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If you’re looking for an outstanding and extremely delicious cookie recipe, you’ve come to the right place! I recommend bookmarking this recipe because you will be coming back for more. These caramel apple cookies are so full of flavor and the frosting is delicious. They take a little work but are actually very easy to make and totally worth it. Enjoy!

CARAMEL APPLE COOKIES

Yields: 2 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

Cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup (scant, remove 1 tablespoon) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed but still cold

Frosting:

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup butter

2 ½ tablespoons apple juice concentrate

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon water

½ cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

For Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg for 20 seconds, set aside.
3. Place peeled and chopped apples in food processor. Pulse a few times to chop coarsely – creating very small chunks. In a small bowl, combine finely chopped apple (including juices from the apples) and lemon juice, set aside. 
4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and brown sugar until creamy – scrape down sides of bowl and bottom of bowl, occasionally. 
5. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture, and then (with mixer running on low speed), slowly add in apple juice concentrate, and remaining half of flour mixture. Add apple and lemon mixture. Scoop dough with a tablespoon and drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheets – placing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 11-12 minutes. Cook on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to completely cool. 

For Frosting:

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, apple juice concentrate and salt. 
2. Heat mixture over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies, and immediately sprinkle with pecans as frosting sets quickly.

Notes: As frosting cools, it will thicken – so add ½ tsp. warm water at a time to thin as needed for a more spreadable consistency. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

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As most of you know, I love making poke cakes because they are full of flavor (literally) since you are poking holes in it and then pouring in your strawberry! The cheesecake flavor is in the pudding topping and the inside of the poke cake is strawberry. This really turns out delicious and is a great way to impress your guests. It’s also a really cute Valentine’s Day dessert. Enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box White Cake Mix
• 1 cup boiling Water
• 1 pkg Strawberry Jello
• 1/2 cup cold Water
• 1/2 cup frozen sliced Strawberries in Sugar, thawed
• 1 large box instant Cheesecake Pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 12 oz Cool Whip 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Prepare the cake following box directions.
3. Coat sides and bottom of a 9◊13 dish with shortening.
4. Pour batter into prepared dish.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool completely.
7. Poke holes all over top of cake. 
8. Add boiling water to Jello mix in small bowl and stir until completely dissolved.
9. Stir in cold water and pour over cake. 
10. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
11. Whisk together milk and pudding mix until smooth.
12. Add in sliced strawberries.
13. Pour pudding evenly over the cake.
14. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
15. Top with whipped topping and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.
16. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

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Here’s a simple and really cute Easter recipe! You can quickly make these “carrot” treats. You can make your own Krispie treats (which is super simple) or you can just use the pre-made treats from Costco or other stores. The kids have fun making these and I was thinking of trying out a batch with different colors (pastel would be perfect for Easter). Enjoy!

Krispie Treat Carrots

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Rice Krispie Treats
• 6 oz Orange Candy Melting Chips (like Wilton)
• Edible Easter Grass or Rips Whips Candy 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cut each treat in half lengthwise, then cut each of them in half diagonally.
3. Take each piece and insert a toothpick in the flat end and place on prepared sheet. 
4. Place in freezer for to minutes.
5. Melt orange candy by microwaving for 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until melted and smooth.
6. Pick up each by toothpick and either dip or spoon melted candy over each “carrot” to cover completely. 
7. Return to sheet.
8. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
9. Cut several 1″ pieces of the Easter grass or Whips for each carrot.
10. Take each carrot and carefully remove toothpick. Use the toothpick to enlarge the hole big enough to insert the grass.

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Easter is coming up and this recipe is great to have on hand! These bunny cupcakes are perfect for Easter or a Spring party! They are also really fun to make for any animal lover. My kiddos love helping make these and eat them. Enjoy!

Easter Bunny Cupcakes
(yield 24 cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS

CUPCAKES:

• 1 box White Cake Mix
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 Eggs

ICING:

• 1/2 cup softened Butter
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 4 cup Powdered Sugar

DECORATIONS:

• 6 Giant Marshmallows
• Pink Sparkling Sugar
• 10-12 pieces of Edible Easter Grass or Rips Whips Candy Strings
• 24 Pink Chocolate Chips or Mini M&M’s
• 48 Mini Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bake cupcakes according to box directions.
2. Allow to cool. 
3. Using kitchen shears, make cuts around the perimeter of the giant marshmallows.
4. Sprinkle the cut area with pink sugar to make inside of ears. Repeat until you have 48 ears. 
5. Make diagonal cuts around the ends of the marshmallows to make 24 muzzles for the bunnies.
6. Cut Easter grass into 3/4″ pieces and stick into muzzle to make whiskers.
7. Cream butter in a large bowl
8. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and milk as needed, until everything is incorporated and frosting is right consistency.
9. Beat for 5 minutes to make sure it is fluffy.
10. Ice cupcakes then sprinkle with coconut. 
11. Using icing, “glue” ears and muzzle on cupcake.
12. Sprinkle exposed icing with coconut.
13. Press pink “nose” into coconut and icing just above muzzle.
14. Press mini chocolate chips into coconut and icing just above nose.