These Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats combine the quintessential marshmallow treat with the newest craze: Dubai chocolate!

So admittedly in my sabbatical, I missed quite a few food trends here on the internet.

Mochi donuts, boba everything, matcha’s continued reign, croissantifying things. But I happened to show up just as Dubai chocolate was taking the world by storm. I may not have been baking, but I was paying attention! And I was also eating. For research, obviously.

If you’re new to Planet Earth or just haven’t been in the food scene, the newest, hottest girl on the block is Dubai Chocolate. What is it? It’s a thick chocolate candy bar essentially filled with ground pistachio paste, tahini, and toasted shredded filo pastry called kataifi. It’s known for being not overly sweet, both chewy and crunchy (thanks to the kataifi and pistachios) and of course, the signature green color.

Now I’m not a huge candy person, and I’m not known to pick up a candy bar and go to town. But I had to try one – again, for research purposes. I love the mild pistachio flavor and the different textures. I can see why it went viral! So I had to Dubai-ify something most Americans know and love, and that’s where these Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats came into be.

Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

So we all know about rice krispy treats, right? Butter, marshmallows, and crispy rice cereal. Easy! How do we Dubai chocolate-ify them? With pistachio paste! You can easily find this in stores like World Market, which is known for carrying an abundance of cool foreign products (and has a plethora of Dubai chocolate things already).

This is the exact paste I used. While it was just pistachio paste (without the tahini and kataifi) you can sometimes find the paste prepared with the tahini and kataifi. Either one will work! My store was just sold out, and I figured that the crispy rice cereal would mimic the crispiness of the shredded filo pastry anyway.

How to Make Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

The process is incredibly similar to regular RKT’s except you’ll stir in the pistachio paste while you make the butter and marshmallow mixture. This will turn the melted marshmallows a green color, but it will mellow out once you add the rice cereal. After the mixture has set in the pan, you’ll melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips until smooth and pour it over the top of the rice krispy treats for that chocolate element. Lastly, to really drive home some crunch and the quintessential pistachio flavor, we’ll top it with some chopped roasted pistachios.

And that’s it! The easiest Dubai-style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats. I hope you love them!

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Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

These Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats combine similar elements of the viral Dubai chocolate into a classic American favorite: the Rice Krispy Treat!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Middle Eastern

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 10 oz (1 bag) miniature marshmallows
• 7 oz (1 jar) pistachio cream/pistachio butter
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

• Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray, or line with parchment. Set aside.
• Add the butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Once melted, add in the marshmallows and pistachio cream/paste and stir occasionally until fully melted. Fold in the crisp rice cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated.
• Pour the coated cereal into the prepared pan and gently spread it into an even layer. Don't pack it down too much; this creates tough treats. Let cool and set for about a half hour.
• Once the treats have set, prepare your topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, add your chocolate chips and the heavy cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stop and stir, then microwave again for about 15 seconds, stopping and stirring every 15 seconds until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Pour the ganache evenly over the rice krispy treats and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.
• Allow the chocolate layer to set, about 30 minutes, before serving. You can speed this up by placing it in the fridge if desired. Store krispy treats covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

Pistachio cream/paste is often found in the ethnic section at the supermarket, or at specialty stores like World Market. Sometimes you can find it with the tahini and kataifi included (in which case you are welcome to purchase that version); however, my store was out of it so I purchased the regular pistachio paste. Pistachio nut butter is also an option. This would likely be found near the peanut butters. 

I really hope you enjoy these Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats!

Want more pistachio? Check out this recipe!

Pistachio Lemon Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

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 Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats are easily the BEST RKTs I have EVER made, hands down. Just a few simple tweaks transform a humble recipe into a gourmet creation!

I hope you guys had a relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!

I spent it partially by the pool, partially dating (yes, dating!), and partially with friends grabbing dinner. I’d say it was a good one!

And now that summer is practically here, it’s time for all the no-bake treats. Starting with arguably one of my favorite no-bake treats, the rice krispy treat!

Everyone has made a rice krispy treat before – they’re basically just three ingredients – but you can easily elevate them to make them out of this world AMAZING. That is what this recipe is all about today, and I’ll teach you how!

Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats

So brown butter vanilla rice krispy treats have a couple components that are different than your average RKT. The first part being brown butter. What is brown butter? It is butter that you cook past the melted point until it browns and gets nutty and caramelized. The butter will foam, fizzle and pop and then begin to cook and get caramelly browned bits in the bottom of the pan. This is what you want!

To the browned butter, you’ll add in your marshmallows (of course), but also some secret weapons for the best RKTs ever: pure vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk. I know what you’re thinking – sweetened condensed milk whaaaa-?! But I PROMISE you, this extra special ingredient (and one of my FAVE secret weapons in the kitchen) gives these squares a buttery, caramelly, vanilla-y flavor that is just incredible.

Mix in your rice krispies cereal and a couple extra marshmallows for some gooey pockets of goodness, then you’ll press the mixture into your prepared pan.

The hardest part is letting them set and firm up, but thankfully it doesn’t take very long.

Rice Krispy Treats are seriously one of my ultimate weaknesses, and these ones are no exception. The sweetened condensed milk + nutty browned butter + rich vanilla flavors are mind-blowingly delicious and so simple. They take no real extra time at all but totally elevate the heck out of these humble squares.

Whatever you do, you MUST make these!

*modestly adapted by Jessie Sheehan’s book Snackable Bakes

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Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats

These Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats are seriously MIND-BLOWING! A few simple tweaks transform humble squares into gourmet treats with the addition of brown butter, vanilla and a secret ingredient.

Course Bars, No Bake Desserts, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 squares

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 10 oz bag miniature marshmallows, plus 2 extra cups for stirring into the final mixture
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides of the parchment or foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease with cooking spray; set aside.
• Add the butter to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until melted. Pay close attention, because at this point butter will brown quickly and it can go from browned to burned fast. Butter will start to foam, fizz and sizzle for a few minutes and then you'll begin to notice little browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan occasionally to prevent scorching and to pick up those browned bits. Once the butter is nutty, fragrant and amber in color, remove from heat.
• Stir the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt into the butter mixture, then add in 10 oz of the marshmallows and stir until totally smooth and combined.
• Add the crispy rice cereal to a large bowl with the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the top and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine until the crispy rice cereal is fully coated.
• Using greased hands, carefully pat the mixture into the prepared pan (caution, as it may be hot). Pat it into an even layer, but don't compress it too much - the key to great RKTs is to have some air pockets in there. Allow the mixture to set for about an hour before cutting into squares.

These RKTs are seriously phenomenal! My neighbors and I devoured them and I know your fam will love them as well!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Caramel Puff Corn is a buttery, light and airy popcorn hybrid made with puffed corn instead of popcorn for an addictive snack!

So I started Weight Watchers just because I feel like 2023 is going to be *my year* and I feel like it is time to say goodbye to some of this extra baggage, so to speak. But before you clutch your pearls in mock-horror, foreshadowing me handing you a single grape and claiming it as “dessert” in the future – there is no need to fret. The desserts are here to stay.

Hey, I need to indulge too!

One of my new fave ways to spend my rollover points just so happens to be this seriously addictive Caramel Puff Corn. Wanna know the deets? Right this way!

Caramel Puff Corn

Caramel Puff Corn is like popcorn but made with puffed corn instead of traditional popcorn. Think of Pirate’s Booty or the Cheeto’s puffs – that texture, where it’s light, crisp, puffy and airy. Thankfully you can find the puff corn by “Chester’s” brand at Walmart stores on the chip aisle. It’s the butter flavor and you’ll want to grab 2 bags… or maybe 3, if you need something to nosh on while you wait for these to cook.

Making Caramel Puff Corn

To make Caramel Puff Corn, you’ll want to make your caramel sauce/coating which consists of light brown sugar, light corn syrup, unsalted butter, salt, vanilla extract, and baking soda. Baking soda adds a nice texture to the caramel so it coats evenly and has a great “bite.”

You’ll combine some of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil it for 5 or so minutes, then pour it over the puff corn in a large roasting pan or among two rimmed cookie sheets. Working quickly, you’ll toss the puff corn in the caramel sauce, then bake for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes to coat the puff corn thoroughly.

