Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Icing

Sometimes you're craving a nice, moist piece of cake; sometimes you're hungry for a tasty cookie...and sometimes you just need cookie dough piled sky high on top of a cupcake. On those days, turn to these chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough icing. OK, so it's not exactly icing, it's pretty much just cookie dough slathered on a cupcake - but, for the life of me, I just can't find anything wrong with that.

To make these sweet treats, just whip up cupcakes using your favorite chocolate cake recipe. I used The Post Punk Kitchen's vegan "Just Chocolate Cake" recipe. My older sister is a vegan, so I'm always on the lookout for great desserts that she can enjoy. These turned out to be moist and delicious, although I don't personally prefer almond extract, so I'll be leaving that out next time.

Once your cupcakes have cooled, top them with some peanut butter cookie dough icing. I recommend using the recipe I found on Gimme Some Oven's blog. The dough doesn't contain eggs (although is is not vegan,) and it was soft enough that I was able to easily pipe it onto the cupcakes.

These treats were very rich - which is just what I was looking for from cookie dough topped cake!

Mini Pies

When I think of Thanksgiving desserts, I immediately think of pies. What to make, then, for a pre-Thanksgiving work party? I didn't really want to whip up five pies at once, not to mention they aren't convenient to eat while mingling. Enter the mini pie. These cuties deliver the comforting taste of pie in a conveniently portable size.

First, roll out your favorite pie dough. I cheated and used a pre-made dough, but any kind will do.Then, cut small circles out of the dough. I used the top of a glass to do the work for me.

Next, place the circles of dough on a prepared baking sheet. Put your filling in the middle of each circle. I used mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. 

Pull two sides of the dough up over the filling and pinch together.

Pull the other two sides of dough up and pinch them together.

Press the edges together so that the filling is completely sealed in the dough.

Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle sugar on top.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (until they are a nice golden color.) Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and enjoy them warm or cool.

Thank you to Picky Palate for the inspiration!

Recipe

Your favorite pie dough

Filling of choice (I recommend Hershey's Kisses or mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)

Sugar

Powdered Sugar

-Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

-Roll your pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut small circles out of the dough (approximately 3 inches.)

-Place the circles of dough on the prepared cookie sheet. Place your filling in the center of each circle. 

-Gather two sides of the dough over the filling and pinch together. Gather the other two sides of the dough over the filling and pinch together. Press edges tightly closed. 

-Brush prepared mini pies with melted butter and sprinkle sugar on top.

-Place mini pies in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (until tops are a nice golden hue.) 

-Remove from oven and allow to cool. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of mini pies and serve warm or cool. Store in an airtight container. 

PB Pretzel Bites

I don't know how to describe these bites with any word other than YUM. They've got your chocolate, your peanut butter, your salt, your creaminess AND your crunchiness, all rolled into bite-sized delights. I received nothing but compliments and contended sighs from everyone that tried these little gems. Give your taste-buds a treat and make these now.

You don't need too many ingredients, despite all the flavor packed into these little guys. In fact, you probably already have most, if not all, of these in your kitchen. Pretzels, peanut butter, butter, confectioner's sugar, brown sugar and chocolate chips.

Combine the pb and butter.

Add the sugars.

Sandwich the mixture between two pretzels and freeze for a half hour.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then dip the pretzel sandwiches in the chocolate. Put them in the fridge until the chocolate is set.

Enjoy!

Thank you to Sweet Pea's Kitchen for the inspiration.

Recipe

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp butter (softened)

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

about 1/2 of a 16 oz bag of mini pretzels

1 & 1/2 12oz bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips

-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

-Beat peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer.

-Add confectioner's sugar and light brown sugar to butters and continue to beat until combined.

-Sandwich approximately 1 tsp of the peanut butter mixture between two mini pretzels and place on prepared cookie sheet. Continue this process until the entire peanut butter mixture has been used.

-Freeze for one half hour.

-Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler. Dip about half of each peanut butter/pretzel bite into the chocolate. Place each finished bite back onto the prepared cookie sheet. Once all bites have been dipped in chocolate, place them in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set (approximately 10-20 minutes.) 

-Store in an airtight container, either in the refrigerator or on your counter-top. 

Ultimate Sugar Cookies

It just seems right to start a blog called The Cookie Drawer with a cookie recipe. But not just any recipe - an ultimate cookie recipe. Give these a try, you won't be disappointed. I don't even usually like non-chocolate treats and I loved these. Just look at those tempting sugar crystals!

The secret is cream cheese, which makes these bad boys nice and chewy. Read on for the recipe, adapted from one found on the blog Joyful Momma's Kitchen. 

Mix together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Combine some of the sugar and cream cheese in one bowl. Put the rest of the sugar in a pie plate. 

Mix butter, oil, egg, milk and vanilla extract with the sugar and cream cheese.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet.

 Roll the dough into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar in your pie plate. Place each ball on a cookie sheet.

Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each ball into a disc. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F, then enjoy these ultimate sugar cookies warm from the oven, or store in an airtight container. 

Recipe

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup sugar

2 oz cream cheese

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 Tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

-Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

-In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

-Combine cream cheese, butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl. Add egg, milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Put 1/3 cup sugar in a pie plate.

-Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 

-Roll the dough into balls, using about 2 Tbsp of dough for each. Roll each ball in the sugar in the pie plate. Place each ball on the prepared cookie sheets. 

-Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough into discs. 

-Put the cookie trays into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set. 

-Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 24 cookies.