Churro Toffee Bugles combine two of my most popular recipes into one hugely addictive snack!

You guys – I’ve done it. I have created THE most addictive snack mix to end all snack mixes. This one is the winner, stop looking now.

Ever since creating my Butter Toffee Pretzels and Churro Bugles, you guys have been LOVING those recipes. And I mean, same – they’re both some of my fave snack mixes I have on my site. But I decided to get all Evil Genius and combine the two into one snack mix to rule them all.

CHURRO. TOFFEE. BUGLES.

I can barely contain my excitement!

Here’s the lowdown on how to make them (because you’re gonna want to Instacart the ingredients like, right now):

Churro Toffee Bugles

Churro Toffee Bugles combines two of my most popular recipes – Butter Toffee Pretzels and Churro Bugles. It all starts with Bugles chips, which I loved from my childhood and still hold up today. These are a delicious corn chip that holds up well to this recipe and provides the salty crunch to the snack mix. If you can’t find Bugles, you could use pretzel twists or another corn chip like Fritos.

Then you’ll make your toffee mixture, which is essentially butter and brown sugar boiled together on the stove until bubbly. You’ll add in some vanilla extract for flavor, and ground cinnamon which is part of the churro component.

Whisk the toffee mixture together and pour it evenly over the Bugles in the pan. I like using disposable roasting pans for making sticky snack mixes because it makes cleanup a breeze – but two rimmed baking sheets would work here as well! Toss the Bugles in the toffee mixture until they’re nice and evenly coated, and sprinkle on some Heath toffee bits – yep, the ones in the bag.

Bake for about 10 minutes to give the toffee a chance to set, then immediately pour on a cinnamon sugar mixture and more toffee bits and toss to coat. The cinnamon sugar and extra toffee bits will stick to the hot toffee Bugles and will give them that extra churro-y and toffee flavor!

FAQs for Churro Toffee Bugles

Can I make this in advance? Churro Toffee Bugles can be made a few days in advance and stored airtight at room temperature. Once made, they last about a week on the counter.

Can I substitute the Bugles? Yes, you can substitute the Bugles with pretzel twists or another corn chip, like Fritos.

What are Heath toffee bits? Heath toffee bits are broken up toffee pieces sold in the chocolate chip aisle of the grocery store. Heath makes TWO kinds – a chocolate covered toffee, and a regular “Bits o Brickle” kind. I recommend using the regular kind (NOT the chocolate covered kind). If you wanted to use the chocolate covered, I would use that at the end after baking.

Can I double the recipe? When making candy, I recommend making separate batches of toffee rather than doubling the recipe.

Can this be frozen? I do not recommend freezing this.

These Churro Toffee Bugles are seriously one of THE best things I have made on this blog, and I think you’ll quickly agree – sweet, salty, crunchy and SO addictive!

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Churro Toffee Bugles

Churro Toffee Bugles are THE most addictive snack mix I have EVER made! Sweet, salty, crunchy - they have all the elements you could want in a snack mix.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 10 cups

Ingredients

• 10 cups Bugles chips (I used two 7.5oz bags)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 bag Heath toffee baking bits

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease 2 rimmed baking sheets or use a disposable roasting pan. Add the Bugles evenly among the pan(s) and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and one teaspoon of the ground cinnamon until combined.
• Pour the hot toffee mixture evenly over the Bugles in the pan, immediately followed by HALF of the bag of toffee bits. Working quickly with a rubber spatula, toss the toffee mixture and the Bugles chips together so they get evenly coated.
• Bake for 10 minutes. While they bake, stir together the remaining 2 tsp ground cinnamon and the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Remove the Bugles from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the remaining toffee bits and the cinnamon sugar, tossing to coat as you sprinkle. You really want to coat everything completely, so I like to liberally sprinkle, toss, and repeat until it is pretty saturated.
• Let cool completely before breaking into pieces to serve.

Prepare to fall in love with your new fave snack mix! Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Churro Toffee Bugles first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Salted Caramel Butter Bars are delightful and one of my family’s favorite recipes! Soft and chewy bars filled with a salted caramel ribbon in one buttery bar cookie!

It is not the holiday season without these Salted Caramel Butter Bars!

My family – in particular my dad – goes CRAZY for them. I always make a couple batches and give one batch to my family for Christmas snacking while we unwrap gifts, and split up another batch or two for neighbor and friend cookie boxes. They get SO many compliments!

