Very Merry Cookie Wreath

Prep:

45 mins

Cooking:

10 mins

Level:

Easy

Yields:

20 servings

Very Merry Cookie Wreath is a fantastic and fun holiday project for kids! This recipe creates a life-sized chocolate chip cookie wreath. Everyone can get involved with decorating by adding frosting, candy and your choice of sweet confections. You’ve never had a center piece that tasted this great!

Ingredients

• 1 package (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
• 1 container (16 oz.) prepared vanilla frosting
• Green food coloring
• 14- x 17-inch piece of cardboard for base, covered in foil or parchment paper or large flat platter
• NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Morsels (such as Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Premier White)
• Assorted WONKA® Holiday Candies (WONKA® EVERLASTING COBSTOPPER® Snowballs, NERDS® or SPREE®)
• Decorator sprinkles, candies and sugars
• 20-inch strip of strawberry fruit-flavored snack in 3-foot rolls

Directions

PREPARE cookies following package directions. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

COMBINE frosting and food coloring in small bowl to shade of green desired.

SPREAD heaping teaspoons of frosting on flat sides of cookies.

ARRANGE 15 cookies on the base or platter in a 12-inch circle to form outer ring of wreath.

ARRANGE 12 cookies inside the outer ring of cookies, forming inside ring of wreath. Adhered cookies can be moved to create more space.

ARRANGE remaining 13 cookies on base ring for a second layer.

DECORATE with remaining frosting, morsels, candies, sprinkles and sugars as desired. Attach bow to top of wreath.

TO MAKE BOW:
CUT four 5-inch strips from fruit snack roll. Peel off paper backing. Cut a small “V” on end of two strips. Form loops with remaining two strips; pinch ends together. Place loops on top of strips. Pinch all together to make bow!

TIPS:
• For easier decorating, 1 cup of icing can be spooned into resealable, heavy-duty plastic bag; seal. Cut small corner of bag. Squeeze bag to use. Fill with additional icing as needed. Store any leftover icing covered in refrigerator for up to 30 days. • Cookies can also be made into a tree, initials or any other shape desired.

Candy Sushi (by S. Kauffman)

Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies

 

Prep:

20 mins

Cooking:

15 mins

Level:

Intermediate

Cooling:

15 mins

Yields:

60 cookies (5 dozen)

Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies offer the moistness of pumpkin pie with the chocolatey sweetness of chocolate chips. Try these for a Halloween party or a children's dessert at Thanksgiving.

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• VANILLA GLAZE (recipe below)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle or spread with Vanilla Glaze.

FOR VANILLA GLAZE:
COMBINE 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well.

Apple Butterscotch Tart

Prep:

20 mins

Cooking:

40 mins

Level:

Easy

Yields:

8 servings

Sweet butterscotch, brown sugar and cinnamon give this elegant apple tart a rich aroma and flavor. Perfect served warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Ingredients

• 1 pastry for single-crust pie
• 5 cups (about 5 medium) peeled and thinly sliced tart green apples
• 1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter or margarine
• 1 container vanilla ice cream

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

LINE 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with pastry; trim away excess pastry. Arrange apples in pastry shell; sprinkle morsels over apples. Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over filling.

BAKE for 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Remove side of tart pan. Serve warm with ice cream.

Wordle Fun

Snicker Doodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• snicker doodle cookie dough

      (you can make your own or buy some from the store)

• snicker doodle ice cream (you can use any flavor of ice cream you want to)

Directions:

• make a batch of cookies (try to make them the same size)
• spread the ice cream on one of the cookies to your preferred thickness
• now top the ice cream with another cookie

And there’s your ice cream sandwich.

Premier White Caramel Cheesecake

Premier White Caramel Cheesecake

Prep:

40 mins

Cooking:

60 mins

Level:

Challenging

Cooling:

15 mins

Yields:

12 servings

Celebrate birthdays and other occasions with this stunning Premier White Caramel Cheesecake bursting with the flavor of NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels, cream cheese and a hint of vanilla in an elegant combination sure to please family and friends! Julie Martin of Sherrill, NY created this 1st Prize winner in the NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE and Better Homes & Gardens recipe contest.

Ingredients

• CRUST
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• FILLING
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels, divided
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups (18-oz. container) caramel apple dip, divided

Directions

FOR CRUST:
PREHEAT oven to 300° F.

COMBINE butter, sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add crumbs; toss until crumbs are moistened. Press onto bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
HEAT 1 2/3 cups morsels and cream in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes.

BEAT cream cheese in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in morsel mixture and vanilla extract. Stir in eggs. Heat 1 cup caramel apple dip in small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or just until slightly softened. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup cheesecake mixture. Alternately spoon cheesecake and caramel mixtures into prepared pan, ending with caramel. Swirl gently with knife.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run knife around edge of cheesecake. Cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

FOR DRIZZLE:
MICROWAVE remaining caramel apple dip and remaining morsels in uncovered, small microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds. STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Drizzle sauce over cheesecake slices.