Browse Tag by chocolate
No-Bake

Hot Fudge Sauce

I love ice cream and I love Hot Fudge Sauce. Hot Fudge and I are basically two peas in a pod. Especially when it is dripping down a bowl full of three or four big ol’ scoops of vanilla ice cream. I’m not a big fan of vanilla ice cream plain. I love it on top of a brownie or cobbler, but I’d much rather have something with a chocolate or even a fruity base if I’m eating it plain. Does it surprise you that my number one pick is any flavor that has both chocolate and peanut butter? However, I adore vanilla ice cream when it is dripping with Hot Fudge. It’s even better if there is a brownie on the bottom!

This has been my go-to Hot Fudge Sauce for years. My mom stumbled upon this recipe when I was a young teen and I’ve been making it ever since. It is super simple and can be ready to serve nice and quick-like. 

Hot Fudge Sauce from butterloveandcowboys.com

This recipe is the perfect consistency. I like a fairly thick sauce for ice cream. I would rather it be too thick than too thin. This version is thick enough it stick s a bit to the ice cream but thin enough it doesn’t harden once it’s placed on top of it.

There are a few Hot Fudge recipes in my arsenal. My Cowboy and I love them all. We rotate through each of them, but I always have a special place in my belly for this one. I would say I’ve always been a Hot Fudge addict, but this past year or so, I have not been restricting my intake to just ice cream. I’ve been eating it on brownies, cheesecake, fruit and anything else that I think it can possibly go with. And for whatever treat I don’t think Hot Fudge pairs well with, I use this caramel sauce.

Whoever came up with the idea that a little Hot Fudge Sauce goes a long way didn’t love it nearly as much as I do.

I have drenching problems.

Hot Fudge Sauce from butterloveandcowboys.com

Hot Fudge Sauce from butterloveandcowboys.com

Hot Fudge Sauce from butterloveandcowboys.com

For this sauce, I use 2/3 milk chocolate and 1/3 dark chocolate. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate alone, I much prefer the sweetness of milk chocolate. I love rich flavors though. So in order to get the sweetness of milk chocolate with the richness of dark chocolate, I pair the two together, with a higher ratio of milk chocolate. If you are a dark chocolate lover, go ahead and use as much dark as you like!

Now go on and drench your ice cream with this delicious sauce!

Hot Fudge Sauce
A quick and easy Hot Fudge Sauce that pairs perfectly with ice cream, but can be used for any treat you'd like to drench with chocolate!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 14 oz can sweetened, condensed milk
  2. 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
  3. 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  4. 4 tablespoons butter
  5. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  6. 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place sweetened condensed milk, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until melted. Don't let it scorch! Finish melting in any chocolate clumps by whisking. Add cream, if desired, for consistency. Add more if you want to thin out the sauce. Serve over ice cream or brownies. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
  1. Use any ratio of dark or milk chocolate chips you like! I prefer the flavor of milk chocolate with a little richness from the dark chocolate, so I add the dark chocolate chips. Sometimes I do 3/4 cup milk chocolate to 1/4 cup dark chocolate. Use what you prefer.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Cakes and Cupcakes

S’mores Cobbler

I love S’mores. Naturally, S’mores are meant for summer and summer is meant for S’mores. And you know what? I haven’t even had a single S’more this entire season! I credit that mostly to the heat. It’s been so hot the last thing we want to do is start a fire after the sun goes down. We even took a week-long camping trip in Glacier Park, but fire season has been so bad all fires were banned during our visit. So after our trip, to lessen the pain, I came home and made this S’mores Cobbler. 

Now all summer I have had this intense fruity cobbler craving. I have made several berry cobblers and loved every bite. Since I’ve been craving cobbler and I’ve been craving S’mores, why not put the two together? S’mores Cobbler is a tasty combination of the two treats.

S'mores Cobbler from butterloveandcowboys.com

S'mores Cobbler from butterloveandcowboys.com

S'mores Cobbler from butterloveandcowboys.com

Anything chocolate-y, fudge-y, oo-ey, goo-ey, and topped with ice cream has my name written all over it. S’mores Cobbler is just that! Not to mention we topped it off with a little homemade caramel sauce. A little extra hot fudge would be grand too!