These bars are super simple to make – here’s how.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted Caramel Butter Bars start with the cookie dough, which is basically a sugar cookie dough. It consists of:

• Butter: and lots of it! Don’t be alarmed by the amount; this contributes to both the flavor and the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Sugars: we’re using both granulated sugar for sweetness, and powdered sugar for that airy, soft texture
• Vanilla extract: for flavor
• Flour: aka, the structure of the bars

That’s it for the dough – no leavening and no eggs needed. The dough is substantial enough on its own and is more like a buttery shortbread/sugar cookie mixture!

You’ll prebake half of the crust in a lined pan for a few minutes to help it set, then pour on a jar of salted caramel sauce. My favorite is the Smucker’s Brand “Simply Delights” line, but any high quality salted caramel sauce will do (or you can make your own!). Then you’ll crumble the remaining dough over top of the caramel layer and finish baking the bars.

When they’re fresh from the oven, you can sprinkle them with sea salt if you’d like – but be mindful if you use a salted caramel sauce that there is salt in there as well.

The result? The gooiest, most deliciously buttery Salted Caramel Butter Bars. You’ll soon see why this is a family favorite!

*adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Cookbook

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Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Buttery, soft crumb bars filled with salted caramel! I dare you to stop at one bite.. it's irresistible!

Course Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 11.5 oz jar salted caramel sauce (I like Smuckers Brand Simple Delights, but Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel is great, too!)
• Sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Lastly, beat in the four (4) cups of flour until a soft dough has formed. Press HALF of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate the remaining dough.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Pour the caramel evenly into the crust, then crumble the remaining dough on top to cover the caramel layer. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and remember that there's salt in the caramel sauce, too
• Return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the caramel is bubbly. If the middle jiggles a little bit, this is okay - it will continue to cook as it cools. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting into squares.

I hope you enjoy!

Love Salted Caramel? (Hey, me too!) Check out these other fantastic salted caramel recipes!

Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars

Have a fantastical day!

xo, Hayley

The post Salted Caramel Butter Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Scotcharoos are crispy rice treats fully loaded with peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate flavors! They are SO addictive and delicious, and not your ordinary rice krispy treat!

So prior to this, I have to admit – I had never had a Scotcharoo.

Growing up, my parents did not bake. My grandparents did not bake. We did not have the family baking experience. Once in a blue moon, my mom would make my grandma’s coffee cake, but that was about it and we certainly didn’t have fun little treats like these.

Prepared snack cakes and packaged cookies were more our speed, and hey, there’s nothing wrong with that! But a lot of these classic childhood treats everyone requests from me are above my head because I just never grew up with them. But now I’m here as a professional to fix that and experience them as a thirty-something year old. You’re never too old!

The Low-Down on Scotcharoos

What are scotcharoos, exactly? Good question! They’re basically glorified rice krispy treats that get a fancier treatment. Instead of marshmallows and butter like a regular RKT, these have a boiled candy mixture of granulated sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup as the “sauce” mixed with the crispy rice cereal, and a butterscotch and milk chocolate layer as the topping.

In another word, they’re scrumptious. 

How to Make Scotcharoos

You’ll simply melt the granulated sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup together in a medium saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and everything has become melted and smooth. You won’t bring it to a boil, but you want it to be hot and no longer grainy from the sugar. Once it has reached this stage, you’ll pour it in a bowl with your crispy rice cereal and toss it to coat.

Press the coated cereal mixture into a greased pan and then make your topping. The topping is just melted butterscotch chips and melted milk chocolate chips stirred together. Pour it over the top and let the topping set before cutting into squares to serve.

These bars are sweet, salty, chewy and so decadent. They really taste like a gourmet rice krispy treat from a fancy bakery or candy shop, but are surprisingly simple to make!

Tips & Tricks

How do I make sure my scotcharoos stay soft and chewy? The key to ensuring your scotcharoos stay soft and chewy is to not boil the peanut butter mixture. You just want to make sure the sugar has dissolved but take it off the heat before the mixture boils.

How can I store completed scotcharoos? Finished scotcharoos can be kept at room temperature covered airtight up to a week.

These Scotcharoos are so delicious – you and your kids will love ’em!

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Scotcharoos

These Scotcharoos are seriously DIVINE! Combining peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate, they elevate basic rice krispy treats into a gourmet childhood favorite!

Course Bars, Candy

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 6 cups rice krispy cereal
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

• Liberally grease a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray, or line the pan with parchment paper or foil and then grease. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, peanut butter, and corn syrup and stir together over medium-high heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is melted and smooth, about 10 minutes. Do NOT allow the mixture to boil. If the mixture begins to bubble, pull it off of the heat. It shouldn't be super grainy from the sugar. While this cooks, add your cereal to a large bowl and set aside.
• Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the cereal and toss to coat completely. Pour the coated cereal into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Be careful, as the mixture may be hot.
• In a medium microwaveable bowl, combine the butterscotch and milk chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again in 30 second intervals, stopping to stir every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the bars and spread in an even layer.
• Allow the chocolate to set, about 1 hour, before cutting into squares.

