Lucky Charms Bars

This post/recipe was intended to go up for St. Patrick's Day, but it didn't happen. So, guys! Here's a very late, but yummy and easy recipe to brighten up your days! Lucky Charms Bars!

These bars are basically rice krispie treats made with lucky charms cereal. They are so simple to make but are an absolute showstopper when served with all those colorful marshmallows. 

I hope you have a blast in the kitchen when you make these! Enjoy!

Lucky Charms Bars

recipe from Simply Scratch 

1 box Lucky Charms cereal
1 stick salted butter
1 (16 oz) package mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon whole milk, I used half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

Separate the cereal from the marshmallows.

In a large pot over low heat melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the melted marshmallows and stir until completely melted and creamy.

Stir in vanilla and milk. Add in the cereal and stir quickly to combine. Remove from heat.

Add in the marshmallows and stir until combined. Transfer to a prepared pan.

Press gently, and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Peach Fluff

I am so excited to be sharing this very famous (at least in our house) recipe today! This one brings up so many memories for me as we had this at a close friend's home quite a few times when I was growing up. This also happens to be one of my dad's favorite recipes, and since his birthday was recently I was able to surprise him with it! Food gifts are my favorite to give! 

This recipe is a summer staple. It's fairly easy to make, and it makes A LOT so if you have a picnic or BBQ to go to this would be the perfect option. This dessert also looks impressive in the pan, and it's a great way to use up the best summer fruit....PEACHES! 

This dessert starts with a shortbread-like crust with delicious pecans in the crust. I toasted mine and it gave it an extra nutty flavor. The crust is topped with a sweet cream cheese mixture, and then all of that gets finished with a peachy, fruity, delicious topping. Crunchy, nutty, sweet, tangy, peachy! This hits all those delicious notes all in one bite. 

May I introduce you to: Peach Fluff!

Peach Fluff

recipe from a sweet lady at church who was gracious enough to share it with me!

To Make the Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and press into a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. 

To Make the Cream Cheese Filling

1 8oz tub Cool Whip, defrosted 

1 8oz brick cream cheese, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl combine all ingredients with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

To Make the Peach Topping

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3oz box peach Jello
8 fresh peaches, chopped

Add water, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and clear.

Remove thickened mixture from heat and add in box of peach Jello. Whisk until combined.

Add chopped peaches into thickened sugar mixture and stir to combine.

Pour peach topping over cream cheese filling.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

I hope your family enjoys this dessert as much as my family does! Happy summer to you and yours! 

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

So, I took my favorite brownie recipe and stuffed it full of pumpkin spice cheesecake, and I am here to share it with you! That's right, buttery, delicious, chocolatey brownies perfected with pumpkin spiced cheesecake. Hello Thanksgiving dessert! Not only is the cheesecake swirled on top of the brownie, but it also get sandwiched inside the brownie itself. Y.U.M!

I hope your  fall has been delightful and productive. Mine sure has. New job, new stuff, Jesus is good. Let's get right to the recipe ok?

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

recipe adapted from Baked Occasions 

makes 24 bars

For the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree 

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and very creamy. Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Refrigerate while you make the brownie batter!

For the Brownies

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces dark chocolate (I always use these)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in the center of your oven. Butter the bottom and sides of a 12 cup individual brownie pan** (what I used).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.

In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate and butter. Once melted and smooth, turn off the heat and add both sugars. Remove bowl from the pan (the chocolate mixture should be room temperature) and add two of the eggs. Whisk until combined. Add in the remaining egg and gently whisk in until combined.

Sprinkle flour over chocolate mixture and fold in just until combined. 

Fill each individual brownie cup 2/3 full, top with just under a tablespoon full of cheesecake, top with enough brownie batter to cover the cheesecake. Once all cups are full, take around a teaspoon full of cheesecake and dollop over each brownie. swirl a few times with a knife.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Let cool and devour. 

Notes:

These need to refrigerated to keep them fresh.

