Chewy Brown Sugar Bites

I have made this batch of cookies 4 times in the last month (not kidding), tweeking the mentor recipe which never worked for me.  So I guess you could say that this blog is the primary source for these little dessert gems. Just like its paler sibling, this golden treat is easy to roll, keeps its shape, and likes to be dressed up!  But it's chewier and the only rolling needed is between your two hands.  So put your rolling pin (and your cookie cutters) back where they belong.

After rolling the dough into 3/4" spheres, I dipped the tops into sugar pearls, cocoa nibs, neon sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, and minced nuts.  I even stuck a pecan half on some as you see above.

Chilling the dough and using less butter was the magic fix for cookies that always spread too much and were too greasy before I decided to change up this recipe.

Drum roll please... May I present to you a one-bowl wonder (no electric mixer needed) with an easy method, visual appeal, and a rich, sweet taste to accompany your drink of choice :)

Chewy Brown Sugar Bites
Yield: 50 bite-sized cookies (approximately 1.5 inches in diameter)

6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self-rising flour
Toppings of your choice (sprinkles, jimmies, coarse sugar, etc.)

Directions

1.  Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  Place melted butter, brown sugar, and salt (if using) into a large bowl and stir (I used a fork) until combined.
3.  Stir in egg and vanilla until mixed and then add flour.  Stir again until well-combined.
4.  Using a spatula, scoop batter onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap up tightly.  Refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight).
5.  Remove dough from refrigerator.
6.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.
7.  Gather your toppings.  Place a small amount of each topping into its own shallow bowl.
8.  Take small amounts of dough and roll into balls.  In my photos, the balls were about 3/4" in diameter.

9.  Dunk the top half of each ball into a topping and place onto baking sheet, decorated side up.
10. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.  I was able to get 35 cookies on one baking sheet.
11. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden.
12. Remove and cool on rack.  They crisp up as they cool.
13. If you are using one baking sheet, remove the cookies to a platter after about 5 minutes.  Allow sheet to completely cool.
14. Repeat steps 8-12 with remaining dough, using the same sheet of parchment paper.

15.  These cookies keep well.  I usually stash about a dozen in a zip-lock bags and place in the refrigerator (for a momentary sweet) or the freezer (for longer storage).
16.  Enjoy this keeper :)

Autumn Rice Krispie Sticks

Over the next few posts, I want to share some quick and effortless-to-modify sweets that are easy to freeze and pull out when you are busy with all the seasonal responsibilities requiring attention.  Don't look over your shoulder...I assure you that what is on your platter now is nothing compared to what will climb aboard over the next few weeks.  But enough.  You are well acquainted with Holiday Season frenzy. 

These Rice Krispie Sticks are a riff on the familiar Rice Krispie treat.  Though the classic recipe is barely modified, but the addition of nutmeg and cinnamon to the mix brings these treats to a whole new level of sophistication.  Yes, you create a dessert finger food with a bare minimum of effort and time.  Cutting the cooled Rice Krispie mass into slender sticks, dipping them in melted chocolate (I used dark), and then capping them with sprinkles makes a statement.  And that statement is, "Pick me up and insert into your mouth." Yum!

As you know, this is a no-bake recipe, so it can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes, chilled down for a bit, and then adorned the way you want.  No time to garnish with chocolate?  How about softening some ice cream and use the sticks as dippers, dredging them through some coarsely chopped peanuts on the way to your mouth?  Does barely warmed jam-of-your-choice sound like a dip possibility?  Is a bowl of whipped cream more your style?  Endless...  

Notes:

1)  The recipe yielded about 36 sticks measuring about 1" x 3".  There was a wee bit left over that I wrapped and placed into the freezer for a surprise in the near future.

2)  I melted the butter and added the marshmallows and spices in a non-stick Dutch oven.  When the rice cereal was added, the mixing was easier since nothing stuck to the pan.  Cleanup was a breeze.

3)  Once cut, I stood the stick into the melted chocolate, and in some cases, slathered the chocolate up the stick with a knife.  Then I scraped off any drips and placed the stick into a bowl of sprinkles.  

4)  All sticks were placed on a piece of parchment to allow the chocolate to solidify. 

Autumn Rice Krispie Sticks

(slightly modified from the classic recipe here)

Yield:  Dependent on size; 1"x 3" sticks yielded approx. 3 dozen

3 tablespoons butter

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

6 cups of puffed rice cereal

11 x 7 glass baking dish, coated with a vegetable spray

1 cup dark chocolate chips (or use whatever type chocolate you like)

Directions

1.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan, and then add the marshmallows, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2.  Stir with a heat proof spatula until mixture is entirely mixed (including those ever-so-small pieces of marshmallow that just take a bit longer to get with the program).

3.  Remove from heat and add cereal, folding and mixing until everything is coated and gooey.

4.  Move contents to your baking dish and flatten with spatula or your clean fingers.

5.  Allow to cool.  I placed the dish in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before coating the ends with chocolate.

6.  Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave for 15-20 second intervals, stirring after each session until chocolate is melted.  I find that when there are very small pieces needing to melt, I just keep stirring rather than heating again.

7.  Remove rice krispie bar from refrigerator.  You can cut your sticks from the glass dish or remove the entire mass from the dish and place it onto a cutting board.  

8.  Using a sharp knife score and then cut the bar into sticks.

9.  Holding each stick from one end, dip the other end into melted chocolate, using a small spatula or knife to help coat the bottom of the stick.  Scrape off any chocolate that will otherwise drip.

10. Dunk the stick into the bowl of sprinkles and lay on parchment paper.  Allow to dry for an hour or overnight.

11. Once dry, any uneaten sticks (banish the thought) can be placed into an airtight container (layering with parchment to accommodate the sticky-factor) and kept in the refrigerator.

A possible garnish for the holidays...