If you love sweet and salty flavors, you’re going to fall in LOVE with these irresistible scotcharoos!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Scotcharoos first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

This Easy Almond Roca Toffee is SO incredible, is surprisingly simple to make and is the perfect combination of sweet and salty!

I cannot believe Christmas is just three weeks away!

If you need me, I’ll be cranking out as many Christmas recipes as I can in the little time I have left. But first, I had to kick off this week with this Easy Almond Roca! If you’ve never made homemade candy before, it can seem intimidating. Believe me – I avoided candy thermometers like the plague for the longest time. But I promise, this toffee is very simple!

Easy Almond Roca

This Easy Almond Roca has a few simple ingredients that you probably have on hand, including:

• Butter: I use unsalted since I’m adding salt to the toffee mixture
• Granulated sugar: for sweetness and the structure of the toffee
• Water: to help with the cooking process
• Salt: to counter some of the sweetness
• Pure vanilla extract: for flavor and sweetness

You’ll simply boil your toffee ingredients, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until your toffee reaches 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer. While I don’t recommend making toffee without a thermometer, it can be done if you’re more experienced. 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer is known as “hard crack stage” and your toffee will be richly golden brown, almost like the color of a raw almond.

Then, to make it Almond Roca, we’ll add semi-sweet chocolate on top when the toffee is still hot and allow it to melt. While it is still wet, we’ll sprinkle on some toasted chopped almonds. Using roasted almonds is preferred because it really adds a little something extra.

This Almond Roca is buttery, crunchy, sweet, salty and SO irresistible and will make excellent gifts for the holidays!

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Easy Almond Roca

This Easy Almond Roca can be made from a few simple pantry ingredients and yields snappy, sweet and salty gourmet candy!

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup chopped roasted, unsalted almonds

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper and allow the parchment sides to hang over the edges of the pan for easier removal later. Set aside. Meanwhile, measure out your vanilla and set it out next to your stove so it is ready when you are.
• In a medium heavy bottomed pot, add the cubed butter, granulated sugar, water, and salt and turn the stove to medium heat. Cook, stirring gently occasionally with a wooden spoon, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Once the mixture begins to come to a boil, attach a candy thermometer to the pot.
• Allow the mixture to boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until mixture reaches 305° degrees F on the candy thermometer, also known as hard crack stage. The toffee should be the color of a raw almond. Depending on your stove, this could take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Once it reaches 305° degrees, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract; note that the vanilla will cause the mixture to bubble and foam violently, so be careful.
• Pour the toffee into the prepared parchment-lined pan in an even layer. Let set for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, sprinkle the top of the toffee with the semi-sweet chocolate chips in an even layer. Cover the pan with foil and let set for another 5 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the now melty chocolate chips in an even layer using an offset spatula. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
• Allow the toffee and chocolate to set completely at room temperature, or you can expedite this process by refrigerating the pan.

Notes

I recommend using roasted, unsalted almonds for a great toasted almond flavor. If you can't find these, you can lightly toast your own almonds by purchasing raw almonds and toasting them over medium-low heat in a dry skillet for a few minutes or until nutty and fragrant. 

This sweet and salty toffee is sure to be a huge hit in your Christmas gift baskets!

Love candy recipes? Check out this recipe…

CHURRO TOFFEE

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Easy Almond Roca first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Muddy Buddy Cookies are such a unique twist on the classic flavors of muddy buddies snack mix! Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies, chocolaty ganache frosting and topped with muddy buddies for added crunch and garnish! So fun!!

Boy, do I have a knockout recipe for you today. *rubs hands together evil plotting style*

I love muddy buddies, but I often forget about them because I am a single household of one and have no self-control around desserts I like. For instance, my Peppermint Muddy Buddies were something I inhaled the entirety of, so I never make them because they are a menace to me. And I do not need an whole dang bag of muddy buddies tempting me with their siren song.

Also, while they are great, they could use a little boost in the imagination department. I mean, they’re kinda boring to look at, ya know? So these cookies elevate their appearance from humble coated cereal into a gourmet cookie no one can resist.

Muddy Buddy Cookies

So first things first. If you’ve made it this far and are like, what even are muddy buddies? I’ve gotcha covered. Muddy Buddies themselves consist of Chex cereal that you traditionally coat in melted chocolate and peanut butter and then shake up with some powdered sugar. They’re peanut buttery, chocolaty and sweet with the powdered sugary coating. Now that we have that down, let’s talk about these COOKIES.