S'mores Cobbler from butterloveandcowboys.com

S'mores Cobbler from butterloveandcowboys.com

Now, I really love S’mores, but what I love even more are homemade treats that incorporate the elements of a S’more. I just couldn’t let the summer slip by without sharing at least one such dessert.  S’mores Cobbler is a great way to end the season!

Recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen.

S'mores Cobbler
S'mores Cobbler is a chocolate-y, oo-ey, goo-ey dessert, perfectly topped off with ice cream.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 instant chocolate pudding packets (3.4 oz each)
  2. 2 1/2 cups cold milk
  3. 8-9 full size graham cracker sheets
  4. 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided
  5. 1 box devil's food cake mix
  6. 1/2 cup butter
  7. 4-5 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Whisk together pudding packets and milk. Place pudding in a greased 9x13 pan.
  2. 2. Spread graham cracker sheets evenly across the top of the pudding. You will have to break some of the sheets to evenly cover everything.
  3. 3. Sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate chips across the graham crackers. Next, pour the dry cake mix evenly over the chocolate.
  4. 4. Cut the butter into slices and spread evenly on top of the cake mix. Bake 23 minutes.
  5. 5. Remove from oven and gently stir in any dry cake mix. Sprinkle the top with mini marshmallows and then the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are toasted. Turn the oven light on or crack the oven and watch the marshmallows closely! I have over-toasted marshmallows way too many times under the broiler!
  6. 6. Serve warm and top with ice cream. You can also serve with caramel sauce or hot fudge, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/

 

No-Bake

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie is one of the BEST recipes to fill a chocolate and peanut butter fix. It is oh so creamy and oh so peanut butter-y, with a touch of chocolate. When I graduated college, my sister brought this pie to my graduation party. I immediately decided it just had to be the best darn Peanut Butter Pie I ever tasted. To this day, nothing has ever topped it. At least not for me.

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

This no-bake treat starts out with a graham cracker crust. I am all about Oreo crusts. I love them. Normally, I would suggest an Oreo crust for any dessert that had to do with chocolate or peanut butter. However, I don’t know what it is about this Peanut Butter Pie, but I just love it with that graham cracker crust. This pie is already perfect, so I just couldn’t bring myself to make it any other way.

Next we have an extremely creamy and smooth peanut butter filling. In my opinion, the filling is what makes this Peanut Butter Pie stand out above the rest. To finish, the chocolate ganache topping completes the pie in a way that nothing else could.

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Pie from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Pie is a great dessert for any summer gathering!

Peanut Butter Pie
A smooth and creamy peanut butter pie, topped with just the right amount of chocolate.
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For the crust
  1. *9 whole graham crackers OR 1 bought 10-inch graham cracker crust
  2. 1/3 cup sugar
  3. 1/2 cup butter, melted
For the peanut butter filling
  1. 1 cup cream
  2. 14 oz cream cheese
  3. 2 cups sugar
  4. 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  5. 2 teaspoons vanilla
  6. 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For the chocolate ganache
  1. 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  2. 1/3 cup cream
For the crust
  1. 1. If making your own graham cracker crust, crush the graham crackers. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together. Add the melted butter and combine.
  2. 2. Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Use the bottom of a cup to press it in well. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Let cool.
For the peanut butter filling
  1. 1. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  2. 2. Beat cream cheese and sugar well. Add peanut butter and vanilla, then mix. Gradually add the melted butter and combine. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Do not over-mix. Pour peanut butter filling into your graham cracker crust.
For the chocolate ganache
  1. 1. Heat the cream in the microwave until almost boiling. Pour over chocolate chips. Whisk until well combined. You may need to warm it in the microwave to melt completely.
  2. 2. Spread over the pie and chill until set, about 2-3 hours.
Notes
  1. If you use a bought graham cracker crust, don't use the regular 9-inch size, it has to be the 10-inch size or else it will overflow. The 10-inch size is 9 oz and usually says it makes two extra slices or servings.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Brownies and Bars

Peanut Butter Brownies

About 75% of the time when I ask My Cowboy what sounds good for dessert, he asks for Peanut Butter Brownies. A lot of the time I don’t even ask, because I know what his response will be. In preparation for this post, I asked him to verbalize how they rank on his list of favorite desserts. As no surprise to me, he says these are tied for first with a skookie (recipe coming soon)!