Let it cool completely and allow the caramel coating to set and voila! The most deliciously addictive, buttery Caramel Puff Corn in all the land.

But don’t say I didn’t warn you – this stuff is DANGEROUS!

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Caramel Puff Corn

This Caramel Puff Corn is addictive, crispy, light and puffy and SO simple to make! Such a fun twist on caramel popcorn!

Course Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 20 cups

Ingredients

• 20 cups butter or unflavored puff corn, such as Chester's brand (if using Chester's, I used 2 bags)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200℉. Lightly grease a roasting pan or two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray or line with foil and grease. Likewise, you can use disposable ones. Add the puff corn to the pan(s) evenly.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract quickly. Working quickly and carefully, pour the caramel sauce evenly over the puff corn (do not just pour it in one spot, but try and pour it as evenly as possible over the puff corn to coat as much as you can). Toss the puff corn with the caramel sauce with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
• Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to coat the puff corn with the caramel sauce. Remove from the oven once finished and allow the puff corn to cool and the caramel coating to set, about 1 hour. You can expedite this by carefully spreading the puff corn onto wax paper-lined counters and breaking them into pieces once cooled.
• Store any leftovers airtight, at room temperature, up to 1 week.

Notes

I recommend using Chester's brand butter puff corn for this recipe! I found it at Walmart in the chip aisle.

Buttery, light, crispy and soooo irresistible! You’re going to love this one

Craving more caramel? Check out this recipe!

Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Caramel Puff Corn first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

This Chex Mix recipe is my family’s FAVORITE and yields savory, delicious, flavorful mix every single time!

Growing up, my grandma was not a good cook. She was notorious for microwaving everything, including day-old fast food in the wrappers, and nothing was seasoned properly at all. Needless to say, holidays in which she cooked were less than desirable and I usually ate beforehand or had something stowed away at home to nosh on later.

However, she did make Chex Mix every Thanksgiving and it was pretty good. I wish she’d seasoned it more, but it inspired me to make my own and this is our new family favorite Chex Mix recipe. The best part is is that it is entirely customizable to your family’s preferences. For instance, my grandma used pretzel sticks which my dad and I found dry and boring, so we sub in miniature saltines instead (they soak up all the butter and are soooo delicious!). Don’t like nuts? Leave them out! It’s so simple.

Making Chex Mix

Chex Mix is a simple recipe with a few key components that you can add and subtract from to make your own secret family recipe. But here’s mine!

The “Chex”

Aka, what we’re crunching on. Typically, as the name implies, this is a base mix of Chex cereal – one or two types. I like to use Rice and Corn Chex, but you can also use Wheat Chex. I also add in miniature saltine crackers or oyster crackers (because they soak up an insane amount of buttery goodness!) and nuts like almonds, cashews and peanuts. In addition, you can use:

• Cereals: Wheat, Corn, and/or Rice Chex cereals; Cheerios
• Crackers: oyster crackers; miniature saltine crackers; goldfish crackers; pretzel rods or twists; bagel chips; coarsely chopped crunchy breadsticks
• Nuts: almonds; walnuts; peanuts; cashews; shelled pistachios; Brazil nuts

The “Mix”

The mix consists of the coating, aka – the seasoning! Otherwise you just have a bunch of dry stuff in a bowl! For this you definitely need butter as your base to coat everything, but as far as seasoning goes, my family relies on five key components: Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, all-purpose seasoning salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. And we use a lot. Our version is VERY savory and bold which is how we like it, but you can totally adjust the measurements.

Seasoning options could be…

• BBQ seasoning, such as your favorite prepared dry rub
• Ranch seasoning powder
• Chili lime (Tajin)

It’s totally up to you!

You’ll just melt the butter, whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using) and seasonings until combined and pour it over your dry ingredients in a large roasting pan. Bake for an hour on low heat, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure everything gets coated thoroughly. Then let it cool! This stuff is ADDICTIVE, so be warned!

Perfect Chex Mix, coming right up!

