Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookie Cheesecake

So, I need to confess.
Diet resolution people annoy me badly.

Every time I hear people talk about their diet/weight loss/work out resolutions it makes me want to yell something. Like, STOP.

Who even follows through with their resolutions, anyway? 
All these people and their little eat lettuce only and run 10 miles a day diets....I mean, does that sound realistic for you?! Do people REALLY think that they can maintain that kind of lifestyle for the rest of their lives? And if they're doing it just to get to a certain weight, what happens when (if) they do get to that weight? They know nothing about healthy, nutritious eating, and most of the time (the people I've watched) just gain it all back cause they haven't made realistic LIFE changes! 
It's like an all or nothing mentality...which, I must confess, up until recently was me.
I hate the word moderation, but it's really the only word adequate for the type of lifestyle that will lead you to success when it comes to your health, and lets face it- your happiness. Who want's to be around a skinny grumpy person??! I think we all agree we like the people best that make good food, enjoy good food and laugh a lot. 
Besides, laughing burns a lot of calories. Well, I don't know if that's scientific...but in my universe it's a good ab workout.

So, seriously, If I hear one more person say they are on a diet, or talk about how all they ate all day was celery and cabbage soup, I don't know what I will do, but i'll think of something not good.

I made this cheesecake today. It's our favorite in my house...if you are one of those non coconut loving people, you can obviously leave it out!

I hope you allow yourself to eat dessert :)


Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookie Cheesecake
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Crust:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour, mounded
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup quick or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened shredded, coconut

Cream together butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.
Add in flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and mix on low just until combined.
All together add oats, both kids of chips and coconut.
Mix on low until it all comes together.

Press dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9" spring form pan.

Cheesecake filling:
3, 8 oz. packages cream cheese, out at room temp for about 30 minutes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. AP flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp. milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

In the same bowl you made your crust with, (it's ok if there is a little cookie dough that didn't get 100% scraped out!) beat cream cheese and both sugars together for 1 minute, scraping down the bowl a few times.
Add in vanilla, cinnamon and milk mixing well, then pour in your beaten eggs.
Mix well, and add chips and coconut.
Scrape down the bowl to get everything combined well if needed.

Pour into your cookie dough crust, and place the spring form pan in a shallow baking dish such as a cookie sheet that has an edge at least 1 inch high.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a 2 1/2" area around the outer edges starts to brown and no longer jiggles.

Cool in the spring form pan for 20 minutes before loosening the edges and allowing to sit for another 20 minutes before completely removing the sides. You may need a knife to help loosen the edges a bit.

Allow to chill for at least 4 hours before chowing down!

Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ugh, I know. Chocolate chip cookies. How much more boring can we get?!?!

I feel ya.

In my world, people that make chocolate chip cookies and brownies are missing out on the joy of all the amazingness of the millions of amazing wonderful, delicious, creative cookies and and bars that there are to experience in life.

Buuuut, sometimes, you don't feel like being creative or crazy.

And a classic cookie makes you happy.

Today, that's what I was feeling- except when you throw in the toasted pecans it really takes these cookies to the next level! We had some friends over today that were absolutely raving about these! 

And I kill myself to come up with crazy concotions................why???

These  cookies are soft, chewy and loaded to the max with chocolate and chunks- everything a cookie ought to be. Trust me.

Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, chopped
• 3 cups chocolate chunks/chips
• 2 1/2 cups AP flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

In an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars for one minute on high.

Add in vanilla and eggs, mixing well.

Add in flour, baking soda and salt all at once, mixing just until combined. 

Mix in pecans and chocolate chips/chunk, just until combined.

Form small golf ball sized cookie dough balls with your hands and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Let cool for 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheet to a wire cooling rack.

EAT.

Soft Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

I can't even tell you all how excited I am about these cookies.
Finding a pumpkin cookie recipe that is soft and chewy, not cakey, is basically impossible.

Until now!!!

This morning I had a baking spree (rainy days call for these sorts of things), and the idea hit me like a big DUH. Why don't I make a pudding cookie, and use the 14 boxes of pumpkin pudding in my cupboard for the pumpkin flavor?! Makes sense, right?!?!

Oh my gosh you guys....

Today, I win at life...Or at least cookie making.

Soft Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
1 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 packages (3.4 oz) pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
4 cups AP flour
4 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. pumpkin pie pice
2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, oil and both sugars together on high for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in eggs, vanilla and pudding, and beat for another minute.
Add in the flour, baking powder and spices and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Scoop heaping tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll in your hands.
Cover completetly in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes.

Lett cool for 2 minutes before removing to a plate.
Enjoy!

