Brownie Cupcakes Topped w/Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares

Who loves a really quick, yummy, and chocolaty brownie cupcake? What if they're made with a simple doctored up box mix? Yes, me! You too?

I first made these for Elizabeth's -my granddaughter's- birthday. They were a hit and disappeared fast!

Let's make some!

I used one package of Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie mix, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. After baking, I topped them with Ghirardelli candy squares. 

After combining wet ingredients, I stirred in the brownie mix until moistened and scooped the batter into a muffin tin prepared with cooking spray.

Baked in a 350 degree oven, these only take 20 minutes!

Remove from oven and gently press in a chocolate square. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. I used a plastic knife to gently coax them from the tin.

Brownie Cupcakes

*note below*

One box Ghirardelli brownie mix

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Combine wet ingredients.

Stir in brownie mix until moistened.

Scoop batter into a 12 cup muffin tin that has been prepared with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Gently press in a chocolate square.

Let cool in pan 10-15 minutes. 

I used a plastic knife to gently coax cupcake from pan.

*note*

Brownie box mix sizes vary.

Simply sub out equal amounts of water called for on box for buttermilk.

Use same amounts of eggs and oil and add 1/2 tablespoon on vanilla.

🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥

  

JOHN 3:16 

'til we sweet again, Karen💗

Congo Bars

Happy Twos Day!

2.2.22 on an actual Tuesday!😊

Our Memaw used to make these yummy, gooey, and chocolaty bars for our Mom and we were all more than happy that she carried on with the sweet tradition. They were a staple in our house growing up. With these and so many other delicious treats and freshly baked sweets, we didn't realize how spoiled we really were! Lots of time and love went into everything she ever made or did for each one of us. We had the best Mom!💗

Yikes! I forgot the vanilla! 

For everything else: brown sugar, flour, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips, and nuts.

After melting the butter, stir in brown sugar and set aside to cool. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time to mix well. Stir in flour. Stir in nuts and chocolate. So easy!

Pour dough mixture into 13x9 pan prepared with parchment paper and non-stick spray.

Bake in 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Edges should be lightly browned. Let cool and cut.

Congo Bars Recipe

11 Tablespoons butter

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 (generous) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (generous) cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup pecans chopped

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in brown sugar,

Remove from heart and let cool approximately 10 minutes.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

To the sugar mixture, add vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time to mix well.

Stir in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Prepare a 13x9 pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan and bake @ 350 F for 30 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned.

Let cool and cut.

 

Do not overbake.

These bars are meant to be deliciously gooey!

John 3:16

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Peanut Butter and Banana Twinkies Cake Balls

So I'm getting ready to celebrate Valentine's day and I came up with this idea to mix in some peanut butter with banana Twinkies and then dip the whole thing in chocolate. I took them to church yesterday to share and get some reviews. Yay! Everyone loved them!

Y'all, these could not be any easier to make.

I thought I might have a hard time finding the banana Twinkies, but they had plenty in stock at our local Walmart.

I used one box of Banana Twinkies, 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, and one 10 oz. bag Ghirardelli chocolate wafers for dipping.

Unwrap all ten Twinkies and tear apart.

 Add in 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter and mash all together with a fork. 

I used a medium Pampered Chef cookie scoop to make my cake balls. I placed them a parchment lined pan to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

This recipe makes 14 cake balls.

Following instructions on the bag of Ghirardelli chocolate for microwave melting, heat at half power for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave at 15 second intervals and stir until smooth. Dip each cake ball in melted chocolate and place on parchment to set.

To decorate or not to decorate.

Let's decorate!

I'm using a few pink candy melts and Valentine sprinkles. 

Melt candy wafers, drizzle, and sprinkle!

Oh so sweet! 💟

Place in mini cupcake liners and a pretty container for the perfect Valentine's gift.

Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!

There is one perfect, true, and pure love and that love comes from Jesus!

John 3:16

Thank for stopping by!

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Granny Dunn's Famous Pecan Pie

Granny Dunn's Pecan Pie recipe has been around for over eighty years and I can't believe I finally got around to making it!

We all agree it was not THE pie she so lovingly made for so many years, but we also agree it was really good! And this was most assuredly just the first time I made it. There will be more!

Now, let's make pie!

Begin by combining sugar, dark syrup, and butter in saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, and salt until light and frothy. Add egg mixture to sugar mixture, stirring to combine.

Add pecans to your own unbaked pie shells.

I used deep dish shells, but I will use regular in the future.

Bake pies in a 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.

I baked mine for the full additional 40 minutes.

Full recipe ↴

Granny Dunn's Famous Pecan Pies

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

salt (I used 1/2 teaspoon)

3/4 cup dark syrup

2 large eggs

2 2/3 cup pecans (divided)

2 unbaked pie crusts

In a saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for two minutes.

Remove from heat, let cool.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, and salt until light and frothy.