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Family Favorite Chex Mix

This is our Parker Family Favorite CHEX MIX Recipe! We always fight over it and there is NEVER enough because it is SO dang tasty! Savory, crunchy, addictive - this stuff is amazing!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 8 cups Corn Chex cereal
• 8 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 11 oz (1 box) mini saltine crackers
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 2 cups roasted, unshelled, unsalted peanuts (or raw, unshelled if you can find them)
• 2 cups raw almonds
• 2 cups (4 sticks aka 32 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce, optional
• 3 Tbsp seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Add the cereal, crackers, and nuts (or whatever your dry snack mix ingredients are going to be) to a large roasting pan. I like using a disposable foil one for easy clean-up from the grocery store! Mix it up and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco (if using), seasoning salt, and garlic and onion powders until fully combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the cereal mixture in the pan and toss to coat as best as you can.
• Bake for 1 hour, stopping to stir the mixture thoroughly every 15 minutes to ensure each piece gets coated well. Sometimes if I am feeling extra spicy, I will sprinkle a little more garlic and onion powder or seasoning salt on during this stirring process for added flavor. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before serving.
• Store any leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container, or just throw some foil over the pan it was cooked in. Keeps for a couple weeks if stored properly... if it lasts that long!

Notes

See Notes in the recipe post, but you can totally customize this Chex Mix to suit your family's preferences. Instead of my seasoning mix, use Ranch seasoning powder instead and whisk it into the butter mixture. Prefer a smoky flavor? Try using a BBQ dry rub powder instead! Love pretzel sticks? Omit the saltine crackers and use them instead. 

This Chex Mix is honestly one of my FAVORITE parts about the holidays and I hope you will enjoy it, too!

Craving more snack mixes? Try this recipe…

Best Ever Muddy Buddies Recipe

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Chex Mix 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 Drunken Rosé Strawberries are absolutely amazing and the perfect adults-only treat! Juicy strawberries soaked in rosé wine and covered in crystal sugar for a sparkling sweet snack!

Okay, if you’re looking for the easiest, most delicious, adults-only version of a vodka-soaked gummy bear, these strawbs are IT.

I originally saw this idea on TikTok and thought it was genius. It totally reminds me of those alcohol-soaked gummy bears I experimented with as a young 21 year old, but all grown up and way more sophisticated. Plus, you can totally customize these to your preferences and they make for some seriously mind-blowing berries.

And since Fourth of July is just around the corner (how did that happen?!) I figured I better share them quickly so you have ample time to make them for all your BBQs and pool party festivities. Trust me when I say, these cannot be easier to make! Only three ingredients, comes together in about an hour (you can always soak them for longer, though) and are gorgeous to boot.

The Berries

For this recipe, you’ll want to use fresh, ripe strawberries. When looking for strawberries, I look for berries that aren’t mushy or soft looking; ones that have bright green leaves; and ones that are uniformly red allover (no green patches). Also be sure to check the bottom of the berry basket to make sure you don’t have any mashed or furry looking berries on the bottom! We’ll gently rinse the berries and pat them dry before proceeding with the recipe. As far as the tops go, I kept mine on because I thought it looked pretty, but you could absolutely hull the berries before proceeding with the recipe.

The Wine

I went with a sparkling rosé wine for these because I thought rosé and strawberries made a naturally perfect pairing. Another great option would be champagne, prosecco or a sparkling Moscato. As far as what wine to choose, we are discarding the wine (although I suppose you could save it for another purpose) so pick something relatively inexpensive but still flavorful. Thankfully there are a LOT of cheap sparkling wines out there that pack a punch but don’t break the bank.

The Sugar

The sparkling sugar is optional but highly recommended. It adds a little sparkle and shine and a delectable, addictive crunch to the berries that my neighbors and I LOVED. You can use coarse cane sugar, sparkling coarse sugar sprinkles (what I used personally) or demerara sugar. Whatever’s easiest.

These Drunken Rosé Strawberries are sweet, juicy, flavored like light and fruity rosé wine and have an addictive crunch from the sparkling sugar coating. AKA, summer in a treat! You don’t want to miss this recipe!

