Candy | The Domestic Rebel

Cranberry Bliss Cracker Toffee

December 5, 2016 Leave a Comment

This Cranberry Bliss Cracker Toffee uses only a few ingredients you probably have on hand! Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth toffee with a white chocolate and cranberry topping that’s perfect for the holidays!

Some days, I think I’m a genius.

I’ll be in Target, having stood and stared at the packages in the candy aisle for 20 minutes like a psychopath, and it will come to me: a brilliant recipe idea.

I’ll throw the ingredients into my cart and race home to make it, photograph it, post it and share it to the world.

And then sometimes I’ll realize, only after I’ve made it and declared my brilliance in the middle of a Target, that someone else has made something super similar, or exactly the same, as my “brilliant” idea.

Today is that day, folks.

My adorable, beautiful, sassy friend Kate from Diethood made this recipe a few years ago, and when I went to make it, I happened to catch her latest share of it and thought, drat! But then, hey, I’m in good company!

So yes, Kate made it first. She also uses saltines which is an awesome idea if you happen to have those on hand, which – who doesn’t?

My recipe uses butter club crackers because those are my fave and we had a box at home that somehow managed to avoid being devoured .234768 seconds after we bought it. Tomato, tomahto. Use what you want! This recipe would also work swimmingly with graham crackers or Ritz crackers.

Boil up your toffee mixture for exactly three minutes. Add in some vanilla (because duh), then pour it over your cracker layer until it covers all the crackers in a warm, toffee blankie. Bake the toffee just so it gets all set, then sprinkle on some white chocolate to melt and spread it around. Sprinkle on some dried cranberries and voila! You now have made the most addictive snack ever.

So I may not be a genius, but that’s okay. At least I can eat my feelings in this toffee. #blessed

*adapted from here

Cranberry Bliss Cracker Toffee

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 4-6

This Cranberry Bliss Cracker Toffee is highly addictive and super easy to make! Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth toffee topped with a creamy white chocolate and tart dried cranberries.

Ingredients

1 sleeve (about 40-45) butter club crackers (you may also use saltines, graham crackers, or Ritz crackers - I don't measurements for any substitutions; just make sure whatever cracker you use covers your pan)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 & ½ cups white chocolate chips (1 (12 oz) bag plus an additional ½ cup), divided
1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan (15"x10" or mine's 16"x11") with parchment paper, bringing the parchment up the sides of the pan. Fill the entire bottom of the pan with an even layer of club crackers. Set aside briefly.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together on medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts to boil, set your timer and boil for exactly 3 minutes, stirring the entire time. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the hot toffee mixture evenly over the crackers, trying your best to cover all of the crackers with the hot toffee. Use an offset spatula to help you quickly spread the hot toffee across all the crackers.
Bake for approx. 6-7 minutes. Mixture will be bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the 2 cups of white chocolate chips. Return to the oven for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and let the white chocolate chips set on the toffee for about 2 minutes, then use another offset spatula to spread the white chocolate around evenly. Sprinkle with the dried cranberries.
In a small bowl, melt the remaining white chocolate chips until smooth. Drizzle evenly over the toffee. Cool completely, then break into pieces.

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This Cranberry Bliss Cracker Toffee will be your new favorite holiday treat! Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth toffee made of club crackers and caramel, topped with creamy white chocolate and tart dried cranberries. Like Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars meets Christmas crack!

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth brown sugar toffee studded with tart, juicy cranberries and creamy white chocolate. I cannot resist this toffee and neither can you!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Christmas, Everything!, Holiday, Sweet and Salty, Treats

Easy Homemade Peppermint Patties

December 2, 2016 5 Comments

Peppermint patties are a quintessential Christmas treat! These Homemade Peppermint Patties are fantastic and SO easy! You’re only 6 ingredients away from having a homemade treat that’s great for gift-giving and makes a big batch!

You guys.

I am DONE with my book!

Well… done with the baking and photo portion of my book.

I still have ALLTHEWRITING to do. And believe me, it’s a lot of writing. So if you may hear crickets around here for a little bit of time because I’m trying to juggle cookbook author/blogger/human being and it ain’t easy.

