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RECIPES FOR WINTER DESSERTS TO WARM YOU UP by Aleeza Siddiqui

Being stuck inside has its upsides — namely that you’re never far from your kitchen. Whether it's recreating our favorite restaurant's recipes at home or making banana bread, a lot of us are cooking and baking at home more than ever. Baking is one of the best ways to create memories and maintain family traditions--something that’s more important than ever during a time where we can’t see our loved ones.  Additionally, it’s been proven that baking can cause a host of psychological benefits, one being stress relief. All the recent chaos in the news can definitely be a source of stress for many of us, and finding ways to cope is crucial in leading a healthy lifestyle. Baking can help with that! After all, the best time to bake is when it’s cold and dreary outside—this is the kitchen’s season to shine. So whether you're in the mood for warm post-holiday sweets or a sneak peak of spring, these winter dessert recipes are the perfect indulgence for a frosty day!


Hot Chocolate Bombs













Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 25 mins

Yield: 6 spheres


Ingredients

Good quality chocolate in bar form (preferably Lindt semi-sweet chocolate or Callebaut)

Food thermometer

Silicone sphere mold

Bench scraper

1/4″ paintbrush

Piping bag

Parchment paper

Hot chocolate mix of your choice.

Mini marshmallows

Directions

  1. Chop chocolate (high-quality bar chocolate is best)

  2. Temper your chocolate (don’t worry, we’re doing this the easy way in the microwave and it only takes 5 minutes)

  3. Paint the chocolate into your silicone molds (two coats) or pour it into your acrylic mold.

  4. Remove the chocolate spheres from the mold.

  5. Fill the molds with hot chocolate and marshmallows

  6. Seal the two pieces of chocolate together with more melted chocolate

(Recipe from Sugar Geek Show)

Melting Snowmen Cookies













Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 mins

Yield: 20 cookies


Ingredients

1 box Devil's food cake mix

1 stick butter, softened

2 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon mint extract

1 package candiquik white candy coating, or other white melting chocolate

10 miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut in half

mini chocolate chips

orange jimmies


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.

  2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, eggs, flour, and extract. Use a cookie scoop to drop evenly sized portions of dough onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the wire rack to cool completely.

  3. Once the cookies are cool, melt candiquik or white chocolate. Drizzle a spoonful over each cookie to form the melted snow. Add a peanut butter cup half for the hat, and decorate the faces with chocolate chips and sprinkles.


(Recipe from Kitchen Meets Girl)


Cookie Dough Cocoa












Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 pint cookie dough ice cream

5 cups water

Whipped cream

Mini chocolate chips

1 cup Cookie Crisp cereal


Directions

  1. In a 3-quart saucepan or large pot, whisk together butter, brown sugar, and ice cream over medium-high heat until melted.

  2. Add the water; cook and stir mixture until steaming.

  3. Serve in mugs, topped with whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, and cookie crisp cereal.

(Recipe from Betty Crocker Kitchen)


Ultimate Skillet Brownie
















Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings


Ingredients

10 Tablespoons (144g) unsalted butter

8 ounces (228g) quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

1 cup (200g) sifted granulated sugar*

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (80g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

2 Tablespoons (11g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

optional: ice cream, chocolate sauce, maraschino cherries for serving


Directions

  1. Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Or melt in a medium microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring after each, in the microwave. Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes.

  2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease your oven-safe skillet.

  3. Whisk the sifted sugar into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and combined. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.

  4. Pour batter into the prepared skillet and bake for 30-32 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake– the brownie will taste a little dry. Err on the side of underbaking, which gives you that gooey brownie center. All ovens and skillets are different, so keep an eye on it after 28 minutes and use the toothpick test to see when it’s finished.

  5. Allow the brownie to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and a cherry on top.


(Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction)


White Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies














Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 30 cookies


Ingredients

1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoon!)

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups (240g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*

1 cup (140g) dried cherries


Directions

  1. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Beat in the oats, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator

  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

  4. Roll balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.

  5. Optional White Chocolate Drizzle: Place the chopped white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Drizzle lightly over cookies. Allow the white chocolate to set completely at room temperature for about 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

  6. Cover and store leftover cookies (with white chocolate drizzle or without) at room temperature for up to 1 week.


(Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction)


Air-Fryer Apple Pie Egg Rolls
















Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients

3 cups chopped peeled tart apples

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon cornstarch

8 egg roll wrappers

1/2 cup spreadable cream cheese

Butter-flavored cooking spray

1 tablespoon sugar

2/3 cup hot caramel ice cream topping


Directions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°. In a small bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and cornstarch. With a corner of an egg roll wrapper facing you, spread 1 scant tablespoon cream cheese to within 1 in. of edges. Place 1/3 cup apple mixture just below center of wrapper

  2. Fold bottom corner over filling; moisten remaining wrapper edges with water. Fold side corners toward center over filling. Roll egg roll up tightly, pressing at tip to seal. Repeat.

  3. In batches, arrange egg rolls in a single layer on a greased tray in an air-fryer basket; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Turn; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown and crisp, 5-6 minutes longer. Combine sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; roll hot egg rolls in mixture. Serve with caramel sauce.


(Recipe from Taste of Home)


Snowmen Cake Pops












Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Yield: 48 servings


Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ cake mix (any flavor)

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 cup Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy frosting (any non-chip, no-nut flavor)

Waxed paper

Cookie sheets

3 bags (12 oz each) white candy coating

Paper lollipop sticks

Orange candy-coated sunflower seeds

1 bag (12 oz) blue candy coating

White sanding sugar

Black edible pen

Blue mini candy-coated power mint candies

Pink confetti sprinkles

Black confetti sprinkles

Jumbo snowflake sprinkles

Toothpicks

Block of white plastic craft foam


Directions

  1. Make and bake cake mix as directed on the box for a 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely; crumble into a large bowl.

  2. With a large spoon, thoroughly mix cake and frosting.

  3. Roll mixture into quarter-size cake balls, and place on a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Place cake balls in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up. You can then transfer them to the refrigerator to keep chilled and avoid freezing.

  4. Place white candy coating in a microwavable bowl so that the coating is at least three to four inches deep. Melt uncovered in the microwave in 30-second intervals on Low, stirring in between. Repeat until melted and smooth.

  5. Remove a couple of cake balls from the refrigerator at a time. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted coating, and insert into a cake ball no more than halfway through. Dip and remove the cake pop in one motion without stirring. Make sure the entire cake ball is covered. If your coating is too thick, you can add a little vegetable oil to help thin it and make it easier to work with.

  6. Remove and gently tap off any excess coating to fall off the pop and back into the bowl. Before the coating sets, gently press an orange candy-coated sunflower seed in position for a nose. Place in craft foam to dry.

(Recipe from Betty Crocker Kitchen)

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