the flavor is your pick) with cookies that stay chewy—even when frozen.
ACTIVE TIME → 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 50 MINUTES (PLUS FREEZING) MAKES → 1 DOZEN SANDWICHES
INGREDIENTS
½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature and cut up
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pints ice cream of choice, slightly softened
EACH ICE-CREAM SANDWICH
Calories: About 425
Protein: 6G
Carbohydrates: 53G
Total Fat: 22G
(Saturated Fat: 13G)
Fiber: 0G
Sodium: 177MG
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In 4-quart saucepan, combine butter, chocolate chips, condensed milk, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until melted, stirring. Remove pan from heat. Stir in flour and vanilla until combined.
3. With 1½-inch-wide cookie scoop, scoop dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until tops are dry but still soft when pressed.
4. Cool cookies on cookie sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. With spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter if necessary.
5. Press 1 small scoop ice cream between 2 cookies. Freeze sandwiches 1 hour or until firm.
SMART CHEF! Once the ice-cream sandwiches are firm, enjoy them right away, or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze in a zip-close freezer bag for up to 2 weeks.
Watermelon
PIZZA
Celebrate the Fourth of July with this fruity, patriotic “pie.”
TOTAL TIME → 15 MINUTES MAKES → 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 (1-inch-thick) slices seedless watermelon
2 cups assorted berries
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 170
Protein: 8G
Carbohydrates: 16G
Total Fat: 14G
(Saturated Fat: 9G)
Fiber: 1G
Sodium: 105MG
1. In large bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, honey, and vanilla; stir with wooden spoon until blended.
2. Spread ¾ cup cheese mixture on each watermelon slice; sprinkle each with ½ cup berries and 2 tablespoons coconut. Garnish slices with mint sprigs.
SMART CHEF! To toast coconut, spread it on a small microwave-safe plate. Microwave on High, in 30-second intervals, for 1½ to 2 minutes or until beginning to turn golden, stirring between intervals. Cool completely.
Fudgy Waffle
BROWNIES
Waffles with store-bought brownie mix are often hard and crunchy, so we created this recipe for those who prefer their waffles soft. The texture is terrific!
ACTIVE TIME → 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 35 MINUTES MAKES → 12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 bar (35 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butterscotch, peanut butter, or chocolate chips
ice cream and berries, optional
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 280
Protein: 5G
Carbohydrates: 35G
Total Fat: 14G
(Saturated Fat: 8G)
Fiber: 2G
Sodium: 290MG
1. Preheat oven to 225°F. Preheat waffle maker.
2. In 4-quart saucepan, combine butter and chocolate. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring. Remove pan from heat. Stir in sugar. Whisk in egg and vanilla until combined. Stir in milk.
3. In medium bowl with wire whisk, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture just until smooth. Fold in chips.
4. Spray waffle maker with nonstick cooking spray. Pour ⅓ to ½ cup batter onto heated waffle maker. Close waffle maker; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until just set and crisp around edges. With edge of thin silicone spatula, cut brownie into quarters and gently lift each quarter from waffle maker. Place waffle directly on oven rack to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with ice cream and berries, if using.
Micro-Baked Apples
WITH DRIED CHERRIES
Grab a few apples and—voilà! You’ve got a comfort-dessert classic in less than 30 minutes.
ACTIVE TIME → 5 MINUTES TOTAL TIME → 20 MINUTES (PLUS STANDING) MAKES → 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
4 large Fuji or Gala apples (8 ounces each)
4 teaspoons butter
4 tablespoons dried cherries
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
¼ cup walnuts, chopped, optional
EACH SERVING
Calories: About 150
Protein: 1G
Carbohydrates: 32G
Total Fat: 4G
(Saturated Fat: 1G)
Fiber: 5G
Sodium: 50MG
1. With apple corer, core apples, but don’t cut through to bottoms. Beginning at stem end, peel apples one-third of the way down. Stand apples in 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish or 9-inch glass pie plate. Fill center of each apple with 1 teaspoon butter, 1 tablespoon dried cherries, and 1 teaspoon water.
2. In cup, combine sugar and apple pie spice; sprinkle over apples in dish. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave on Medium-High (70 percent power) for 14 minutes or until apples are very tender when tested with fork.
3. Let apples stand, covered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.