BUT, I’m obviously still going to bringing you ample fabulous holiday desserts. Natch. Because I love ya and it’s the holidays, AKA Hayley’s Prime Time. I live for this time of year!

So: enter these Easy Homemade Peppermint Patties. I know there’s gonna be some wise guy saying it’s easier to buy and unwrap peppermint patties and call them homemade. Congratulations. You have worked the system. But for the rest of us who enjoy baking, creating and living a true life, there’s this recipe. So if you’re going to comment that, I’ll spare you your brilliant comment and say it here: Yes, you could buy peppermint patties at the store, unwrap them and pretend they’re homemade. Go for it, I’m not the boss of you.

BUT BUT BUT! These are better. Seriously.

There’s something so delicious about these melt-in-your-mouth mints. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re easy to make or because homemade stuff is usually better, but I think these would make a wonderful addition to your Christmas gift-giving, whether you place ’em alongside homemade cookies or wrap them in cute bags for neighbors. Again, I’m not the boss of your life or anything, but…

To make these bad boys, simply beat the living daylights out of some butter, corn syrup, peppermint and vanilla extracts. Then beat in some powdered sugar. Well, a lot of powdered sugar. Roll them into balls and gently press them down into discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze them briefly, then whip up some smooth chocolate and dip them all! If you’re feeling fancy, top some off with crushed mints – I used candy canes – or even chocolate sprinkles. Live your life!

Be a wise guy and make ’em!

*adapted slightly from here

Easy Homemade Peppermint Patties

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 40-50

These Easy Homemade Peppermint Patties are so wonderful! They make a ton and are great for giving holiday gifts.

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup light corn syrup
1 & ½ tsp peppermint extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 pkg (16 oz) chocolate candy coating (such as CandiQuik)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside briefly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, corn syrup and extracts together on medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy and well combined. Beat in the powdered sugar slowly to incorporate, then on high until completely blended.
Roll a teaspoon or so of dough in your hands to form a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, then with your fingers, gently press down to form a patty. Freeze the patties for about 30 minutes or until firm.
Melt the candy coating according to package directions until smooth. Dip the peppermint patties into the chocolate using a fork and allowing excess chocolate to drip off. I like to dip the fork tines in the chocolate before dipping to ensure the sticky patty doesn't stick to the fork's tines. Gently push the coated patty off of the fork using a toothpick and, if using a garnish, sprinkle while the chocolate's wet.
Allow patties to set before serving.

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These Homemade Easy Peppermint Patties should end up on your holiday table this Christmas! Simple mint and chocolate-coated candy made with only 6 ingredients you probably have at home!

Smooth, melt-in-your-mouth mint & chocolate patties of goodness! I love these little guys!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Christmas, Everything!, Holiday, Mint, No-Bake

Easy Homemade Divinity Candy

November 30, 2016 22 Comments

This Easy Homemade Divinity is incredible! Smooth, fudgy and delectable, this snow-white candy is surprisingly simple to make!

So confession: I’ve only had divinity one time before this, and it was from a local favorite, See’s Candies. Maybe you’ve heard of them?

I also had an ex-boyfriend whose grandma loved divinity, and I remember giving her a box for Christmas. So for me, divinity has always kind of felt like a Christmas candy recipe. Maybe I’m wrong, but there’s something so holiday-ish about divinity. It’s snow-white, which is shocking for a candy, and it looks like little melty snowballs. Plus, it’s kind of like a fudge, which always reminds me of the holidays.

If you don’t know, divinity is typically popular in the South and was invented (we think) by Karo corn syrup as a way to market their new product. It’s a cross between fudge, nougat and meringue and is totally unique and unparalleled. It’s so unlike the usual barks, brittles and fudges that are usually found around this time of year, and if you’ve never made it, I highly recommend you do!

The cool thing about this recipe is it can be customized to your preferences, too. I went with a traditional vanilla pecan divinity, but you can replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract and add in shredded coconut, or use walnuts instead of pecans. Up to you!

Whatever you do, make yourself a tin of these and thank me later!

*Some Notes: in researching this recipe, I found that a lot of people advise against making this candy on a humid day, such as when it’s raining. The humidity can supposedly affect the way the candy sets up and dries, which is essential for divinity. I have not tested this theory, but I would just heed caution and try and make it on a low-humidity day.