Stir egg mixture into cooled sugar mixture.

Add 1 1/3 cups pecans to each of the two unbaked pie shells.

Dividing the pie mixture in half, pour over the pecans.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.

I baked my pies for the full additional 40 minutes.

Like I said, the pies were really good. But after tasting the pies, we were pretty sure she must have used sorghum syrup where I used dark Karo. I can't wait to try them with sorghum!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Today is 1.1.22, so I would like to wish you all a very Blessed and Happy New Year!

John 3:16

'til we sweet again, Karen💗

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Christmas is the time of year to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It's also a time for giving, and gifts given from the heart truly are the best. That is what I'm trying to do this year. 

This will be my first Christmas without my precious Mama, and I'm going way back to my childhood memories when Mama and Daddy would fill our stockings-which happened to be tube socks-with oranges, apples, tangerines, nuts, and candies. This will be the tradition that I will carry on with my family for every Christmas going forward.

My first-born grandson will be reading from Luke:2 on Christmas eve, which he began doing as soon as he learned to read.

There will be Christmas dinner and my goodness, there will be sweets. My Mama was the queen of sweets and whatever she made, it was delicious. These Cinnamon Sugar Pecans will be gracing the table along with many other goodies for the wonderful family which God has blessed me with. They are simple to make, taste yummy, and just make the house smell like Christmas! Let's make some!                                                      

You will need: pecan halves, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, cinnamon, corn syrup, and water.

Combine all ingredients except pecans in saucepan.

Cook over medium heat stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring to firm ball stage (246 degrees F.)

Once the candy reaches 246 degrees, remove from heat, add pecans, and stir well to combine.

Pour candy onto parchment lined pan using two forks to separate coated pecans.

I was so busy trying to get photos that I didn't get my nuts separated as quickly as I should have. But, still good!

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

3 cups pecan halves

Combine all ingredients except pecans in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until candy mixture reaches 246 degrees F. Remove from heat, add pecans and stir until well combined.

Pour onto parchment lined pan and using two forks, separate nuts. Let cool and enjoy!

Store in airtight container for two weeks, in the fridge for three weeks or up to two months in the freezer.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:1-20

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Painted Christmas Tree Cookies

Festive Christmas Tree Cookies all ready for the holiday table!

I made these cut-out sugar cookies by cutting them freehand, piping with royal icing, letting them dry completely, and painting with green food color mixed with a little vanilla extract. I used Twizzlers Pull N Peel candies and Christmas sprinkles for decorations.

I think they turned out kinda cute!

So sorry to sweet and run!

John 3:16

'til we sweet again, Karen 💗

Candy Filled Pumpkin Patch

It's a big day at Sugartown Sweets. We are celebrating 10 years of creating fun and yummy treats.

My love of sweets goes way back to as far as I can remember. Mama always had something delicious for Daddy and us girls waiting in the kitchen. Nothing ever lasted very long, so when she would begin cooking up another new treat or fresh batch of.. well, anything, I was right underfoot ready to lick the beaters or sample the cookie dough. These are some of my favorite memories with my precious Mama. 

She made cakes, cookies, candies, puddings, pies..really anything and everything with sugar. Maybe that's why my Mama was so sweet.

You sure are loved and missed, Mama.💕

I used a 12 ounce bag of (almost all of it) orange candy melts, pretzel sticks for stems, green icing for leaves, and M&Ms to fill my pumpkins.

I was going to use some green petal dust on my leaves, but I forgot!

Not pictured, chocolate chips.

This will make 7 pumpkins with one half left over.

I also used a 15 cavity hexagonal silicone mold, piping bags, and a leaf tip.

I filled my piping bag halfway with candy melts and melted them in the microwave in 30 second increments on 50% power. I kneaded the bag between each "zap" until melted and smooth.

Pipe melted candy into cavities and spread up the sides to the top. Tap pan on counter for air bubbles. Chill in fridge for 10 to 20 minutes.

Turn mold over and gently press out finished candies.

Fill half of the candy pumpkins with M&Ms.

Attach eyes and chocolate chips with a little melted candy. Using a Food Writer pen, draw fun smiles on your happy little pumpkins. Pipe leaf on top of pumpkins and attach a piece of pretzel stick to each.

I heated up a small pan on the stove to melt just the edges of the other half of the pumpkins and placed them on the filled halves to attach.

The cuteness! I've "Fall"en for them.😊

If you prefer them undecorated just leave them as is. Still cute.

I'm sure you've all heard of "punkin chunkin", but today, here at Sugartown Sweets, we are smashing ours to get to the sweet core of it! M&Ms..mmmm.😋

*************************

Mama was proud of all her kids and we were blessed to have her as our Mom.💕

I'm so thankful to know she had accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. We hold fast to the promise that we will see her again in Heaven some sweet day.

~Mama~

February 1944 - October 2021

John 3:16

"til we sweet again, Karen💗