White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Raspberry Cookies

Lately, I have had a mad craving for the raspberry and chocolate combo.
These cookies did the job satisfying it! They are SO GOOD!!!!!
I hope you enjoy this little concoction I came up with. If not.....you are a lost soul and I hope you get help.

White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Raspberry Cookies
Adapted from:annies-eats

Yield:3 dozen (depending on how much dough you eat.)

1 Cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup dark cocoa powder
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. baking powder
16 unwrapped Hershey's bliss white chocolates, roughly chopped
16 unwrapped raspberry Dove chocolates, roughly chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350.
In an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time until well combined.
With mixer on low, carefully mix in the cocoa powder until well blended.
Add the flour, salt and baking powder, and mix just until combined.
Fold in white and raspberry chunks by hand.
Scoop golf ball sized cookie dough balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 9 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Gooey Chips Ahoy Chocolate Cookie Bars

One of my best friends in the land got married this past weekend.

It was a really great weekend. Busy, very busy, but very fun. Wedding stuff is always fun, I think.
I know it's cheesy, but it always makes me remember mine, and how young and in love we were, and after you see two people profess their love for each other all romantically I just want to go home and watch my wedding video and cry. A good kind of cry- don't worry, I'm still happy to be married.

But one thing that really makes me mad is Pinterest.

My friend had the cutest little ideas for her wedding decorations, adorable things they did for the ceremony, little touches with the flowers and just everything was so darn cute!

Leading up to the day she had about 6 thousand things pinned on pinterest, and she actually did a lot of them. I'm more the type that pins things, then forgets about it and never does it.

When I got married (a whole 3 years ago!) we didn't have cool things like Pinterest to get great ideas from. I had to use imaginaton.

Imagination stinks.

Do you ever wish you could get married again?? I would do so many things different. Plus, weddings are a great excuse for a great party and lots of presents.
It doesn't help that for my wedding we only had 5 weeks to plan the whole thing....but that's another story for another time. In the meantime, I'm going to pin more ideas that I'll never do and continue inventing yummy ways to consume sugar. Like these bars.

Good thing I made them after the wedding. Whenever I'm in a wedding I get all panicky about fitting in my dress. My weight never really flucuates more than the normal 5 pounds thing so why I suddenly think I am going to gain 20 pounds is beyond me.

In me and my husbands opinion, a good desserts needs a chewy layer, a smooth layer and most importantly, a crunchy layer to add some excitment. The chips ahoy in these bars really makes them perfect! We loved them. And they're actually quite incredible heated up with a huge scoop of ice cream! Try it!

Gooey Chips Ahoy Chocolate Cookie Bars
-1 Package of chocolate chocolate chip cookie mix
-Ingredients called for on the back of package
-1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
-12 Chips Ahoy cookies, crumbled
-1 can sweetened condensed milk
-2 Tbsp. butter
-1 Cup peanut butter

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Mix cookies mix and ingredients together, and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan.
Bake for 20 -25 minutes.
Right away when it is done baking, sprinkle chocolate chips all over, allow to sit for a minute and spread carefully so you have a nice layer of melty chocolate.
With your hands, crumble the chips ahoy all over your chocolate layer. Get some good chunks in there!
Place pan in freezer while you prepare your gooey PB layer.
In a medium pan on the stove top, pour in sweetened condensed milk, add peanut butter and butter, and stir over medium heat until smooth.
Remove bars from freezer and pour PB mixture all over.
Allow bars to cool COMPLETELY before cutting.
I kept mine in the freezer until I was ready to cut them...remember, they will be messy and gooey but oh-SO-amazing!

Peanut Butter Pistachio Cookie Sandwiches with White Chocolate Buttercream

I'm a big sweet and salty fan. If you are, these cookies are SO for you.
The savory peanut butter, salty pistachio, and sweet white chocolate buttercream combo is TO-DIE-FOR!

P.S: you can totally use whatever your favorite PB cookie recipe is. I was just feeling lazy and didn't want to pull out the flour, baking soda, etc...

Peanut Butter Pistachio Cookie Sandwiches
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 Tbsp. honey
1 egg
1/2 cup shelled, salted pistachios

Mix all ingredients together except for pistachios on medium high.
Add in pistachios, and mix in on low.
Put dough in the fridge an pre-heat your oven to 375.
When oven is pre-heated, remove dough, and shape into tablespoon-ish sized balls.
Place on a greased baking sheet 1 inch apart, and flatten each dough ball with a fork in a  criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 7-9 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

White Chocolate Buttercream
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Rinse out your mixing bowl, and mix butter and 2 cups of powdered sugar together o medium low until they come together.
While that is mixing, melt your white chocolate chips at 20 second intervals with the butter. This should only take 2 times.
When Butter and powdered sugar are mixed together, slowly add in the melted white chocolate.
Turn mixer up to high for 30 seconds before adding in the last cup of powdered sugar and tablespoon of vanilla.
Mix for 30 more seconds and refrigerate until you're ready to make your sandwiches!
Scoop out Tablespoon sized scoops of your frosting and roll into balls. Sandwich between cooled cookie halves!