*adapted from here

4.3 from 6 reviews

Easy Homemade Divinity Candy

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 2 hours 10 mins

Serves: 12-16

This Easy Divinity Candy is SO fabulous and perfect for the holidays! Easier than you think to make, it comes together relatively quickly and is great for giving as gifts!

Ingredients

2 egg whites, at room temperature
2 & ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup water
½ cup light corn syrup
⅛ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat together the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes or until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Just before the candy reaches temperature, beat the egg whites on high speed using an electric mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Remove the boiling candy from the heat and, with the mixer on high speed, stream in the hot candy VERY slowly. It should take you at least 2 or so minutes to fully pour the hot candy mixture into the egg whites. Continue beating the mixture until it's no longer glossy and it holds its shape, about 6-10 minutes (it depends on your mixer). Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract until combined.
Butter two spoons (or grease them lightly with cooking spray) and, working quickly, drop rounded Tablespoonfuls of the divinity mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. You may need to scrape the candy mixture off of one spoon with the other spoon, then quickly flick your wrist to create a soft curl (like soft serve) on top of the candy. It's okay if you don't get it quite right!
Allow the candy to set at room temperature - maybe overnight, depending on the humidity in your home - until dry to the touch and no longer sticky. Once set and dry, you can keep it at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
NOTES: It is totally okay to take a small teaspoon-sized spoon of candy and test it on the parchment before doing the larger scoops. The divinity is ready when it holds its shape in a mound on the parchment paper. If it turns into a puddle, continue beating the mixture.

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This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe!

Chewy & soft, like nougat-meets-fudge, this is a must-try this holiday season!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Christmas, Easter, Everything!, Fudge, Holiday, No-Bake, Treats

3-Ingredient Buttercream Frosting Fudge

November 16, 2016 4 Comments

Attention all frosting fans! This Buttercream Frosting Fudge tastes just like buttercream frosting but in FUDGE form! Three-ingredients, made in minutes & so easy!

Are you a frosting person, or a vessel person?

I say ‘vessel person’ because frosting is on everything these days: cookies, cakes & cupcakes, whoopie pies, brownies…

I’m gonna be a brat right now, but why can’t we just have the vessel without frosting? Sometimes I just want a fudgy brownie with no frills. Or a sugar cookie that’s gone nudist. Or a cupcake that’s au naturel. Is that too much to ask?!

But, I know I am in the minority. Like, the minority of minorities. Because everyone loves frosting, right?!

My Mom could eat just a batch of buttercream frosting without a vessel needed – give her a spoon and the frosting and she’s happy. At kiddie birthday parties, I’d always scrape all of the frosting off of my cake and eat the plain cake, leaving that pile of sugar sludge to sit unwanted on the side until my Mom swooped in and scraped it up for herself.

So if you are like my Mom and could take an IV with a can of buttercream, you will thoroughly enjoy this Buttercream Frosting Fudge. It tastes just like buttercream frosting because it’s made with buttercream. AND! there’s only 3 ingredients, 4 if you count the sprinkles (but in my world, sprinkles don’t count as an ingredient because I put them on everything & basically carry a bottle in my purse for emergencies).

The frosting is super simple: melt a 12-ounce bag of white chocolate chips until smooth, then fold in a can of buttercream frosting – for this, I used vanilla (but of course). Fold it into the white chocolate with a splash of vanilla extract and spread the shebang into a foil-lined pan. Sprinkle the top liberally with your favorite sprinkles – I used Christmas-y ones here! – and let it chill in the fridge for a couple hours.

Easy. As. That.

Frosting people: this one’s for you!

5.0 from 1 reviews

3-Ingredient Buttercream Frosting Fudge

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 3 hours 10 mins

Total time: 3 hours 10 mins

Serves: 24

This Buttercream Frosting Fudge is outstanding! It tastes JUST like buttercream frosting but in chewy, melt-in-your-mouth FUDGE form!!