Peanut Butter Brownies are an important part of our life. My obsession with chocolate and peanut butter really began with this recipe. Reese’s had long been my favorite candy, and I always really liked the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but these really kicked my adoration for the two into gear. 

It all started on a Sunday afternoon, six years ago this spring. Is it weird that I remember that? Mostly I just remember it was shortly before I graduated high school. Plus this recipe is that memorable. A family friend from my hometown brought these Peanut Butter Brownies to share with the ladies in her Sunday class. That was where my mom and older sister tested them. Her daughter was my age and a good friend of mine. After church, she passed me in the hall with her Mom, who was carrying the leftovers. She shared one of these luscious, moist, peanut butter-y, delicious, fantastic, extraordinary brownies with me.

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

That same afternoon, once I got home, my Mom and sister informed me their lives had been changed just as much as mine by these brownies. Not only that, but we needed the recipe. We didn’t just want it, we absolutely, positively needed Peanut Butter Brownies. I called up my friend (the one whose mom made this batch of divinity) and asked for the recipe. She shared it and I made my first batch that afternoon.

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

In the months that followed, before I left for college, between my mom, my sister, and myself, we must have made Peanut Butter Brownies at least ten times. Fortunately, we all trained for a 5k that summer, or else these bad boys might have reconstructed our thighs.

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

Let’s talk a second about boxed brownie mixes. I like them, but prefer they have frosting, ice cream, or some mix-ins. I use them a lot in recipes like this, even though I won’t deny homemade are the best. For some reason though, I just like Peanut Butter Brownies best with a brownie mix. I don’t know why, I just do. So there. Use what you like!

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

In the last three or four years, these brownies have flooded the internet. There are many recipes out there and the most common title seems to be Buckeye Brownies, but I just can’t call them that. They have always been Peanut Butter Brownies to me and they always will be. 

Happy Friday! Go and make these quick 🙂

Peanut Butter Brownies
A moist brownie lathered with peanut butter frosting and topped off with a layer of chocolate!
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Ingredients
  1. -1 box brownie mix and the ingredients on the package, or your favorite brownie recipe
  2. -1/2 cup butter, soft
  3. -1 cup peanut butter
  4. -3 cups powdered sugar
  5. -1 teaspoon vanilla
  6. -milk, for consistency
  7. -12 oz milk chocolate chips
  8. -1-2 tablespoons Crisco
Instructions
  1. 1. Make box brownie mix according to directions on the back of the package for a 9x13 pan. Cool completely.
  2. 2. For the peanut butter frosting: Mix butter and peanut butter until smooth and well combined. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and combine. Add milk, as needed for consistency. I usually use about 1/4 cup. Spread on top of cooled brownies
  3. 3. Melt chocolate chips, with the Crisco, on top of the stove or in the microwave. If using the microwave, reduce the power to sixty percent, and melt in thirty second increments. Stir in between each thirty seconds. Carefully spread on top of the peanut butter frosting. Let sit until chocolate hardens. Serve and enjoy!
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
No-Bake

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

Heavenly Oreo Dessert is one of my personal, most loved dessert recipes. It is one of those things you can just eat, and eat, and eat, and eat, and eat, and eeeeeeeeeeeeeat. I always make it several times in the summer, as it is another trusty no-bake and oh-so-simple recipe. 

It comes straight from Mandy’s Recipe Box. I couldn’t even change a thing, because it is so perfect. When My Cowboy and I were engaged, Mandy lived in the community where my in-law’s live (also where we currently live). My Cowboy’s mama threw a bridal shower for me and asked everyone to bring a recipe to put together in a book for me. Mandy brought a cute little recipe card entitled “Heavenly Oreo Dessert”. 