**If you don't have an individual brownie pan, you can use a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour 2/3 of the brownie batter into the pan and smooth the top. Top the batter with the cheesecake mixture and smooth the top. Drop the remaining batter over the cheesecake, and swirl. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 

s'more nut bars

I have good news for you today, friends! It's still summer! August for me, and probably many of you, signals the beginning of fall. Summer is winding to a close, kids are headed back to school, and the summer activities fizzle out, but this year I'm determined to squeeze every last drop out of the summer season! In honor of that, we're talking the ultimate summer sweet - graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallows - that's right we're doing classic s'mores in a whole new way!

When I came across this recipe, I was a little confused. First, what's a nut bar (besides being a really awkward name for a food), and second, how well would salty peanuts pair with graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate? Well folks, I'm here to tell you that these bars might be my favorite twist on a classic s'more awkward name and all! The saltiness of the peanuts and their crunchy bite perfectly round out the deliciousness that is this bar!

Ok, so these treats start with a graham cracker crust loaded with butter and the sweet flavor of brown sugar. Pressed into a pan and toasted to perfection, it's the most wonderful foundation for the remainder of the filling ingredients. Next up, a mixture of both dark and milk chocolate chips get stirred into a silky, shiny ganache. Fold in marshmallows and salty peanuts into the ganache and pour all of it onto the toasted crust. Finish these with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and chill for several hours until set. These would be perfect for late summer parties, barbecues, and picnics since they're quick, easy, and yummy. You'll be everyone's favorite party guest. 

S'more Nut Bars

slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking Cookbook

18 graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs

1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar

2/3 cup salted butter, melted

7 1/2 ounces milk chocolate chips

7 1/2 ounces dark chocolate chips

1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

10 marshmallow, cut into fourths

1/2 cup lightly salted whole peanuts

1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, and line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and butter. Mix to combine then press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake crust for 15 minutes or until golden brown, fragrant, and toasted. Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling ingredients.

Place both types of chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and drizzle the corn syrup over the top. Set aside. In a small saucepan heat heavy cream until it starts to boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate mixture and allow to sit for about 2 minutes. 

Starting at the center of the bowl, whisk chocolate mixture until it becomes smooth and shiny. Fold in the marshmallows and peanuts. 

Pour the chocolate filling mixture over the crust. Using a spatula, spread the mixture as evenly as possible and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until set. Cut into squares and serve. 

Bars will need to be kept in the fridge until ready to serve, and will stay fresh for up to 3 days as long as they remain tightly covered. 

Long live summer!

cherry pie bars

Hi friends! Today we're talking pie, cherries, and flaky, buttery crust. Are you in? I hope you are because these bars are delicious. 

These bars start the way everything in life should start, with a buttery, flaky crust. Seriously, the crust of these bars might be everyone's favorite part. I'd guess it's because the foundation of these bars is loaded with butter, sugar, and lemon zest. How could you go wrong with that? Answer: you most certainly can't. 

The filling of these bars? Also delectable. It's a silky filling of eggs, sugar, greek yogurt, flour, and of course, cherries. Buttery, flaky crust topped with a silky filling and cherries? Sign me up!

Cherry Pie Bars

adapted from Annies Eats

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 cups sugar

pinch salt

zest of a lemon

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

For the Filling

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup greek yogurt

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

juice of a lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

16 ounces cherries, cut in half and pitted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x9 pan with aluminum foil.

Pulse flour, sugar, salt, zest, and butter in a food processor until crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture and set aside for the topping. Press the remainder of the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until bubbly and the edges are light golden. Let cool for 10 -12 minutes before adding the filling mixture.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together all filling ingredients except the cherries. Mix until smooth and creamy then gently fold in the cherries. 

Pour filling mixture over cooled crust and top with the reserved topping mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until bars are just set and topping is just beginning to brown. Cool completely. Bars should be chilled for a few minutes before being sliced.