Peanut Butter Pretzel M&M Cookies

I have had a bag of awesome pretzel m&m’s sitting around here for a while.
Picked at, little by little.
When I came across this recipe, I knew this was a good rid my pantry of them for good…

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 large bag of pretzel M&M’s
optional: Kosher or Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Cream together shortening, sugars, and peanut butter.
Add egg, vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl combine the salt, baking soda, and flour, then add to dough.
Using a spoon add in candy, being careful not to break them apart.
Using a cookie scoop or spoons, form into balls and place onto cookie sheets.
Use your fingers to flatten cookies just a little. 
If desired, sprinkle a little kosher or sea salt on top (Brings out the saltiness of the pretzels!)  
Bake 10 minutes.*

*My oven only took 8 minutes.

(I found the original recipe HERE)

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

I am a fan of Sugar Cookies, BUT they MUST meet the frosting requirement…
Orange. (Flavor, not color!)

When I saw this recipe… I HAD to give it a try.
(In fact, this is my new sugar cookie frosting recipe too!)

(recipe by Baked Perfection, photo by ME)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Add the vanilla; mix well. Add the flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick).
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Recipe makes approximately 30 cupcakes.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
zest of two oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons orange juice

Cream sugar, butter, orange zest, and vanilla.
Add 4 tablespoons of orange juice and beat until fluffy,
adding more if needed.

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

A quick and easy cheesecake, and an instant favorite!!
(I’ve made this twice this week…shared with friends!)

36 oreo cookies [divided]
1/2 cup butter or margarine [divided]
4 (8 ounce) packages philadelphia cream cheese [softened]
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
4 squares baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate

Directions
heat oven to 325 degrees F.
line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides of pan.
finely crush 24 cookies.
melt 1/4 cup butter; mix with crumbs.
press onto bottom of prepared pan.
beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended.
add sour cream and vanilla; mix well.
add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended.
chop remaining cookies. gently stir into batter; pour over crust.
bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set.
cool. microwave chocolate & remaining butter in microwaveable bowl on high 1 min; stir until smooth.
cool slightly; spread over top of cheesecake.
refrigerate 4 hours.
use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

original recipe here.