The cookies begin with THE world’s softest and chewiest peanut butter cookie recipe ever. I seriously cannot handle how unbelievably soft these cookies are. They’re made with a whopping 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, so the flavor is out of this world. They are so tender and delicious, but just sturdy enough to hold the toppings we’re going to load up on them.

No surprise ingredients here: just butter, brown and white sugar, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder and soda, and flour. So easy.

Next up is our ganache layer! For this, I’m using semi-sweet chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter melted together and spread on top of the cookies. Even when it hardens, it remains soft and delicious, almost like a fudge. OMG, it’s heaven!

Last is the muddy buddy layer. You are SO welcome to make your own muddy buddies, butttt I went and took the shortcut and used the prepared muddy buddies made by the Chex Mix brand. I found them at Target on the chips aisle. It saves a step and you have something to snack on while the cookies bake.

Soft, chewy, creamy and rich with a crunchy cereal garnish – these Muddy Buddy Cookies will be THE star of your cookie tray!

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Muddy Buddy Cookies

These Muddy Buddy Cookies have all the elements of muddy buddies snack mix into a soft and chewy cookie! A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie topped with fudgy chocolate ganache and crunchy muddy buddy pieces for a delectable, gourmet cookie!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (like by Skippy or JIF brand)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar + 1/3 cup, divided
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

For the Ganache Frosting & Topping:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1½ cups Muddy Buddies snack mix (like by Chex brand, prepared or homemade)

Instructions

• For the cookies: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, peanut butter, 1 cup of the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar together until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. Lastly, add in the baking powder, baking soda, and flour and mix until a soft dough comes together. Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar to a separate small bowl and set aside.
• Using a 2-Tablespoon size cookie dough scoop, portion out 2 Tablespoon-size balls of cookie dough and roll them into a ball. Roll the ball into the granulated sugar and place 1-2" apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool for about 10-15 minutes on the pans before carefully transferring to wire racks to cool. Cookies will be very delicate. Cool completely.
• For the ganache: In a medium microwaveable bowl, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave on HIGH power for another 30 seconds, stirring until melted and smooth. Drop a heaping teaspoon or two of the melted ganache on top of each cookie and spread it out. Garnish with the muddy buddies while the ganache is still tacky. Allow the ganache to set, about 20 minutes, before serving or storing.

Notes

For an easier shortcut, I like to use prepared muddy buddies by the Chex brand. I found them in the chip aisle at Target. 

This recipe works best with regular peanut butter, not natural peanut butter which tends to be too oily.

If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’ll go nuts for these cookies!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Muddy Buddy Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Peanut Butter Cup-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are for serious PB and chocolate lovers only!! Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with a full-size peanut butter cup for a tasty hidden surprise.

Sorry I’ve been MIA for the last two weeks! Things around here have been crazy.

Without going into too much detail, I’m having some medical mysteries happening at this time that I’ve been dealing with. The symptoms aren’t great and I’ve been trying to stay on top of tracking them, attending appointments, doing ALL the lab work, etc. Then this past weekend I went to Los Angeles for a wedding and a huge music festival. It was super hot but super fun, and I am super tired, ha. Let’s just say I don’t have the same energy for concerts as I did as a teenager!

Anyway, now I am back and it’s approximately 2348623875 degrees and I am dreaming up all the no-bake things because I am already miserable. However, before my disappearance I happened to make these cookies and I’m sharing them with you today because I couldn’t put them off any longer!

The Cookies

The cookies are a classic chocolate chip pudding cookie. What’s a pudding cookie, you ask? It’s just like a regular chocolate chip cookie but with a box of instant pudding mix added to the cookie dough.

Instant dry pudding mix gives the cookies an insanely delicious light, tender and SUPER soft and chewy texture. It’s really magic! All you have to do is add the dry pudding mix powder to your cookie dough with the rest of your dry ingredients. Promise it really is that easy!

But otherwise, the cookie has your usual suspects: butter, brown sugar and white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and of course, chocolate chips! I recommend splurging for a higher quality chocolate chip since chocolate is a main component. My fave brands to use are Ghirardelli or Guittard.

The Filling

The filling is a classic Reese’s peanut butter cup – the normal size one! Luckily you can get party packs of the standard sizes at the grocery store on the candy aisle. Just unwrap them and fill each cookie with them. The surprise of a sweet and salty peanut butter cup inside each soft and chewy cookie is PERFECTION.

These Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Cookies are a MUST! I hope you love them!