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Drunken Rosé Strawberries

These Drunken Rosé Strawberries are addictive, easy and SO delicious and taste like an adult, grown-up version of alcohol-soaked gummies. Crisp and fruity rosé wine soaks each juicy berry for a refreshing and light treat.

Course Dessert, No Bake Desserts, No-Bake

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 lbs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs fresh, ripe strawberries washed and patted dry
• 1 (750ml) bottle sparkling rosé wine can also use champagne, prosecco or sparkling Moscato
• 1 cup sparkling coarse sugar sprinkles, demerara sugar or coarse cane sugar for garnish

Instructions

• Place the freshly washed strawberries into a large bowl. Pour the sparkling rosé wine over the strawberries in the bowl and tamp any strawberries down so they're all submerged or mostly submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
• Drain the wine out of the bowl of strawberries. Use a paper towel to gently blot some of the moisture from the strawberries, then dip each tacky strawberry into a small bowl filled with the coarse sparkling sugar and press to coat it completely. Place the coated sparkling strawberry on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
• Serve immediately, or store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 1 day.

Notes

You can use any sparkling wine, such as champagne, prosecco, rosé or Moscato for this recipe. I just thought rosé was perfect with strawberries.

You’re going to LOVE these juicy, naughty and nice strawberries!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Drunken Rosé Strawberries first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Disclaimer: I am partnering with Baileys Irish Cream on this blog post. I have been compensated for this post but all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Hi!

I am so excited to be partnering with Baileys Irish Cream on these fantastic recipes today! After all, today is all about taking a little moment for yourself to indulge and what better way to do so than with a decadent, easy, homemade Baileys dessert?

As a busy gal running my own business, I am all about taking time at the end of the day for a little break to indulge in a favorite treat. Since I’ve usually been working all day, I don’t want a treat that’s super fussy – definitely something that can be whipped up relatively quickly but tastes like it has been carefully made all day.

When Baileys reached out to me to create five amazing, mouthwatering recipes for today, I knew I wanted to make something easy but impressive, decadent and rich but also something approachable that busy guys and gals could whip up. From the easiest Baileys Frozen Hot Chocolate to the slightly more advanced (but still super easy) Baileys Brownie Pudding Trifles, there’s literally something for everyone and each recipe is truly delicious!

So let’s talk about these recipes one by one – they are some of my new favorites and I know they’re going to be yours, too!

First up, we have these Baileys Cookie Truffles. Everyone loves those delectable chocolate sandwich cookies, but when you grind them up and add in some rich, creamy Baileys Irish Cream? Heavenly! I dipped mine in dark chocolate and finished with miniature chocolate chips to really drive home the chocolate flavor.

Second, I made this totally rich and divine Baileys Chocolate Mug Cake. If you didn’t know you could create rich and moist chocolate cakes in the microwave using a coffee mug and a few simple pantry ingredients, you’re in for a real treat! We’re replacing some of the milk in the recipe with Baileys Irish Cream and topping the mug cake with a homemade Baileys whipped cream to really send that Baileys flavor home. So fudgy, so delicious.

Next up I made the cutest Chocolate Chip Cookie Baileys Shooters. These are probably my favorite because they’re so unique and fun! We’re going to bake a yummy homemade chocolate chip cookie and press the dough in a greased muffin pan. Bake it up and create a well in the middle of the baked cookie cup using a shot glass to make a little bowl shape. Once cooled, we’ll coat the bowl of the cookie cup with melted chocolate (to help seal the cookie to prevent leaking and add flavor) and then you’ll just pour Baileys into the cookie cup, take a shot, and eat the shooter! So fun!

I also made these sumptuous Baileys Brownie Pudding Trifles which are a touch more advanced but still super easy, I promise! I just baked up a box of brownie mix (any kind you like!) and let it cool a bit before cutting it into bite-size cubes. While it was baking, I made a Baileys Irish Cream pudding from scratch using simple pantry ingredients. After both the brownies and the pudding cool for a little bit, you’ll simply layer your ingredients into little jars or trifle cups. The combination of creamy, silky pudding flavored with Baileys Irish Cream and those fudgy brownies cannot be beat!