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips
1-2 Tbsp heavy cream (may not need it)
1 can (16 oz) vanilla buttercream frosting
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sprinkles, if using

Instructions

Line an 8x8" square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large microwavable bowl, melt the white chocolate chips at 15-second increments on HIGH power until melted and smooth. If the mixture starts to get really thick and pasty, add in the cream. Do not over-heat. Alternatively, using the double-boiler method, place a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat and place a glass bowl on top, taking care to ensure the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the white chocolate over the double boiler until smooth, then proceed with the recipe as stated.
Fold in the vanilla extract and can of buttercream frosting until blended. Mixture will be very thick. Spread into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top. Top liberally with sprinkles.
Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or until firm before cutting into squares.

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This 3-Ingredient Buttercream Frosting Fudge is AWESOME! Smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth DELICIOUS and tastes JUST like homemade buttercream icing! Super easy and makes great gifts!

Smooth, creamy, chewy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! This fudge will be the star of the show this holiday season!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Christmas, Everything!, Fudge, Holiday, No-Bake

Easy Bourbon Balls

November 14, 2016 3 Comments

Everyone’s heard of rum balls, but for a different change of flavor, try these Easy Bourbon Balls! Tender, soft & chewy truffles made with Kentucky bourbon, cocoa, pecans and crushed cookies. Simple and no-bake!

Ever since becoming a food blogger, I have realized there are so many different Christmas cookie and candy recipes.

In my family, we made those refrigerated Pillsbury cookies with the little images printed on them. Or sometimes we made peanut butter blossoms. My grandma occasionally made Pecan Snowballs. But other than that, we never had fudge, fruit-cake (are we really missing out, though?), peppermint anything, Kahlua anything, homemade toffee, divinity, etc. Nothing.

The closest we came to getting fancy candies were found in those little cardboard box of chocolates. Not even Whitman’s or See’s brand… but like, dollar store truffles. Which, if you ever wondered, are so cheap tasting that they’re basically brown-flavor.

So this whole world of homemade candies, slice & bake cookies, and festively sprinkled and flavored goodies – all brand new to me. And I am loving every second of it. Because there’s only so many times you can make peanut butter blossoms, am I right?

To be fair, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this recipe. It’s a cross between a truffle and a cookie pop since it’s made with cocoa, but also made with crushed cookies. And it is extremely bourbon-y, so if you’re sensitive to alcohol or bourbon isn’t your fave, I’d definitely avoid this recipe.

But if you get crunk on bourbon, HONEY – you gotta try these. There is no mistaking that rich, amber bourbon flavor.

Of course, rum balls tend to be more widely known during this time of year, but I thought bourbon sounded even better than rum. Bourbon seems more Christmasy, and rum seems more like I need to have booked a Caribbean vacation last week. But, if you enjoy rum instead, I’m sure it’s interchangeable here.

Can we cheers to that?!

*adapted from My Recipes/Southern Living

Easy Bourbon Balls

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 40 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 24-26

These Easy Bourbon Balls are a wonderful no-bake treat for the holiday season! Similar to rum balls but made with rich, amber-colored bourbon instead.

Ingredients

1 (11 oz) box Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 cup finely chopped pecans
¾ cup powdered sugar, plus ⅔ cup
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
½ cup high quality bourbon
3 Tbsp corn syrup

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the finely crushed Nilla Wafer cookies with the finely chopped pecans, ¾ cup of powdered sugar and the cocoa powder. Stir the corn syrup into the bourbon until blended; add to the Nilla Wafer mixture.
Using a spatula, stir the mixture together until moistened and combined. Using a cookie scoop, scoop Tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture and roll them in your palms gently to smooth out. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining balls.
Using the remaining ⅔ cup powdered sugar, coat each bourbon ball in powdered sugar. Chill for about 20-30 minutes or until set before serving. Can be stored in the fridge, covered, or at room temperature, covered.

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Easy Bourbon Balls: bite-sized truffles packed with rich and smooth bourbon flavor, crunchy pecans, and sweet cocoa. No-Bake, simple to make and would be wonderful for Christmas or holiday gifts!

Crunchy, chewy, soft and packed with great texture from the chopped pecans and crushed cookies, these flavorful Bourbon Balls will surely be the first to go this holiday season!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Christmas, Everything!, Holiday, No-Bake, Truffles

Pecan Praline Pie Bark

October 21, 2016 5 Comments

This Pecan Praline Pie Bark is fantastic for any pecan pie lover! Easy to whip up and makes a big batch that’s great for gifts… or for snacking by yourself 🙂

I’m gonna keep this short and sweet… much like this fantastic bark.

