Pecan Pie Cookies

Pecan pie is delicious, no matter how you may be inclined to pronounce it. But eating an entire pecan pie is usually frowned upon, you have to take one slice and hope no one notices that you cut your slice to be 4x bigger than everyone else's. Cookies, however, are an easy food to hide in your hands, or pants, or cleavage (this I do not recommend as these cookies are somewhat sticky, but I won't judge). Also these take about 10 minutes to bake in the oven, that's it! In half an hour you can gain about 4lbs and call your Holidays a success. 

What You Will Need for Approximately 24 cookies: 

- 2 prepared Pie Crusts.

- 4 tbs unsalted butter.

- 1/2 cup of pecans, I did not chop mine but you can.

- 2/3 cup of brown sugar.

- 1/2 cup of light or dark corn syrup.

- Pinch of salt.

- 1 tbs of vanilla extract.

- 4 eggs.

- 1/2 cup of bitter or semi sweet chocolate chips for decoration. 

What to do: 

- Preheat oven to 400F. 

- Melt butter in sauce pan over medium low heat.

- Add in the brown sugar, corn syrup, pecans, salt, vanilla extract and mix in with the melted butter.

- Slowly add your eggs on a low heat and stir continuously. Be careful with this step as a high heat can turn your pecan mixture into scrambled eggs. 

- Continue to stir for a few minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken, do not allow to dry out! 

- Roll out your dough (make sure not to do this first as the butter in the dough will melt and you will not get that flaky crust). 

- Cut about 3 inch rounds and spoon your mixture into the middle.

- Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

- Allow to cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate (melt on high in microwave in 30 second increments until fully melted, stir in between). 

-Serve with some hot tea or a hot toddy and enjoy! 

Click here for printable recipe!

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Chocolate Bark w/Peanuts and Bacon

This is my very first year baking cookies on my own, with the plan to hand them out to people I care about. Unless, of course, they turn out horrible, in which case I will eat them all myself (tis the season!). 

Though I am making a variety of cookies (watch for them, they will be coming very soon!), I wanted to add something different to the cookie boxes and make some chocolate bark. With bacon. Because who doesn't like bacon? (If you raised your hand, this recipe is not for you, but I forgive you). 

What You Will Need: 

- 8 strips of cooked bacon (or just cook the whole package, no such thing as leftover bacon)

- 18 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate (I used a combination of both)

- 1 cup of unsalted peanuts 

What to do: 

- Cook the bacon until crispy, drain on a paper towel. 

- Chop the bacon into small pieces. 

- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (glass bowl over a simmer pot of water, do not allow the bowl to touch the water).

- Once the chocolate is fully melted, stir in the peanuts and spread evenly onto a parchment lined sheet. (Use parchment, not wax, it will me much easier to remove). 

- Top with bacon pieces and allow to fully cool and harden in the refrigerator.

- Use a sharp knife to cut into desired sized pieces and serve alongside your favorite cookies! 

Can you tell I really enjoyed taking pictures of this chocolaty bacon mess?

Click here for printable recipe!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

I could just sit and eat this with a spoon, no sharing required. 

Tis the season for entertaining! Dinner parties, holiday parties, Christmas Eve, Christmas...etc. Chances are, this time of the year, you're either hosting or attending one of these get togethers. This dessert dip is always a hit, it's easy to make (even if you make your own pumpkin puree) and it's tasty as hell!

What You Will Need: 

- 1lb of room temperature cream cheese. 

- 1 cup of Pumpkin Puree. 

- 4-6 oz of Cool Whip or whipped cream. 

- 2/3 cup of sugar. 

- Pinch of salt. 

- 2 Tsp pumpkin spice*

- 1 Tbs of Vanilla extract.

- Pecans, walnuts and cookies for garnish and dipping. 

                

         
       *Pumpkin Spice is a blend of Nutmeg, Allspice, Cinnamon and Ginger. 

What To Do: 

- Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

- Mix in pumpkin puree, vanilla, salt and spices until fully incorporated. 

- Carefully fold in the Cool Whip and garnish with crushed pecans. 

- Serve with your cookies of choice, this dip is perfect with graham crackers or a chocolate cookie like a Milano. 

- Make ahead and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (less if using fresh pumpkin puree).

For printable recipe, click here!

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