*If you want to halve the buttercream frosting im sure that would be fine, cause It made more than enough! Extra frosting is never an issue around here though, and I would encourage loading the cookies up with it!

Rolo Stuffed White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

I hosted my first ever Lia Sophia party last night at my house! It was really fun. Not that many people were able to come, but that's okay cause my house is really small...So it all worked out, and I had fun.

I made a few little things for us to munch on, one of those things being these cookies. They are totally my new favorites! Peanut butter + white chocolate + chocolate/caramel = true love.

And don't bother mentioning how creative I am with naming things. It comes naturally.

Please please please make these.

White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Rolo Stuffed Cookies
Pre-heat oven to 350.

-Your favorite recipe for PB cookies
-1 Cup white chocolate chips
-1 pacakge-ish of unwrapped Rolos

Make cookie dough, and at the end, mix in white chips.
Take a small amount of dough, and flatten it into a disc.
Place rolo in the disc and form dough around rolo.
Use as little dough as possible so the cookie to rolo ratio is right!

Bake for 8-9 minutes.
I enjoyed mine fresh out of the oven- YIKES!
Also they are still amazing cold, but I don't think you can really experience the joy of this wonderfulness in it's entirety without it being a little warm.

White Chocolate Chip Chewy Gingersnaps

Yesterday, I had a crazy craving for gingersnaps...I think it's from seeing everybody posting things on Pinterest ALREADY for fall. Didn't summer, like, just begin???

I only whipped up a half batch of these babies at first, cause I didn't want 3 dozen cookies lying around my kitchen. But after I made that half batch and tasted a cookie, I couldn't even believe how amazing they were, so I made another half batch. Have you ever had white chips in your gingersnaps?! OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.

 So do yourself a favor, save yourself extra dishes and time and just make a full batch the first time....

White Chocolate Chip Chewy Gingersnaps
Yield: 32 cookies
Pre-heat oven to 350

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 cups flour
1/2 Tbsp. ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag white chocolate chips

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cinnamon


In an electric mixer, whip butter and sugar together.
Beat in the egg and molasses til well blended.
All at once, add in flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Mix on low just until combined, then briefly add in white chips.
Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 minutes.
Cool on pan for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Half Baked Trifle

For the 4th of July we went to a cookout, and I made this trifle.

Me and my husband LOVED it, and it was all gone in a matter of minutes, but I think it may have been to sweet for the average person. I don't understand such things, but I decided to re-make the trifle yesterday when my daughter decided to take an almost 3 hour nap and I had tons of time to spare! 

So with a few changes, I bring you the Half Baked Trifle! Is there any flavor better by Ben and Jerry's?! In my opinion, no.

Except for their Chocolate Therapy. And the Chubby Hubby. Also Late Night Snack, Peanut Brittle, Phish Food, and Imagine Whirled Peace. 

But for now, I'm working with the flavors of half baked. By far, my new favorite trifle to make!

Half Baked Trifle

1 9x13" pan of your favorite brownies, under baked by 5 minutes

1 Recipe for hot fudge sauce

1 Recipe of for your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, without the eggs, and rolled into 1" balls

2 Boxes of Vanilla Pudding, OR your favorite vanilla pudding recipe to serve 8

1, 16 oz. and 1, 8 oz. container of cool whip

Method:

-Layer half of the brownies on the bottom

-Half the pudding on that

-Then half hot fudge sauce

-Half cookie dough balls (cut each ball in half)

-Half the whipped cream over cookie dough balls

Repeat till all ingredients are used up!

Turtle Cookies

My computer has been broken for the past week, so I haven't been able to post anything I've been working on and it has been killing me!


I made these cookies last saturday to bring to church for the fellowship time afterwards on Sunday...As I was finishing up making them, my husband had one, and said to me "Do we have to bring them all?? These are amazing!".


Indeed, they are. 


They're really pretty simple too...I suggest you make them.

Turtle Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans


For the Caramel Drizzle:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 heavy whipping cream
1/2 confectioners sugar


For the Chocolate Drizzle:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. shortening or butter


In a large bowl beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt gradually and add to creamed mixture.


Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll into pecans. You might have to press them into the cookie dough a little.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking pan, and flatten slightly. Don't skimp on the pecans!


Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
Cool for 2 minutes before removing the a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling.