Lastly, the easiest one of the bunch is my Baileys Frozen Hot Chocolate! This one is so creamy, frosty and sweet! Simply combine instant hot cocoa mix, milk, Baileys Irish Cream and ice into a blender, blend until smooth and frosty, and pour into chocolate-drizzled glasses for the ultimate icy treat! I like to top mine with more whipped cream and chocolate sauce, but however you decide to serve it, just promise me you’ll make it!

Which recipe will you make first?!

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Baileys Cookie Truffles

These Baileys Cookie Truffles are so delicious and simple! Chocolaty cookie truffles made with Baileys Irish Cream and tons of chocolate!

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 truffles

Ingredients

• 30-36 chocolate wafer cookies if using Oreos, scrape out the filling and discard
• 4-6 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 pkg dark chocolate melting wafers
• 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips for garnish

Instructions

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside. Meanwhile, add the cookies to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add in the Baileys Irish Cream and mix again until mixture is moistened and holds together,
• Using a cookie dough scoop, portion out Tablespoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls. Place on the baking sheet. Freeze for about 20 minutes or until firm. While they are freezing, melt the dark chocolate candy coating according to package directions or until melted. Dip the truffles into the dark melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off and return to the baking sheet. Garnish with mini chocolate chips. Allow chocolate shell to set before serving.

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Baileys Chocolate Mug Cake

This Baileys Chocolate Mug Cake is sinfully delicious and so simple! A fudgy, moist chocolate mug cake with a hint of Baileys and a Baileys whipped cream!

Course Cakes/Cupcakes, No Bake Desserts

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 3 Tbsp granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream, divided
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp miniature chocolate chips, divided
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Liberally grease a microwave-safe coffee mug. In the coffee mug, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Add in the milk, 1 (one) Tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream, oil, and 1 (one) Tablespoon of the miniature chocolate chips. Mix together until combined.
• Cover the mug loosely with a paper towel to catch any overflow. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 70 seconds or until a cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
• While mug cake is cooking, make the whipped cream: In a small bowl, whip together the heavy cream and remaining Tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream together with a handheld electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream over the warm mug cake and garnish with remaining mini chocolate chips.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Baileys Shooters

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Baileys Shooters are SO fun! Chocolate chip cookie cups filled with chocolate and made into a bowl shape so you can shoot milk or Baileys!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 15 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups miniature chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate candy melting wafers
• Baileys or milk, for filling the shooters

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Liberally grease 2 muffin pans (or 15 cavities). Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla until combined. Lastly, add in the baking soda, salt, and flour until combined. Stir in the miniature chocolate chips until combined.
• Drop 3-Tablespoonfuls of dough into each greased muffin cavity (you should get about 15 cookie cups). Press down on the dough lightly with greased fingers. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until light golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and immediately take a shot glass bottom and make an indentation in the center of the cookie cup, making a bowl shape. Cool the cookie cups in the pan about 20-25 minutes, then gently remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate candy melting wafers according to package directions. Using a spoon, spoon the chocolate into the center "bowl" of the cookie cup, coating all the bottom and sides and along the top rim of the cookie cup. This chocolate coating prevents the liquid from seeping into the cookie. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and return to the wire rack to set.
• Just before serving, fill with a little bit of Baileys or milk and serve!

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Baileys Brownie Pudding Trifles

These Baileys Brownie Pudding Trifles are AMAZING! Creamy Baileys Irish Cream pudding layered with fudgy baked brownie squares in irresistible trifles!

Course Brownies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 trifles

Ingredients

• 1 box fudge brownie mix, plus ingredients on back of box to make fudge brownies
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• Pinch salt
• 1¾ cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Prepare the brownies according to package directions and bake. Cool briefly and cut into small 1" squares.
• For the pudding: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt off the heat. Add in the milk, Baileys and egg yolks and whisk until combined. Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil over medium-low heat and cook 1-2 additional minutes after it starts bubbling, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly onto the pudding and let cool for about 1 hour.
• For the trifles: Layer the brownies and warm pudding mix into little cups or jars. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until chilled.