I posted something like this before, but to be honest… the pictures are terrible. Like, unbelievably bad. I was just starting out as a food blogger and thought a brown paper lunch sack was an appropriate staging item.

Spoiler alert: it is not.

SO, I figured I’d better update that recipe because frankly, this bark is too good not to make.

It’s almost freaky how much it tastes like pecan pie crossed with Southern pralines. It’s got the melt-in-your-mouth praline feel but with a crunch and brown sugary gooeyness of pecan pie. In a word: marvelous.

And you will not BELIEVE how easy it is to make. Like, totally foolproof. Way easier than making pralines, so much better than making a whole pecan pie.

But do beware, because this bark is incredibly addictive. Save yourself a square and donate the rest immediately… or reap the consequences of eating the entire pan, like I did. Oops. #sorrynotsorry

Basically, you line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and cover the surface area with graham crackers. I used regular ol’ honey grahams, but cinnamon or even chocolate grahams would be awesome! Set it aside, and make your filling which is simply butter and brown sugar boiled together until it’s thick and caramel-y. Mix in some pecans, pour the whole shebang on top and bake that mishegas until bubbly and set.

Then simply break into pieces and consume immediately. Thank me later.

Psst: this would be awesome for holiday gift giving!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Pecan Praline Pie Bark

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Candy

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 8-10

This Pecan Praline Pie Bark tastes like a cross between gooey pecan pie and melt-in-your-mouth pralines. So easy, so delicious!

Ingredients

2 sleeves (about 20 or so) honey graham crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 & ½ cups chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist the foil with cooking spray. Place the graham crackers all over the surface area of the pan, breaking them apart if necessary to fill in the gaps. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, mix together the butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the vanilla extract and chopped pecans and evenly pour the hot bubbly mixture over the graham cracker sheets. Working quickly, use a spoon or offset spatula to spread the mixture around to evenly coat the graham cracker sheets.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly. Allow the bark to cool to room temperature before breaking into pieces. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

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This Pecan Praline Pie Bark is a delightfully unique mix between gooey pecan pie and melt-in-your-mouth Southern praline candy. Easy to make, only 5 ingredients and makes for great gifts or snacks!

Crispy, crunchy, a little chewy and loaded with butter, brown sugar and caramel flavors, this Pecan Praline Pie Bark is a real winner! Try it and you’ll see 🙂

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Caramel, Christmas, Cookies, Everything!, Holiday

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies

October 13, 2016 2 Comments

These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies are perfect for the spooky Halloween holiday or for fall-inspired parties! Chewy, buttery and loaded with hearty oats and peanut butter with a festive candy corn topping!

It is so hard to believe that Halloween is quickly approaching! We’re already into fall, and as the leaves change colors and the temps cool down, it’s hard not to be excited by the upcoming holiday. That, and because the stores have had their Halloween candy and costumes out since September! (Don’t judge that I’ve already purchased – and ate – a couple bags of Halloween candy!)

Plus, since it’s fall, a lot of people (myself included) are more interested in baking again. Summer makes it so hard since it gets so warm, but crisp fall air begs for a home-cooked comfort food or a freshly baked cookie. But, since kids are in school during this time of year, you also want something that’s easy and quick to prepare since the days are shorter and we don’t always have a ton of time to slave in the kitchen.

Enter: these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies! They are perfect for Halloween and fall-weather feasts. Made with Krusteaz Oatmeal Scotchie Cookie Mix, they come together in seconds and have a fun spin: peanut butter & candy corn! The peanut butter mixed with the rich butterscotch is a match made in heaven. And did you know that when you combine candy corn and peanut butter, it tastes like those peanut butter wafer candies? It’s an unexpectedly amazing food combination.

So preheat the oven, grab the kids and bake up these delectable little Halloween-inspired cookies! Your kids may choose these over packaged candy!

Get the recipe for these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies on Krusteaz’s website!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a brand ambassador for Krusteaz as part of the Bakers Dozen team. All opinions are 100% my own and I was compensated for this post. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep my blog afloat!