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

It took me a while to rotate through the recipes I had been given, so I didn’t get around to making this recipe immediately. If I had known then what I know now, I would have placed Heavenly Oreo Dessert as top priority! Mandy explains on her site, there are other titles such as “Chocolate Lasagna” or “Oreo Delight”. However, I completely, totally, absolutely, 125% agree with Mandy, that the title Heavenly Oreo Dessert just fits this recipe best. It just does. 

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

Heavenly Oreo Dessert from butterloveandcowboys.com

 
Try it and see for yourself. It is nothing short of heavenly.

Heavenly Oreo Dessert
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Ingredients
  1. -1 package Oreo's
  2. -1/2 cup butter, melted
  3. -2 packages (3.9 oz each) instant chocolate pudding
  4. -3 1/4 cup milk
  5. -2 (8 oz each) containers Cool Whip
  6. -8 oz cream cheese, soft
  7. -1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. 1. Crush all Oreo Cookies in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin. I prefer to do it by hand rather than in a food processor because I LOVE the Oreo's in small chunks for this recipe rather than processed into crumbs. (Look at my photos to further reference the size or chunks I do). Set aside 1/2 cup Oreo chunks for topping (You can crumble these smaller since they are for garnish). Pour the rest of the crumbs into a 9x13 pan and pour melted butter on top. Mix by hand or with a spoon until well combined and press into the pan for the crust.
  2. 2.In a mixing bowl, mix together pudding packages and milk. Whisk until smooth. Place in the fridge.
  3. 3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined. Fold in one container of Cool Whip. Spread over the Oreo crust.
  4. 4. Pull pudding out of the fridge and stir. Place on top of the cream cheese layer. Next, spread the second container of Cool Whip and then sprinkle the leftover 1/2 cup of Oreo crumbs on the top.
  5. 5. Refrigerate about thirty minutes.. Keep refrigerated.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Cookies, No-Bake

Easy No-Bake Cookies

Easy No-Bake Cookies are everything that the title hints and more. These cookies have long been a favorite of both My Cowboy’s and mine. They are often requested when I ask him what sounds good for dessert. With so many recipes out there for this classic treat, it is hard to compete, but I tell you, this is my absolute favorite one! Proportionally, they couldn’t get any better if they tried. The chocolate to peanut butter ratio is simply perfection. 

Dry No-Bake Cookies have always been a bitter disappointment to me. No need to worry about these turning out hard and crusty. If the instructions are closely followed, they will turn out just right…every time. My seven-year-old nephew who lives across the road, you know, that cute little cowboy from my branding posts, has been known to search around my house for them. It makes my heart happy. On the occasions I’ve had to inform him we are out of No-Bake Cookies, he requests that I make them again.

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

After photographing these babies, I decided it’s really hard to make No-Bake Cookies appealing in photos. In all honesty, the are not the prettiest treat, but I sure tried my best to make them appear appetizing enough to tempt you 🙂

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

I’m a strong advocate of whole grains. At my house, we strive for the majority of our diet to be filled with them. When it comes to dessert making however, I totally loosen the reins. While a lot of things can, some things just can’t be replaced completely with whole grain flours and taste the same. Although No-Bake Cookies still have plenty of sugar, they also have great things like peanut butter and oats. Whole grain for the win! 

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

No-Bake Cookies from butterloveandcowboys.com

It’s getting to the point here that it’s just too hot to turn on the oven more than is absolutely necessary. The ease and No-Baked-ness of this recipe make them the perfect treat for this time of year!

Easy No-Bake Cookies
A simple and fast no-bake treat, with the perfect proportions of chocolate and peanut butter!
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Ingredients
  1. -4 tablespoons cocoa powder
  2. -2 cups sugar
  3. -1/2 cup butter
  4. -1/2 cup milk
  5. -1 cup peanut butter
  6. -2 teaspoons vanilla
  7. -3 cups old fashioned oats
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, bring cocoa, sugar, butter, and milk to a boil. Boil for one minute, then stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. Let sit until cooled.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Cakes and Cupcakes

Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Oh boy. You need this Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake in your life. It kinda looks all complicated and such but it’s not too bad. It even uses a box brownie mix to make life easier. In fact, the most labor intensive part of the recipe is waiting for it to freeze! I love frozen treats, but the patience of waiting for them to harden in the freezer can be a killer. I always come to the same conclusion though- anything worthwhile in this life is usually worth waiting for.