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Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Cookies

These Peanut Butter Cup-Stuffed Cookies are magical! Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies stuffed with a tasty hidden Reese's peanut butter cup inside each bite!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks OR 16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 3.4 oz (1 small box) INSTANT dry vanilla pudding mix powder just the dry powdered mix; do not prepare the pudding
• 1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 16-18 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars with the paddle attachment until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. Add in the baking soda, salt, all-purpose flour and dry instant vanilla pudding mix and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Using a Tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop, portion out 2 separate rounded Tablespoons of cookie dough balls. Place a Reese's peanut butter cup in between the two dough balls and use your fingers to manipulate the cookie dough so it completely envelops the peanut butter cup and creates one giant cookie, covering the peanut butter cup completely. Place on the prepared baking sheets at least 3" apart. Repeat with remaining dough and peanut butter cups. You should have around 16-18 cookies.
• Bake for approximately 10-14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time to ensure even cooking. Remove from the heat and allow the cookies to finish cooling on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I just know you’re going to love these sweet and salty cookies!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Peanut Butter Cup-Stuffed Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

If you’re looking for a killer recipe for Peanut Brittle, this is IT! Super crisp yet and addictively crunchy yet not tooth-breakingly so, it’s sweet, irresistible and utterly divine!

This recipe is a LONG time coming.

Yes, even seasoned food bloggers have fails. Trust and believe, I have had many fails. I had one yesterday. I thought I could be so cavalier with a cookie recipe and skip some chilling steps but it went about as south as you could get. Those were some ugly AF cookies. They didn’t even pretend to look cute.

And for awhile now I have been trying very hard to master peanut brittle and I have finally cracked the system without cracking a tooth. Yippee! One of my qualms with a lot of pre-packaged peanut brittles is that they are so TOUGH that you practically crack a molar on them. Not this brittle recipe. It’s crunchy and addictively crispy but yields when you bite into it, almost like it melts in your mouth. The texture is divine.

Making Peanut Brittle

Making candy doesn’t have to be complicated, although to be fair, it scared me for a very long time! Candy thermometers can be super intimidating, but don’t let that stop you from attempting this recipe. I promise, it’s worth the shot to try because with these helpful tips and tricks, you too can nail this recipe down.

• Have all your ingredients ready and measured. When making candy, this is a MUST. Candy making moves RAPIDLY and you don’t have extra minutes to prep and prepare things. I like to measure out all of my ingredients in little prep bowls ahead of time and have them close to the stove so they are ready when I need them.
• Use a candy thermometer. Sure, you could use the old-fashioned method of dropping the candy into water method, but for the most accurate results, a candy thermometer is a must have. They’re inexpensive, sold everywhere and provide the best results.
• Warm your pan. This is a little trick I picked up when researching candy making. I like to warm my greased jelly roll pan in a 200 degree oven (or as low/warm of a temperature as your oven will go) while the candy mixture is cooking. Why? If the molten candy gets poured onto an ice cold pan, it can seize up right then and there in the shape its in, leaving you very little room to manipulate it. However, when the candy is poured onto a warmed pan, you have a little extra seconds to spread it into an even layer and make it look better so it sets up nicer.
• Baking soda. Baking soda adds a “softer bite” to the brittle, resulting in a still very crunchy and crispy peanut brittle but one that yields with less pressure when bitten which I prefer. I don’t like brittles that are too hard and can break a tooth. However, if you prefer a harder bite and more of a snap, you can omit the baking soda.

Tender, buttery, peanut-forward, amazing Peanut Brittle. I’m so glad I mastered this one for you!

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The Best Peanut Brittle

This Amazing Peanut Brittle is my new go-to recipe for the best peanut brittle I've tried! It has an addictively crunchy and crisp "soft bite" that isn't super tooth cracking-hard and a delicious vanilla and peanut-forward flavor. Plus, it's super easy to make!

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1¼ cups dry-roasted peanuts
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