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Baileys Frozen Hot Chocolate

This Baileys Frozen Hot Chocolate is DELICIOUS, sweet and creamy and such a cool and refreshing frosty treat!

Course Drinks, Frozen Desserts

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups ice
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 3 instant hot cocoa packets
• Chocolate sauce, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Instructions

• In a blender, combine the ice, milk, Baileys Irish Cream and hot cocoa packets. Blend on high power for about 30 seconds or until blended and smooth. Pour among four glasses. Garnish with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, if desired.

Thanks for stopping by today, and thanks so much to Baileys Irish Cream for partnering with me on this super fun project!

Have a super sweet day!

Xo, Hayley

The post 5 Amazing & Easy Baileys Recipes! first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These may be one of my smarter hair-brained ideas and I am officially obsessed with these addictive, easy treats!

The weather has been SO nice here in Sacramento: breezy, sunny, mild and perfect springy days. Our apartment pool is open, my windows are open, and everything just feels so fresh. And of course, I am loving that I can finally shed some of my bulky sweaters (I will miss you, sweatsuits! See you next fall) and break out the shorts and cute dresses. And of course, prepare for summer.

I know you’re thinking: summer?! But we’re in April! A very valid point! However, I’m assuming you live in a normal climate with real seasons. However, here in Satan’s armpit, we have fake spring for approximately 2 seconds before it transitions briefly into full-fledged summertime which will be rearing its hideous face here very soon. Unfortunately, springtime is probably 3/4ths of the way finished already which makes me sad because this weather is truly magnificent. Oh well.

So bear with me, because summertime recipes are coming quickly whether or not you’re experiencing actual summer, prequel summer, or you can just save these for when summer happens since you live in a normal place with normal seasons (what’s that like?).

Anyhoo, let’s talk about these Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries, shall we? They’re AMAZING.

The Strawberries

For this recipe, you want to use big, fresh strawberries. Frozen strawberries just won’t work, and itty bitty strawberries won’t be good for this, either. We’re going to slice the strawberry in half lengthwise and keep the stems on – the stems are almost like a little handle for them. The reason we want larger berries is because we’re going to slightly carve out a little bowl in the strawberry half so we can pipe the cheesecake filling into the bowl. If you use too small of a strawberry, it is just harder to work with. Another tip is to cut off a sliver of the fat rounded part of the berry so it has a flat edge to sit evenly on as opposed to rolling around.

The Cheesecake Filling

The cheesecake filling is what makes these special. It consists of cream cheese (obviously), confectioners’ sugar for sweetness and stability, vanilla extract for flavor, and whipped cream for stability and great fluffy texture. We’ll also sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs on top to really drive home the cheesecake flavor.

When combined, the juicy, ripe strawberries with the creamy, fluffy cheesecake filling makes these Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries absolutely heavenly!

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Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries

These Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries are absolutely heavenly! Juicy, ripe strawberries filled with a creamy and fluffy cheesecake and sprinkled with crushed graham cracker crumbs for an easy, no-bake treat!

Course Cheesecake, Dessert, No Bake Desserts, Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3 lbs

Ingredients

• 3 lbs fresh large strawberries
• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Instructions

• Take a strawberry and split it down the center lengthwise, keeping the stems attached. Take a small piece off of the fat rounded side so when you set it down, it rests flat as opposed to rolling around. Using a small paring knife or melon baller, carve out a very small piece of strawberry flesh on the flat side of the strawberry to create a small bowl. This is where you'll pipe your filling. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Scrape out of the bowl and place in a medium bowl; set aside. Back in the stand mixer bowl, add in the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and creamy, about 1 minute. Fold in the whipped cream until no streaks remain and everything is incorporated.
• Fill a piping bag with the cheesecake mixture. Pipe the cheesecake mixture into the "bowl" of the strawberry you created. Immediately sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately. Makes about 3lbs of large strawberries.

I love how bright, refreshing and oh so EASY these treats are! You’re going to LOVE these!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post The BEST Cheesecake Deviled Strawberries first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Craving cream puffs but not all the work that goes into making them? This Cream Puff Cake is the answer! It tastes like a ginormous cream puff and comes together surprisingly easily and is a total crowd-pleaser!