The original recipe comes from Life, Love, and Sugar. She is always making the most beautiful and tasty looking cakes!  I did decide to trade the Snickers and caramel for Reese’s and peanut butter. The original recipe using the Snickers looks totally drool-worthy, but I didn’t have enough Snickers for the cake. If any of you know me by now, you could maybe have guessed I always have a supply of Reese’s on hand. Thus, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake was born. 

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

We had our first mildly hot days this past week. Most days were about 75-80 degrees. Sunday is supposed to be 90. Yikes! My Montana blood doesn’t like 90 degrees. It dreads 90 degrees. I feel hot just thinking about it. Montana sure gets cold in the winter, but it sure is perfect in the summer! Generally speaking, the part of the state I hail from doesn’t top 80-85.  

If your neck of the woods is warming up as well, I highly recommend cooling off with this Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake! Try saying THAT five times fast. 

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

While the name is definitely a mouthful, once you taste Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake, you will want to keep the mouthfuls coming 😉

Reese's Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake
An ice cream cake starting out with a box brownie mix and turning into a splendid chocolate and peanut butter frozen treat!
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Ingredients
  1. *1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients on box
  2. 1/4 cup milk
  3. 8 oz cream cheese
  4. 1/2 cup sugar
  5. 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, divided
  6. 8 oz Cool Whip
  7. 2 cups hot fudge sauce (I prefer homemade)
  8. 12 Reese's Peanut Butter cups, chopped (full-size or snack-size)
Instructions
  1. 1. Make brownie batter according to the package directions. Grease two 8-inch pans. One of the pans should be a spring form pan, I used a cake pan for the other, but if you have two 8-inch spring form pans, that would be easiest. Keep in mind you will eventually build the cake in the spring form pan. Whichever pan has the brownie layer you intend to remove, may remove easier if it has a cake board and/or parchment paper. I used neither and just cut the brownie layer in fourths which worked just fine. Bake the brownie batter for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, at whatever temperature the box recommends. Cool completely.
  2. 2. For the ice cream mixture, mix milk, cream cheese, sugar, and 1 cup of peanut butter until completely combined. Fold in the Cool Whip, then 8 of the chopped Reese's.
  3. 3. Line the sides of the 8-inch spring form pan you used for one of the brownie layers with parchment paper. Make sure the paper reaches about 1-2 inches above the top of the pan. The cake will be a little higher than the pan.
  4. 4. In that same spring form pan, spread 3/4 cup hot fudge over the brownie. If needed for spread-ability, warm the fudge in the microwave until just liquid enough to spread, but not hot. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds, this should melt the peanut butter without getting it hot. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the peanut butter over the fudge. Top with half of the peanut butter ice cream.
  5. 5. Next, remove the second brownie layer from the pan it was baked in. As stated above, I just cut it in fourths and removed each piece. Place the brownie on top of the ice cream, hot fudge, and peanut butter layer. Once the cake was assembled, it was not at all visible that I had cut the second brownie layer. Top this layer with 3/4 cup hot fudge, and remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter. Place second half of the peanut butter ice cream on top. Freeze cake completely. I froze it overnight. I would recommend freezing at least 6 hours.
  6. 6. Once frozen, run a knife around the sides of the cake and remove the ring from around the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 4 Reese's. Drizzle the top with remaining hot fudge and more melted peanut butter for garnish. You may want to replace in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to harden the sauces on top. I like to slice my piece of cake and let it sit about fifteen minutes to soften. While not necessary, but super tasty, we also drizzled our pieces with a little homemade caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. *I recommend using a box brownie mix and not a homemade recipe. In my opinion, box brownie mixes are usually a bit more moist, even after days of sitting out than most homemade recipes. I think the texture of a box brownie mix works better for eating frozen as well. A homemade brownie might be more prone to drying out and harder to bite/chew since this cake is served frozen.
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Cakes and Cupcakes

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Chocolate Truffle Cake is one of my absolute favorite go-to cakes. I use this chocolate cake base for a lot of different recipes. However, the original recipe is topped with a most luscious chocolate chip frosting! This recipe came from my sister Jessie. She has soooo many fantastic recipes in her arsenal and this one is no exception. 