Filed Under: Candy, Cookies, Everything!, Halloween, Holiday, Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake

October 4, 2016 1 Comment

This Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake is such a fun combination between creamy pumpkin pie and fluffy cake with delightful peanut butter cup flavor!

So if you’re on Facebook, you may have noticed a bunch of videos floating around for Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake. Essentially, it’s a pumpkin pie base sprinkled with cake mix and melted butter and topped with crunchy pecans.

And it looks fabulous.

All these videos are going crazytown on Facebook right now because it’s fall and everyone’s going bonkers for pumpkin. (I mean, who doesn’t go bonkers for pumpkin?) Plus, the promising idea of pumpkin pie and cake worlds colliding? Simply beautiful.

So I figured I wanted a piece of the pie – er, cake – by making my own version of this infamous cake. Except my version is loaded with peanut butter candy goodness.

I’ll let that ruminate for a sec.

Back with me? Good. Because you’ll want to give this cake a try. If, ya know, you’re bonkers for pumpkin and peanut butter.

Now, before you naysayers come in and say pumpkin and peanut butter don’t go together, I implore you to please give it a try. Trust me, it is good stuff.

So this cake is really a cinch to make and I have a feeling you’ll be making it all fall-long. Well, you should be making it all fall-long, but that’s only because I’m right about everything. Natch.

For the base of the cake, you’ll whisk together some pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice – just like you were making a pie. But instead of pouring it into a pie crust, you pour it into a greased 13×9″ baking pan.

Then you sprinkle the yellow cake mix all over the top of that goodness. Yup, you read it right – just the cake mix. Plain ol’ powdery cake mix. Nothing else, ‘kay? After you sprinkle all that stuff on top, top it with melted butter. Lots of melted butter, preferably. And then you’ll add a handful (or two. or five) of miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, mini Reese’s Pieces, and peanut butter chips for good measure.

Bake it up and you’ll have this.

And trust me, it’s glorious.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 2 hours 10 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 3 hours 5 mins

Serves: 15

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake: when two dessert staples collide, awesome things happen!

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (just the puree, NOT the pie filling)
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 box yellow cake mix (just the dry powder mix)
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
2 cups chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Mini Cups
¾ cup miniature Reese's Pieces candies
¾ cup peanut butter chips
Whipped cream and additional Reese's Pieces candies for garnishing, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, eggs and vanilla with a whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Top with the dry yellow cake mix, sprinkling evenly over and entirely covering the top of the pumpkin pie layer. Drizzle the yellow cake mix layer with the melted butter. Top with scattered handfuls of the mini chopped peanut butter cups, miniature Reese's Pieces, and peanut butter chips.
Bake uncovered for approximately 50-55 minutes or until the center is mostly set - it may wiggle slightly but you do not want to overbake it. Cool it completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set before cutting into slices. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and additional Reese's Pieces candies, if desired.

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Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake: a delightful mash-up between creamy pumpkin pie and fluffy cake that's studded with rich and gooey peanut butter cups and Reese's Pieces candies! A wonderful fall-favorite that's so easy to prepare!

Sweet, spicy and packed with peanut butter cup goodness! You won’t find another awesome cake mash-up like this!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Candy, Chocolate, Everything!, Halloween, Holiday, Peanut Butter, Pie, Pumpkin

Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 19, 2016 8 Comments

A combination of rich, melty chocolate and gooey, buttery caramel together at last in one thick, chewy and utterly perfect cookie!

Right now I’m having a caramel and quesadilla moment. NOT together, FYI.

But for some reason, I am alllll about caramel anything and quesadillas up the wazoo. I just cannot get enough of either.

It’s like I rediscovered them randomly (as if I’d forgotten?) and now am utterly obsessed. I order quesadillas wherever they’re available, and I’ve been cooking up caramel this and caramel that because it’s fall, and fall seems caramel-y. Or caramel seems fall-y? Either way.

So while I won’t be posting any quesadilla recipes anytime soon, I hope you enjoy the influx of caramel recipes. Because I need to finish having my moment, okay?

This recipe is an adaptation of my Deep Dish Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies which I made many moons ago. Those cookies were delicious and continue to be one of my Top 10 recipes on my blog which amazes me because they were kind of an afterthought, if I’m being honest.

