m&ms

Graham cracker M&M cookies {{in time for Valentine’s Day!}}

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 6 Comments

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing with you a dessert recipe you can share with your friends … or save them for yourself. I won’t tell anyone!

OR you could just eat the batter ... who am I to judge?

OR you could just eat the batter … who am I to judge?

I had bought  Valentine’s colored M&Ms at Target (I can’t resist anything when I’m at Target – especially seasonal items … thus the Red Velvet Oreos – which I’m also baking with!) and because I’m not a big fan of traditional M&Ms, I decided to scour my pantry to find something to bake them with. I found an unused sleeve of graham crackers and realized that was it – graham cracker, chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms would be perfect!

Graham cracker M&M cookies for valentines day

So here you go – make these any time of year (just swap out the M&M colors – or try a different candy or more chips) and enjoy the buttery and crunchy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside texture.

Graham cracker M&M cookies for valentines day

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs (about a whole sleeve)
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup M&Ms

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper or spray with Pam.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed thoroughly.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, graham cracker crumbs and mix well. Use a spatula to make sure it’s all mixed throughout before finished. Stir in the chocolate chips and about half the M&Ms.
  5. Using a spoon (or ice cream scoop!), scoop dough into rounded tablespoons and place on prepared baking sheet.* Place a few M&Ms on top of each cookie before putting in the oven – this will make them look nicer as not all M&Ms are hidden inside the batter.
  6. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for about a minute before removing and letting finish cool on wire rack.
  7. Enjoy!

*I’ve tried this recipe keeping the dough in the fridge for about 30 min- 1 hour and just baking as is – they are slightly more plump if you chill first, but it didn’t seem necessary. They didn’t spread out too much if they’re not chilled.

Graham cracker M&M cookies for valentines day

What are you baking for Valentine’s Day? I’ve pinned quite a few recipes that I’d love to make – too bad there’s not enough time!

Some questions for you:

  • What’s your favorite kind of M&M? I’m a fan of peanut or peanut butter or pretzel! Not as much for the regular ones. 
  • Do you like graham crackers? I ate them with peanut butter as a snack growing up – so yes! Also froze cool whip in two crackers as a sandwich to make an ice cream sandwich type snack (try it with the cinnamon and chocolate ones!)

 

HERSHEY’S KISSES Stuffed Pretzel Chip Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

I’ve been on a baking spree lately. Seriously, it seems like all I think about all day is baking. And running. When I’m going to bake or run next. I think I may have a baking addiction? Or a brunning addiction? (Baking+Running)

That’s why when Influenster sent me a J’Adore Vox Box, featuring a HUGE family-sized package of HERSHEY’S KISSES, I knew I had to bake with them. I mean, after I opened the bag and devoured a few for  breakfast before a run a sensible dessert, I realized I should probably bake with at least some of them. So I did what any blogger would do – I made a Pinterest board for inspiration – and then decided just to pretty much make up a recipe. And thankfully, they came out.  They came out beautifully!

kisses

NOM NOM

Looking for a pretty easy recipe that’s a fun surprise (hey, you don’t know the KISSES are there until you take a bite!)? Or simply want an excuse to buy a lot of HERSHEY’S KISSES? In any case, enjoy!

HERSHEY's KISSES Stuffed Pretzel Chip Cookies - i crashed the web

HERSHEY’S KISSES Stuffed Pretzel Chip Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 TBS vanilla extract
  • 2 c all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 c. uncooked old fashioned oats
  • 1 c. Special K cereal (optional, but I love the extra crunch)
  • 1 c. crushed pretzels
  • 1 c. chocolate chips or chunks or whatever chocolate you have on hand
  • 1 bag HERSHEY’S KISSES, unwrapped (I used about 30 .. or about less than half of my family sized bag)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix Special K, oats, crushed pretzels and chocolate chips. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter, vanilla and sugars until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg is added.
  5. Slowly stir in flour mixture, mixing well.
  6. Stir in oat-cereal-pretzel-chocolate mixture and combine with batter, mixing with a wooden spoon until well blended.
  7. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes, until chilled. This helps the batter from spreading.
  8. When dough is ready, make about tablespoon sized balls and flatten them with your hand. Gently press Kisses in middle of flattened dough, and wrap dough around it so all you see is a cookie blob (yes, scientific term) and no chocolate is showing. Place dough-covered Kisses on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  9. Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes.
beautiful!

beautiful!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

  • I LOVE chocolate covered pretzels, and crunch in my cookies, which is why I added the pretzels. You could likely leave them out.
  • I bet this would be just as good with some other fun flavors of KISSES – I haven’t baked with the caramel ones but I imagine those would be AMAZING.
  • I had a few of the mini KISSES on hand and I decided to make some smaller cookies. Just so I could eat 2-3 at a time without REALLY eating 2-3 cookies, right?