Last month I made this cake for my mother-in-law’s birthday. Actually, I made this Chocolate Truffle Cake twice for her birthday. In one day. You wanna know why? Because the first time I made it, I forgot one of the most key ingredients-the ingredient that just happens to make this one of the most moistest cakes on earth- sour cream! 

The other sad part is, I didn’t even realize I had forgotten it until I pulled it out of the oven. So I rushed to remake the cake in time for her birthday dessert and popped the incomplete, sour cream-less one in the freezer. I tasted it and it tasted fine so I figured I’d find a use for the flopped cake sometime in the future. 

Wanna know a secret? I despise boxed cake mixes. I can totally do box brownies, but not a cake mix, unless, like this recipe, it is totally souped up! Chocolate Truffle Cake uses a cake mix, pudding packets, and a few other simple ingredients, making this one of the quickest cakes to throw together in the history of birthdays.  I promise, no one will have a clue it all started with a cake mix! And you are talking to a cake mix hater 🙂

Chocolate Truffle Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Chocolate Truffle Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

 

Chocolate Truffle Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Chocolate Truffle Cake from butterloveandcowboys.com

Happy Birthday to you!

Although there’s no need to wait until your birthday to bake this beauty 🙂

Chocolate Truffle Cake
A beautiful and moist chocolate cake topped with the most luscious chocolate chip frosting!
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For the Cake
  1. 1 box chocolate cake mix
  2. 2 boxes chocolate pudding mix (3.4 oz each)
  3. 2 cups sour cream
  4. 1/2 cup butter, melted
  5. 5 eggs
  6. 2 cups chocolate chips (we prefer milk chocolate)
For the Frosting
  1. 1 1/2 cups sugar
  2. 1/2 cup milk
  3. 1/4 cup butter
  4. 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (we prefer milk chocolate)
  5. 2 teaspoons vanilla
For the Cake
  1. 1. Preheat oven at 325 F and grease a standard size bundt pan.
  2. 2. Combine cake and pudding mixes. Create a well in the middle and dump sour cream, butter, and eggs into the well. Mix together until very well combined. The batter will be very thick.
  3. 3. Add the chocolate chips and fold into the batter.
  4. 4. Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool ten minutes and flip onto a serving plate.
For the Frosting
  1. 1. In a medium size saucepan, bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil. Boil for 45 seconds.
  2. 2. Remove from heat and add in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Let cool ten minutes and spread over the cooled cake. Enjoy!
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Brownies and Bars, No-Bake

Peanut Butter Bars

There are a million different recipes out there for “Lunch Lady” Peanut Butter Bars. Well, these are the Peanut Butter Bars MY lunch lady made me from the time I was in third grade all the way up to my senior year of high school. Not only were these my absolute FAVORITE treat the school cooks made, but they were always served with my most loved main dish the school made as well-meatballs on steamed rice, dinner roll, and green beans! 

As if I wasn’t satisfied enough after the meal itself, I got to top it all off with these bars! Another thing about my school cooks- they were so generous. If they knew they were serving you your favorite meal, by-golly, they made sure to serve you up a good pile of it! Once you reached high school age, any dessert leftovers were free game after everybody had made it through the lunch line. My meatballs on rice was always accompanied by at least two, sometimes three or more, of these Peanut Butter Bars. I often went up for seconds or thirds! What a gluttonous teenager I was. Even now, it is hard for me to contain and ration myself if a pan of these babies are near.

 

Peanut Butter Bars from butterloveandcowboys.com

Another great thing about these bars is they are no-bake. We are coming up on summer where the days are too hot to want to turn on the oven. A lot of Peanut Butter Bars are of the baked variety. Until I was about eleven or twelve, I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as a baked Peanut Butter Bar. It was a bitter disappointment to me the first time I thought I was getting a Peanut Butter Bar just like the ones at my school, to see the hot pan being pulled out of the oven!