• First things first, read through the recipe thoroughly before beginning and have your items prepped ahead of time in small bowls near the stove. Candy making works quickly and you don't have time to spare to step away when your candy reaches temperature.
• Preheat your oven to a warming temperature or 200° degrees F. Grease an 11x17 jelly roll pan with rimmed sides with cooking spray or butter. You can also line with foil or parchment, but I found it was easier to grease the pan without a liner. Place the greased pan in the warm oven and keep in there until your candy is ready to pour. A warm pan makes it easier for you to manipulate the molten candy.
• Next, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Set a candy thermometer into the pot and continue boiling, stirring lightly constantly (lightly as in, don't stir it vigorously - just a light stir, but do stir the entire time it is boiling) until the candy thermometer reaches 250°F. Stir in the peanuts, then continue to boil, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 300° F or hard crack stage.
• Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the softened butter (make sure it is truly softened and not hard), the vanilla extract, and the baking soda and stir until foamy and combined, careful not to overmix. Working quickly, remove the jelly roll greased pan from the oven and place on a flat work surface. Pour the molten peanut brittle in a zig zag or circular pattern over the greased pan (as opposed to dumping it in one pile in the middle of the pan) and working as fast as you can, lightly smooth it out as best you can in an even layer. Try not to overwork it too much as this can pop or break some of those air bubbles creating that crispiness.
• Allow brittle to set at room temperature for about 2 hours or until hardened and set. Use a mallet or your hands to break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

This peanut brittle is to die for! Seriously so good, even my mom who is meh on brittle could not stop eating it!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post The Best Peanut Brittle first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Levain Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Cookies are seriously AWESOME. Although Levain Bakery does not make a peanut butter cookie, these are made Levain Bakery-style – ultra thick, a whopping 6-ounces each and SUPER peanut buttery!

Even if you’ve never been to the famed Levain Bakery in NYC, I am sure you’ve heard of it. They’re known for their huge 6-ounce each cookies in four flavors: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin. Lucky for you, I’ve made all those flavors into copycats, as well as my Levain-style version of a Funfetti cookie and a Red Velvet one! And now, I’ve made this peanut butter version!

Levain Bakery cookies are amazing when you’re visiting NYC, and while they do ship nationwide, it is very expensive last I checked. Why spend all that money when you can make a seriously authentic tasting bakery-style cookie at home in under an hour? No joke!

These cookies are seriously irresistible, surprisingly easy and taste like they came from a fancy bakery but are made in your own home kitchen. With a few easy tips and tricks, you can make these Levain Bakery-style cookies at home!

Here are a few key components to making Levain-style cookies, and those are:

• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is my number 1 favorite cookie ingredient for yielding soft and tender cookies every single time. I love the light texture it gives cookies!
• Cake flour: Cake flour is Levain’s secret weapon for their massive cookies that have a tender crumb and a lighter texture, despite being so huge in size. If all all-purpose flour was to be used, these cookies would be very dense, almost like a scone. But by using half all-purpose flour and half cake flour, they are surprisingly lighter and more tender.
• Brief chill-time: These cookies are chilled for a maximum of 15 minutes for optimal results. We’ll only bake one sheet of cookies at a time, so while the small batch of cookies bakes, just keep the rest of the cookie dough refrigerated.
• Extra mix-ins: Do not be alarmed by the quantity of mix-ins in this cookie recipe! In order to maintain the structure of the cookie, 3.5 cups of mix-ins is required. Not only do the mix-ins help support the structure of the cookie, but they also add flavor and help prevent too much spreading.

And for optimal baking results, follow these tips:

• Shape: I like to shape these cookie dough balls rough and loose. Normally, we’d use a cookie dough scoop and get tight, smooth, compact balls of cookie dough. But for this recipe, I like craggy, rougher texture and a looser pack which gives better texture. For accuracy, I like measuring out 6 ounces of dough precisely using a digital cooking scale.
• Size: These cookies are very large at a whopping 6 ounces apiece each, so I recommend only baking 4 per baking sheet and staggering them on the baking sheet so they have plenty of room for when they bake – at least 3″ from one another. This staggered pattern on the baking sheet helps prevent them from forming one giant cookie in the baking process and keeps baking consistent.
• Do not over-bake!:  Levain’s cookies are notoriously underbaked and gooey in the center and that’s our goal here as well, too! While everyone’s oven’s operate differently, generally your cookies will bake in the timeframe of 10-13 minutes. Mine baked at exactly 11:30. The cookies should have a light golden brown color on the outside and a dry, dull exterior but will be gooey and slightly underbaked in the center. I recommend baking 1 cookie dough ball in the center of a baking sheet first to gauge how quickly yours will bake as a test cookie before baking the rest of the batch. Remember, we’re only baking one sheet of cookies at a time in the center rack of the oven for consistency, and do keep in mind that the cookies will finish cooking up on the baking sheets once removed from the oven.
• One at a time: For best results, bake the 4 cookies per baking sheet, one baking sheet in the center rack of the oven at a time!

These cookies are the ULTIMATE Peanut Butter Cookie! Supremely thick, gooey, chewy and soft with tons of buttery and nutty peanut butter flavor, they’re stuffed with Reese’s Pieces and peanut butter chips that melt in your mouth! Absolutely amazing!