Recently, I tried to remake them so I could take better photographs, but when I pulled them from the oven, they had spread everywhere and were a wonky deep dish and not pretty. I figured I’d better tweak that recipe to better reflect the modern times. Also, not everyone has a deep dish cookie pan, and I’d hate for ya to have to start a quest to find one (unless, of course, deep dish things are your jam, in which case, carry on).

So I adapted that recipe to make this one: These Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies. A delicious mouthful, if you will, and a MUST make. I know I say that about a lot of recipes on here, but y’all. These cookies are easily one of the best things I’ve ever made. Not even kidding. Even my family, who is usually apathetic about my desserts*, devoured these in no time flat.

*not apathetic in that they think my desserts suck, but more like, they see desserts every day that they’re disenchanted nowadays. Just clarifying!

This recipe has a couple of fundamental changes to it. First, I use brown butter in this recipe. If you’ve never baked with brown butter before, you must run to the kitchen and make it asap. Brown butter is life-changing! It imparts such a wonderful depth of flavor and nuttiness to whatever it’s made with. The only thing I should say is that you must watch your brown butter carefully while you make it to ensure it doesn’t burn, and you must use real butter, not margarine, in order for it to work.

So brown your butter and cool it for a little bit. Then prepare your dough and refrigerate the whole shebang to set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. I know, I know. The whole chilling process cramps your style. I get it. But it is absolutely imperative that you chill the dough or else the cookies will be flat, crispy saucers on the sheet and then you’ll complain and then I’ll have to treat you like a child and ask you if you chilled your dough. So just cut out the whole middle man and chill it, please?

While your oven preheats, let the dough come close to room temperature to take the chill off. Then use a big ol’ cookie scoop to get yourself a little dough ball which you’ll fill with a chocolate-caramel candy. For these cookies, I used Dove Caramel Candies because they are flatter and bigger than say, Rolos. You can use whatever kind of chocolaty caramel candy you want, as long as it’s soft and not like, those granny caramel hard candies you get at the bank.

Bake it all up and voila, you have easily one of the best cookie recipes at your fingertips. You’re welcome!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cookies

Prep time: 6 hours 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 6 hours 25 mins

Serves: 24-26

These Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies are my FAVORITE cookie recipe! Buttery, nutty, thick, soft and chewy and filled with gooey caramel and chocolate. You'll love this recipe!

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) butter (salted or unsalted; if using salted, omit salt from recipe)
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
24-26 caramel-filled chocolate candies (I used Dove Chocolates), unwrapped

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add the butter over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth and melted. The butter will start to bubble up and foam, so continue to stir it. Eventually the butter will become darker in color and smell slightly nutty. Stir and cook until amber in color and immediately remove from the heat. Do NOT over-cook! It burns quickly, so keep an eye on it. Cool the butter completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the browned butter (including the brown bits in the pan!), brown sugar and sugar and beat with the paddle attachment for about 1 minute or until creamy. Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat well. Lastly, add in the baking soda, salt, cornstarch and flour until a soft dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for AT LEAST 4 hours, preferably overnight. This is mandatory.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Let the dough sit out on the counter while the oven preheats, just so it comes closer to room temperature and isn't so cold. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Using a 2-Tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop, scoop out a ball of cookie dough. Flatten it slightly in the palm of your hand and place one Dove chocolate (or whatever caramel-filled chocolate candy you're using) in the middle. Use your hands to wrap the cookie dough around the chocolate candy. Place on the baking sheet 2" apart.
Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool on the baking sheets.

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These Thick & Chewy Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies are some of the BEST cookies I've ever made! Buttery, nutty, chewy and soft with a gooey caramel center and rich chocolate pockets. So easy and amazing!

Buttery, nutty, gooey and rich, these cookies are unforgettable and a must-make on your baking list!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

*this post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep my blog alive!

Filed Under: Candy, Caramel, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!

Salted Caramel Mocha Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs

September 16, 2016 10 Comments

When two worlds collide, oftentimes the results are mixed. The result of these Salted Caramel Mocha Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs is sensational! Gooey, decadent & sinfully fabulous!

…And then I had to go and stuff Rolos inside of cookie dough stuffed inside brownies stuffed inside chocolate. PHEW! Bomb inception. Brownieception. Whatever you want to call it, y’all need to run to your kitchen to make these bad boys!