In a small saucepan, bring brown sugar and cream to a boil.
Remove from heat, and whisk in confectioners sugar.
Immediately drizzle over the cookies.
In the microwave melt chocolate and butter in 20 second intervals, mixing very well each time til smooth. I found 2 intervals was enough!


Drizzle chocolate over caramel drizzle on cookies. Let stand until set and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I keep thinking today is Friday.

Erg.

But, I guess when you're a stay at home mom weekends aren't much different than the week. I just like the sound of them I suppose...

In celebration of the "weekend" I made cookies. I love making cookies. I love eating the dough, my husband loves eating the actual cookies. It's perfect. 

These cookies are wonderful- you will love them- if you love coconut. I never understood non coconut lovers...

You can totally make these without coconut stuff in them though, and I guarantee you will still adore them.

Chocolate Coconut and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350.

1 Cup (to sticks butter, softened)

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups AP flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. coconut extract

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened coconut

1 cup coconut m&m's

Cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium-high.

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Mix in the cocoa powder and add in the vanilla and coconut extract, and mix until very well blended 

Add in the flour, salt and baking powder all at once, and on low speed mix just until combined.

Fold in the chips, coconut and m&m's.

On a greased baking sheet, drop tablespoon sized balls 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes.

Let cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Creme Pie Cookies (little debbie knockoff)

I'm all about eating something at a restaurant, or out of a box, and seeing if I can re-create it.


For 2 reasons: 
1- I can probably make it a lot healthier and home.
2- I like a good challenge.


The other day I realized after being married to my guy for almost 3 years, I didn't know what his favorite dessert was! When I asked him, his answer surprised me. "Cookies. My weakness is cookies. I just can't say no!"


"What kind?" I asked.


"All of them. Any kind. But especially the Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme ones."


Ahhhh yes! I have fond memories of those babies. Oatmeal Cremes and Fudge Rounds. 


Growing up, my mom almost never bought pre-packaged stuff. Everything was homemade. The bread, donuts, muffins, and although she would buy cereal sometimes ( something way not sugary, like grape nuts or plain cheerios), she would often times make us granola instead. So when I finally started making my own money by babysitting, I would buy a box of little debbies, and down the whole thing in one sitting. Making up for a childhood deprived of little debbie? Maybe....Ugh. I gross myself out.
And I thought I was the only one who did such gluttonous things- until I met my husband.


He grew up very differently from me, and pre-packaged foods like that were a part of his everyday life.


When he confessed his undying love for oatmeal cremes, he then proceeded to tell me how when he lived in LA he would buy a box and down it in one sitting. It was comfort food.


I knew we were soul mates!!!!


So, here came the challenge: Make little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies that actually TASTE like Little Debbies. I refuse to buy that packaged crap unless it's for a public gathering where no one cares and is involved in making a recipe type of a thing. But buying the box just for our consumption? I'm a snob- what can I say?


This recipe tastes just like them. 
You will die.
But before you go, make sure to thank the good Lord for taste buds. Yes and amen.

Oatmeal Creme Pies
Pre-heat oven to 350.


1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal


Filling:
2 cups Fluff
1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (or regular, but that stuff is naaasty)
1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla


In the bowl of a mixer, on medium-high beat together butter, sugars, molasses and vanilla and eggs, til light and fluffy.


Combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.


Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture.


Stir just until combined!


Fold in oatmeal by hand. Don't get crazy with the mixing, here.


Drop tablespoon sized scoops into waxed paper lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.


Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just lightly browned.


Do not over bake, whatever you do- I found 10 minutes was just perfect!


Let cool on sheet for a minutes or two before removing to a wire cooling rack.


For the filling:
Add all ingredients together in electric mixer and mix on high until light and fluffy!


For easy filling, place a large ziplock bag in a large mug or deep bowl, and dump filling in.


Snip off a corner of the bag and generously swirl filling easily onto a cookie bottom, and top off with another cookie.

Enjoy!

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

I know, I'm so creative with naming things.

These cookies are my uncle's favorite. I made them as an experiment one day, you know- one of those throw random things in the bowl and hope they come out okay things. They came out perfect, and always make an appearance at our family gatherings now!

Unless you don't like coconut or butterscotch, I can pretty much guarantee you will love these. Not to toot my own horn or anything... but it's true, they're so chewy and just perfectly perfect. Like a cookie should be.

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 375.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 (11oz) bag butterscotch chips

1 (11oz) bag chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened coconut, packed

Cream butter and sugars together. Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.

Add in flour mixture, and mix on low just until combined.

Add in Oats, chips and coconut, and mix with mixer on low just until combined.

DO NOT over mix.

Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking pan and bake for 8 minutes.

Enjoy!