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Levain Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Cookies

These Levain Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Cookies are the ULTIMATE for serious PB lovers! Supremely thick and chewy with gooey centers and a soft texture, they're packed with peanut butter flavor and Reese's Pieces for the most amazing cookie ever!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 9 cookies

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale, for accuracy

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups peanut butter chips
• 1½ cups Reese's Pieces candies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 410° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cubed butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with the paddle attachment for 30 seconds on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for another 30 seconds until mixture is creamy and smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and peanut butter, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Add in the cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cake flour, and all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips and Reese's Pieces candies by hand until fully incorporated. Chill the dough uncovered in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Using a digital kitchen scale for accuracy, weigh out 6 ounces of cookie dough in a loose, rough textured ball. I like to make my cookie dough balls kind of tall as well. You do not want the dough balls to be smooth and compacted. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough balls, staggering on the baking sheet at least 3" apart from one another, and only placing 4 dough balls per baking sheet.
• Bake one baking sheet at a time in the center rack of the oven for 10-13 minutes or until the tops are light golden brown and the exterior is dry and dull looking. Centers will be slightly underdone and gooey; this is okay and the cookies will finish cooking some once removed from the oven. Let stand on the baking sheets for at least 30 minutes before serving; the cookies are very delicate and fragile once removed from the oven and need time to set before being moved. Keep remaining dough refrigerated while other cookies bake.

Notes

If you're craving a chocolate and peanut butter cookie, you can replace the Reese's Pieces candies with chocolate chips. I would use 2 cups of chocolate chips for the 1.5 cups of Reese's Pieces. 

This recipe was tested with King Arthur Cake Flour.

Chewy, peanut buttery, rich and gooey – you’re going to love these!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Levain Bakery-Style Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars are a fun twist on a classic millionaire bar: instead of a shortbread base, I used a chewy chocolate chip cookie! Then there’s a thick caramel layer and a chocolate ganache layer to cap it all off!

I have been super inspired lately and I am so happy about it! After the rough 2020 year I had, I am so excited to finally feel like myself again, but a better, stronger and more resilient version. I always heard your 30s were amazing and weirdly, I have felt a gradual, but noticeable shift since I turned 30 in January and I am loving it. So expect tons of new, awesome recipes coming down the pipeline!

I had to kickstart my accomplished-feeling self with these bars. They are crazy in the best way – a fun twist, a ton going on, and SO delicious! Cookies, caramel, chocolate, and sea salt for that addictive sweet and salty element? How can you not go crazy for them?!

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars have a few components and take a little while to make, but I promise they are worth the minor trouble and labor!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Base

Traditionally, millionaire bars have a shortbread cookie base. I like shortbread, but it tends to be dry and crumbly which isn’t my favorite so I wanted to do something different. Thus, I figured a chocolate chip cookie would be the perfect vehicle for my remix and boy, was I right about this one! My chocolate chip cookie bar base is soft and chewy but sturdy enough to hold that thick layer of caramel and chocolate. It’s perfect and uncomplicated – just your usual cookie ingredients baked in an even layer in a pan. For easy cleanup and prep, I like to line the pan with foil or parchment paper beforehand and grease it well, extending the sides of the foil or parchment over the edges of the pan. That way, you can lift the entire thing out of the pan by the overhangs and cut it into squares.

Caramel Layer

The caramel layer is very easy to make and cooks in one saucepan on the stove. It just requires a few simple ingredients – butter, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and a little salt. You want to cook it until it deepens in color and thickens. Everyone’s stovetop is different, but this took me about 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Chocolate Ganache

The chocolate ganache is the final component to these millionaire bars and by far the easiest! Just heat some heavy whipping cream and pour it over some semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the melted ganache over the caramel layer and smooth. Sprinkle with sea salt if using, then either let set at room temperature or refrigerate until set and cut into bars! It couldn’t be easier.

Thick, chewy, buttery, gooey, chocolaty wonders: these Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars tick all the boxes!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars are crazy good! Layers of soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, buttery caramel and rich milk chocolate ganache complete these triple decker bars!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookie Bars:

• 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Caramel Layer:

• 28 ounces Two (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter cubed
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the Ganache:

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Flaky sea salt for garnish, if using