So it’s no surprise that everything’s been tumbleweed-y and desolate in my dating life. I’d even go as far to say as I’ve moved backwards in my search for Mr. Right. And by ‘search’, I mean not searching at all and just hoping that I bump into a guy serendipitiously at the grocery store and we both marvel over our shared love of bread and 2006 era emo music.

But my friends – the few I can count on one finger – say that I should dress up every time I run my errands so that in case I meet Mr. Right while at Target, I’ll look prepared.

But to that I say: I’m lazy. And also, have you done a full-face of makeup before? It is not for the faint of heart. There’s the whole blending of the foundation situation, which is already hard enough for me since my perfect match was matched with the PRIMER color. Then I have to get my cat eye on symmetrically and make sure I don’t have any knots in my hair since I have a strange aversion to brushing my hair. It’s just this whole big thing and I am so not about that.

And then there’s the whole thing where I sometimes abruptly leave my house to grab some additional ingredients at the store, unknowingly covered in flour and chocolate stains. So clearly, I am rocking this whole attractiveness thing.

But to this I say: wouldn’t my Mr. Right want to see the real me? Me, with a rogue sprinkle in my hair and powdered sugar smudges on my clothes? Makeup-less and rockin’ a half-bun? Wouldn’t he want to fall in love with me when I’m looking like an underground goblin and then be surprised in a good way when I clean up nicely? That’s just what I’d think, anyway. And maybe that’s also why I’m single. WHATEVER.

Anyway, let’s get to these bombs, ‘kay? They really are the definition of a bomb. A calorie bomb, yes. But worth it? Yes yes. In fact, these may be my favorite brownie bombs to date. That’s saying something!

These bad boys are Salted Caramel Mocha flavor and OH MAH GOSH are they good. The fudgy brownies are packed with espresso flavor which really ramps up that mocha aspect. Then the egg-free cookie dough surrounds a Rolo candy which brings that caramel flavor into play.

The whole thing is over-the-top, totally sweet and outrageously rich… so don’t say I didn’t warn you. This recipe is NOT for people who don’t have sweet teeth, and this is not for the faint of heart. You gotta be a committed sugar lover to enjoy these, so keep that in mind!

Now, let’s get to eating, shall we?

5.0 from 2 reviews

Salted Caramel Mocha Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Brownie Bombs

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 22 mins

Total time: 2 hours 22 mins

Serves: 18

These Salted Caramel Mocha Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs are INSANE. Super rich, outrageously decadent and fabulous in flavor and texture. A must make for any brownie bomb lover!

Ingredients

FOR BROWNIES:
1 box fudge brownie mix
⅔ cup oil
¼ cup water
2 eggs
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
FOR COOKIE DOUGH & CARAMEL FILLING:
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
¼ tsp salt
1 & ½ cups flour (if you're worried about using AP flour because of contamination, use organic flour, GF flour, oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, or another flour substitute)
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
18 Rolo candies, unwrapped
1 pkg chocolate candy coating (I like CandiQuik)
Sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a rectangular 13x9" baking pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare the brownies, adding in the instant espresso powder. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for approx. 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Do not over bake! It is imperative that the brownies are fudgy! Cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Add in the vanilla and heavy cream, mixing well. Lastly, add in the salt and flour until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Using a Tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop, scoop a ball of cookie dough and make an indentation in the middle with your thumb. Add in a Rolo and roll the dough around the Rolo candy until fully enclosed. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Trim the edges off of the brownies, and cut the brownies in 18 equal pieces (5 rows by 3). Take a piece of a brownie and flatten it slightly with the heel of your hand. Wrap the brownie around the cookie dough ball, rolling it in your palms to completely enclose the cookie dough ball. If needed, dampen your hands to help mold the brownie around the cookie dough. Repeat with remaining bombs and freeze until firm, about 40 minutes.
Melt the chocolate candy coating until smooth, according to package directions. Drop each bomb into the candy coating, coating completely and gently remove with a fork and place onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Store leftover bombs airtight in the fridge or freezer, but if you freeze them, PLEASE bring them to room temperature before serving as the caramel candy will be solid and I don't want you to break your tooth!

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