DISCLOSURE: I received this giant family size package of HERSHEY KISSES (and some other cool products in the J’Adore Vox Box) products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. If by testing them they wanted me to eat or bake with them, then they succeeded. But I think it was a win-win, don’t you agree?

Questions for you:

  • How much do you bake? Lately it’s been 1-2x a week. I know, I have a problem. At least my running is closer to 5-6 days a week 🙂 It’s when they switch that I’ll get worried.
  • Are you a sweet/salty fan? Yup! Which is why I love pretzel M&Ms, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut M&Ms, etc.
  • What’s your go-to baking recipe? I used to be a cupcake baker – but it seems that I’ve gotten myself into a cookie-baking frenzy.
  • Is it Friday yet? Sadly, no. But Happy Hump Day!

A Chocaholic’s Dream … Double (or triple) Chocolate Chunk Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

My grandmother passed away last week. I know – it’s not quite the opening you expected in a blog post about chocolate cookies. But let me explain.

My grandma was a chocaholic. For as long as I can remember, she always loved chocolate. Mallomars were actually her favorite cookie; I’ve heard countless stories about how the local grocery store where my dad grew up in the Bronx called her the “Mallomar lady.” My parents would buy boxes and boxes of Mallomars and wrap them to give her as holiday gifts. To be honest, I never really liked Mallomars. And I’m certainly not a chocaholic – as you may have noticed, I hardly ever make something that’s chocolate based. And when I do, it’s often for B or other friends and family. And during the holidays, I always made sure to include something chocolate when baking, because I knew that would be what my grandma would like best. In fact, I even brought her some Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Brownies this year before Christmas when I visited her with my dad.

(image via npr)

I’ve been somewhat of a funk since she passed away. I know, it’s normal – and I know, I don’t usually post about stuff like this on here. But I tend to look back on old blog posts as some sort of a diary and I want to remember this time. In fact, it feels good to remember her here and to think about her love of chocolate. Anyway, in case you haven’t noticed, there are two main ways I deal with stress/anxiety/etc. in my life – running and baking. So I’ve been doing a lot of both this past week. And one of the recipes I made, I made in honor of my grandma. Because I know she would have LOVED these cookies.

My grandma, B and me on our wedding

My grandma, B and me on our wedding

Got a chocolate lover in your family? Or maybe you have the chocaholic gene in your family? (My dad got it too!) Then you’ll love these cookies. They’re soft, chocolatey and well – pretty much everything a chocolate cookie should be.

triple chocolate chunk cookies icrashedtheweb

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 c. granulated sugar
  • 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c. semi-sweetened chocolate chips
  • 1/2 c. semi or milk chocolate chunks (I used mini Hershey kisses, chopped up)
  • OPTIONAL – for the extra chocaholic: 1/2 c. your favorite M&Ms (I used some peanut M&Ms in some, but didn’t photograph those)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking soda.
  3. Cream together butter and sugars in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
  4. Slowly add in flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips, chunks and M&Ms (optional, but without the M&Ms they’re only double chocolate chunk cookies:)).
  6. Allow dough to chill in refrigerator for 30 min to 1 hour.
  7. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  8. BAKE for approximately 10 minutes, until cookies are puffy. Cookies will be a little bit cracked on top but still soft.
  9. Cool on wire racks.
  10. Share with our favorite chocaholic or enjoy yourself!
double chocolate chunk cookies - i crashed the web

These are technically double chocolate chunk cookies since you can’t see the peanut M&M ones. I dare you to wait for them to cool!

triple chocolate chunk cookies with milk - i crashed the web

Surprise! They go well with milk.