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line a 13x9 light metal rectangular baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
• For the Cookie Bars: In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars together with the paddle attachment until creamy and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add in the egg and egg yolk, mixing well, followed by the vanilla, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Lastly, add in the baking soda, cornstarch, salt and flour and mix on low speed until a soft dough comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
• Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
• For the Caramel Layer: In a medium saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, cubed butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally as butter melts and so mixture becomes well combined. As the mixture comes to a boil, start to stir constantly. Once the mixture comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture darkens in color (turns a light golden caramel brown) and thickens. Mixture should almost pull away from the sides of the pan. Everyone's stovetop is different so your mixture may take longer or shorter. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt.
• Pour the caramel layer evenly over the cooled cookie bars and spread into an even layer. Cool completely at room temperature, uncovered, about 2 hours. You can also expedite in the fridge for about an hour.
• For the Chocolate Ganache Layer: Add chocolate chips to a small bowl. In a microwaveable glass measuring cup, add in the heavy cream and microwave until hot to the touch, about 30 seconds. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate chips in the bowl. Let stand about 3-5 minutes, then whisk slowly until mixture is smooth and melted. Pour the melted mixture evenly over the caramel layer and spread into an even layer.
• Allow the chocolate ganache layer to set, about 1 hour at room temperature, before cutting into bars. You can also expedite this layer by refrigerating for about 30 minutes. For the cleanest cuts, I like to run a very sharp knife under very hot water, wipe the knife dry, and then cut the bars, repeating after each knife cut.

You’re going to LOVE these crazy delicious bars!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Millionaire Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I struggle to call this a recipe because these Christmas Pretzel Hugs are SO easy – like it barely constitutes as one but I am posting them anyway on the off chance someone has never heard of these before!

Whenever I make my annual cookie trays for neighbors and close friends, I always include these pretzel hugs. Not only are they super simple to make, but it makes a big batch – close to 70 or 80, depending on how many Hershey’s Hugs you use. I usually grab a bag or two of the Hershey’s Hugs and make two batches since one standard bag of pretzels should make enough!

That’s the beauty of this recipe – you can make as many or as little as you want! Like I said, I always make a batch or two and scatter a handful of them in my cookie trays. In fact, they are one of my neighbor’s favorites!

This recipe is delicious because it has that perfectly balanced sweet and salty element to them – between the crunchy, salted pretzel and the creamy, sweet white chocolate kiss. The crowning jewel is a pretty red or green M&M for a little extra chocolate and crunchy action.

One of the best parts is this recipe can be customized for other holidays as well – use pastel Easter M&M’s for spring/Easter, or orange and brown M&M’s for Halloween! You could also use a different Hershey’s Kiss – they always have a bunch of seasonal, limited edition flavors (I’ve heard the sugar cookie one is amazing!) and they would be delicious! I particularly think the cookies & cream Hershey’s Kisses or even the caramel-filled ones would be fantastic for more of a turtle effect.

To make them, you’ll simply line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment – this helps make cleanup a breeze, but also keeps these pretzel hugs from sticking to the pan. Then, spread your pretzels in an even, single layer, taking care to remove any broken or chipped pieces. After that, you’ll unwrap all your hugs candies – honestly the “hardest” part – and place a Hug candy on each pretzel piece.

Bake very, very briefly in a 200 degrees F oven just to barely soften the Hugs. It should not melt them, but they will look shiny and soft. Remove from the oven and immediately press an M&M candy on top to flatten the Hug.

Let them cool, and voila! Easy peasy and SO yummy! The sweet and salty action cannot be beat!

Christmas Pretzel Hugs – the easy hero of your holiday cookie tray!

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Christmas Pretzel Hugs

These Christmas Pretzel Hugs are to die for! Super simple to make, can be made with kiddos and SO tasty with a delightful sweet and salty flavor.

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes minutes

Total Time 34 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 50-70 snap pretzel grids (the square pretzels)
• 50-70 Hershey's Hugs candies, unwrapped
• 50-70 Christmas M&M's

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200° degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil to make cleanup a breeze. Arrange 50-70 pretzels (depending on how many you want - could be less than this if desired) in a single, even layer, removing any chipped or broken pretzels.
• Place a Hershey's Hug candy in the center of each pretzel. Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the Hugs candies look shiny and soft but have not melted.
• Remove from the oven and immediately press a holiday M&M candy on top of the Hug to slightly spread out the Hug onto the pretzel. Allow the pretzels to cool and the chocolate to reharden, about 30 minutes, before packaging or storing.

Notes

This recipe has broad measurements because you can honestly make as much or as little as you want. I found one standard bag of Hershey's Hugs candies yields about 60 or so Hugs, so I got about 60 pretzel hugs total. However, you can double, halve, or triple this recipe accordingly.

Can't find Hugs? Feel free to use the seasonal or different Hershey's Kisses flavors, such as cookies & cream, sugar cookie, or caramel filled.

Addictively sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy perfection! These Pretzel Hugs will soon become a fave!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Christmas Pretzel Hugs first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.