Things have totally changed so much since last year. I know that’s painfully obvious and I don’t have to really say that, but even little dumb things like me saying this dessert is a total “crowd-pleaser.” In 2019 it would be a total crowd-pleaser! In 2021? Maybe a crowd of 6 or less, all standing 6 feet apart!

Parties. I definitely miss them! I throw one every year at Christmastime with my friends and close neighbors and look forward to it all year. And even though in the grand scheme of things it is so trivial, man, it was so hard to cancel it last year! I just wanted some sense of normalcy back after my hellish 2020. So I’m praying the world can get back on track in 2021 so hopefully I can throw one this year… maybe put this cake to the “crowd-pleasing” test, even if my “crowd” is only 6 people!

But let’s talk about this cake! I am a HUGE cream puff fan and have been since I was a kid. Whenever I’d go grocery shopping with my mom and we’d go by the bakery, I’d beg her for a cream puff. Sometimes she’d say no, but on the times she’d say yes I would relish each mouthwatering bite of that flaky pastry and fluffy whipped cream. They are so nostalgic for me!

While my Super Simple Cream Puffs are very easy to make, this cake is the real winner when it comes to ease of preparation. Typically, regular cream puffs require you piping the pate a choux pastry into circles onto parchment paper, baking them, and then cutting them in half with a serrated knife to fill. Not here! You’ll simply make the same pastry and press it into a greased pan and bake. Easy as that!

The Pastry Crust

A typical cream puff pastry is called “pate a choux” and is made with flour, water, butter, salt, and eggs. I also added a Tablespoon of sugar to mine for a little sweetness. It’s very humble but makes for an amazing pastry that is the basis of many desserts, including churros! You cook the water, butter, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil, then stir in the flour and cook until it forms a ball in the pan. Add the ball of dough to a mixer and beat in the eggs, one at a time until combined. Then you’ll press the dough into a greased light metal baking pan and bake until golden and puffy. The pastry crust will puff up tremendously, especially along the sides. This is normal!

The Filling

This is a classic, old-fashioned recipe made with Jell-O pudding mix, so the filling consists of some vanilla instant pudding mixed with cream cheese for a delicious semi-homemade, ultra creamy and totally nostalgic taste. It truly hits home and tastes so perfect!

Don’t Forget the Whipped Cream!

I like mine topped with fresh sweetened whipped cream, but Cool Whip would be the most nostalgic. Use whatever you’d like!

Super easy, ultra delicious, retro Cream Puff Cake! The best!

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Cream Puff Cake

This Cream Puff Cake is seriously amazing and a total crowd-pleaser! So much easier to make than individual cream puffs, this sheet-pan cream puff consists of a flaky, buttery pastry crust and a super creamy filling for a retro hit of nostalgia!

Course Cakes, Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
• Two (3.4 oz EACH) pkgs instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2½ cups milk
• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• Chocolate sauce and strawberries, for garnish optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400° degrees F. Grease a 13x9 light metal baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, add the butter, water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes or until a ball of dough comes together. Remove from the heat and place the ball of dough into a large bowl.
• Using a handheld electric mixer, add an egg to the bowl with the ball of dough and beat the egg into the dough ball one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until a soft batter comes together. Press the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan (you may need to grease your fingers). Bake for 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Crust will bubble and rise significantly; this is normal. Do not puncture or deflate. Allow to cool completely.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, add both packages of pudding mix and the milk and whisk until combined and thickened. Set aside. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the pudding to the cream cheese and mix to incorporate until fully combined and no streaks of cream cheese remain.
• Spread the filling evenly over the pastry crust leaving a border edge of crust. Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set before cutting into squares. (For the whipped cream: add the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar to a stand mixer bowl and beat on high speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes).

Notes

If you're using Cool Whip, use a thawed 12 oz tub and omit the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar from the recipe. 

Remember, you're using two (2) 3.4 oz packages of instant vanilla pudding mix and only 2 & 1/2 cups of milk total. Do NOT prepare the pudding according to package directions. 

You’re going to love this silky smooth and super sweet cake!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post The Best Cream Puff Cake first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.