And because this wasn’t the happiest blog post, I leave you with a famous/fun Mallomar reference. My grandma wasn’t the only one with Mallomar addiction 🙂 (and this is from the Sopranos – so it’s obviously got some language that’s NSFW)

Cereal Peanut M&M Cookies (and they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day!)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

I’m a big fan of cookies that feature everything. That’s right – I said it – everything. I love compost cookies, monster cookies, an all those cookies that tend to be stuffed with pretty much everything in your pantry.

These aren’t quite everything-in-your pantry cookies, but they’re close. They feature Special K, granola, oatmeal, coconut, peanut m&ms … and more. Which is why I’m calling them Cereal Peanut M&M Cookies. And because breakfast cookies sounds too healthy. These are based one of my favorite recipes – Special K cookies – but have a few extra ingredients.

cereal peanut M&M cookies for valentine's day - i crashed the web

Cereal Peanut M&M Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 2 c all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 c. uncooked old fashioned oats
  • 1 c. granola (try homemade granola or even your favorite store-bought – this time I used TJ’s vanilla granola)
  • 2 c Special K cereal
  • 3/4 c unsweetened coconut
  • 1 c peanut M&Ms
  • 1/2 c chocolate chips

Here’s what you do:

  1. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix Special K, oats, granola, coconut , M&Ms and chocolate chips. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg is added.
  5. Stir in flour mixture slowly, mixing well.
  6. Stir in oat mixture and mix with wooden spoon until well blended.
  7. Make tablespoon sized scoops on greased baking sheets.
  8. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.
batter for cereal cookies ... look at that granola and those m&ms!

batter for cereal cookies … look at that granola and those m&ms!

peanut M&M cereal cookies for valentine's day

Want to make them extra special for an upcoming holiday? Add colored sprinkles and M&Ms. For example, I used the Valentine’s special M&Ms and added some red sugar crystals to the dough before baking and POOF! They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day – which is ONE WEEK AWAY!

peanut M&M cereal cookies for valentine's day

Baking with Sofia: Confetti m&m Sugar Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

As you may remember, B and I recently babysat our niece and nephew. They spent the night at our downtown apartment and were in awe of everything downtown – from the trolley to the lake – which made for a fun sleepover.

What else made for a fun sleepover? I had a baking buddy! That’s right, Sofia and I baked cookies together. She was an awesome helper – helping sort through m&ms  (to find the non-crushed ones for me), helping pour sugar, and also even helping to shape the dough! Oliver tried to help – but he ended up just eating lots of m&ms. Oh well, there’s still time for him to learn!

We ended up making some fun colored m&m sugar cookies. Sofia and I decided that with the crushed up AND full candies they looked like confetti  – and confetti m&m sugar cookies were born! Here you go. I highly recommend you bake them with your favorite niece/nephew or baking buddy!

confetti m&m sugar cookies | I Crashed The Web

Confetti m&m Sugar Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • ½ c butter
  • ½ c shortening
  • ½ c  granulated sugar
  • ½ c powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 ½ c m&ms (1 c crushed, ½ c whole)
  • ½ c white chocolate chips
  • ½ c any of your other favorite candy (crushed, optional)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets or spray with a nonstick spray like butter flavored Pam!
  2. Take about 1 c. of M&Ms and crush them. I tried using my blender but that didn’t work so I put them in a bag and smashed them with a meat mallet. Very good way to beat the stress! Set aside the ½ c remaining M&Ms and keep whole.
  3. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar together in a large bowl and set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter, shortening, white sugar and confectioners’ sugar together until light and fluffy.
  5. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.
  6.  Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and blend.
  7.  Add in crushed m&ms, whole m&ms, white chocolate chips and your other favorite candy. I know, it’s hard to choose just one. I crushed a few Butterfinger bars (this time in the blender) for my other candy.
  8. Shape dough into rounded tablespoon-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets.
  9.  Bake at 375 degrees F  for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool, then enjoy!
Posing before pouring the sugar for the cookies

Posing before pouring the sugar for the cookies

Sofia pours the sugar

Sofia pours the sugar

carefully shaping the dough into balls

carefully shaping the dough into balls

"Aunt Melissa, is this right? Can you do the rest?"

“Aunt Melissa, is this right? Can you do the rest?”

confetti m&m sugar cookies | I Crashed The Web

All done! Ready to enjoy some cookies.