The best Monster Cookies......EVER!!

The best Monster Cookies......EVER

These cookies are my husband and son's all time favorite cookie, by far.  These are requested for poker night and also to go up to Seattle Pacific University for my son's floor mates.  I originally found the recipe in Gooseberry Patch's 101 Homestyle Favorites Cookbook.  Gooseberry Patch is one of my favorite recipe resources and their 101 Cookbook series is AWESOME!  I have them all and have found so many of our favorite family recipes from them, I highly recommend this series.

OK....back to The Best Monster Cookies....EVER.  This makes a really big batch of cookies so you can either half the recipe or the dough freezes well.  I always like to have cookie dough in the freezer so that when I need homemade cookies quick, I've got the dough all ready to bake.  A lot of times, I just put the dough in a container and then defrost it and drop the dough by teaspoonfuls on the baking sheet.  You can also drop the dough on a cookie sheet and freeze the cookies in individual servings to make taking it out of the freezer even faster.

This recipe is so easy, you just mix the ingredients in an extra large mixing bowl in the order listed.

I always like to get all the ingredients out before I get started and put them away as I use them to help me not miss any ingredients.  

YUM......Peanut butter

and M&M's, the best part of the monster cookie.

Here they are, all golden and out of the oven. I know that monster cookies are normally bigger but I like to have a normal sized cookie so that I can have more than one.  It's one of the many mind games I play with myself :).

Here is the recipe.  ENJOY!

The Best Monster Cookies........EVER!

6 eggs, beaten
1 c. margarine
3 1/2 c. (or 16 oz package) brown sugar
2 c. sugar
2 T vanilla
6 T corn syrup
3 c. creamy peanut butter
4 tsp baking soda
9 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. peanuts
1 1/2 c. candy-coated chocolates

In a large bowl, mix ingredients in order listed.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 16 minutes, until golden.  Makes 10-12 dozen cookies.

CHOCOLATE CREAM DESSERT

CHOCOLATE CREAM DESSERT

with a St. Patrick's Day Twist

I love any dessert with chocolate pudding in it!  Then add cream cheese and chocolate cake mix and I'm all in.  My husband had poker at our house last night and I decided to make this Chocolate Cream Dessert for the guys.  It was a big hit.

The first layer has chocolate cake mix, butter and eggs in it.  

Cut the butter and cake mix together until it looks crumbly like this.

Then add the egg and mix well.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Here it is, all baked in it's awesome chocolateyness!  Let it cool completely.  When it is completely cooled, it is time to make the next layer which has cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and whipped topping (and food coloring if you like).

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar until nice and smooth.  Then fold in 1 c. of the whipped topping and add some food coloring if you like.  I added green since it is almost St. Patrick's Day. I was tempted to put some mint extract in there as well but my husband isn't really a mint fan and I didn't want to ruin the dessert for him.

The I spread the cream cheese mix on top of the crust and refrigerated it for a couple of hours.

Next, I whisked together the milk and pudding mix and let it stand for a few minutes to thicken up and then poured it over the cream cheese mixture.  The last step is to spread 3 (or more) cups of the whipped topping

on the top carefully so that the chocolate doesn't show through. I also put some mini chocolate chips and green sprinkles on the top for fun.  

The nice thing about this dessert is there are so many different variations that you could come up with depending on what flavors you like or what holiday is coming up.  How good would this be in the fall with spice cake as the base and pumpkin pudding?  I saw some instant pumpkin pudding last year, now I know what I would make with it.  Here is the recipe, ENJOY!

CHOCOLATE CREAM DESSERT

3/4 C. cold butter or margarine
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-8 oz. package cream cheese
1 c. confectioner's sugar
food coloring (optional)
4 c. whipped topping, divided
3 c. cold milk
2-3.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding

In a bowl, cut butter and cake mix until crumbly.  Add egg and mix well.  Press into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioner's sugar until smooth.  Fold in 1 c. whipped topping and add food coloring if you would like to add some color.  Carefully spread over the crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and pudding for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.  Spread over the cream cheese layer.  Top with remaining whipped topping.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Sprinkle on some sprinkles or mini chocolate chips to make it pretty.  Then cut into 24 squares.  Refrigerate leftovers.