I have totally warmed up to baked Peanut Butter Bars, but when I think of a traditional Peanut Butter Bar, these are still the exact ones that I think of, crave, desire, and need-or whatever you wanna call it. Need probably fits the description best.

Peanut Butter Bars from butterloveandcowboys.com

The peanut butter filling in these bars- oh how I love it! My school topped these off with a homemade chocolate frosting, but I will use melted chocolate for the topping as well. 

Peanut Butter Bars from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Bars from butterloveandcowboys.com

Peanut Butter Bars from butterloveandcowboys.com

 

I promise these will make your school year. They sure always made mine.

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Peanut Butter Bars
A creamy no-bake Peanut Butter Bar that will satisfy your sweet tooth every time.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups peanut butter
  2. 3 cups powdered sugar
  3. 2 cups Rice Krispie's Cereal
  4. 1/2 cup butter, soft
*Chocolate Frosting
  1. 1/2 cup butter, soft
  2. 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  3. 2-3 cups powdered sugar
  4. 1/4 cup milk, for consistency
Instructions
  1. Mix peanut butter and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time until fully incorporated. Combine well. Fold in Rice Krispie's. Press into a greased 9x13 pan.
Chocolate Frosting
  1. Beat butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Add milk and beat until smooth and creamy, you may use more or less than the listed 1/4 cup. I like to beat my frosting at least 2-3 minutes after every ingredient is added, until it is very smooth, creamy, and slightly whipped. Spread over top of peanut butter layer.
  2. You probably won't need all of the frosting. Generally I like desserts pretty heavily frosted, but it really doesn't take much to make these great! Refrigerate any unused frosting. It's always good to have a little extra frosting on hand 🙂
Notes
  1. *I prefer the chocolate frosting, but you can also melt 2 cups of chocolate chips with a little shortening and use that as the topping instead of the chocolate buttercream. They taste great either way!
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
Brownies and Bars

Breakup Brownies

Breakup Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com
By | On April 19,17 | 0 Comment

These brownies. Where do I begin? Breakup Brownies are an outrageous mixture of two of my most favorite things in this world- chocolate and peanut butter. Wait, wait, wait! Breakup Brownies have FOUR of my most favorite things in this world- chocolate, peanut butter, Oreo’s, and Reese’s. You will literally want to eat these ’til the cows come home!

Breakup Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

These bad boys have become one of my most loved brownie recipes. On top of that, they are pretty simple. In between layers, there is some required cooling, but like I said, they are simple. 

There are various recipes for these bars and a lot of recipes entitle them “Crack Brownies”. I’ve got no beef with that name, but I have my reasons for liking the other. Some may scoff that when I married My Cowboy, I literally married one of the first guys I met when I went off to college, but I never had the heartbreak of a bad breakup. Score! Seriously though, I think if I were going through a breakup, my recovery would call for these. Therefore, I still dub them, “Breakup Brownies”.

Breakup Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

We begin with a boxed brownie mix. Sure you can be fancy and use the real thing, your own homemade recipe. However, if you add a few simple ingredients to a brownie mix you can end up with something practically like the real, homemade deal. 

Next, we add a full covering of Reese’s and Oreo’s.

To top it off, we melt milk chocolate chips and peanut butter, mixed with Rice Krispy’s and Oreo’s for a generous layer of deliciousness.

Breakup Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

So tasty. Let me repeat- SO TASTY!

Breakup Brownies from butterloveandcowboys.com

Get a load of that!

Another note is that I have made these in both a 8×8 inch pan and a 9×13 inch pan. If you use the former, be ready for a SUPER thick brownie, like the ones in these photos. If you use the latter, they are a pretty standard brownie size.  I don’t know that I liked either way better so I guess it would just depend how many people I was trying to stretch the brownies for.

Breakup Brownies
An outrageous combination of chocolate, peanut butter, Oreo's, and Reese's- all in one delicious brownie!
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For the Brownies
  1. -1 box brownie mix
  2. -1/4 cup milk
  3. -2 eggs
  4. -1/2 cup butter, melted
For the second layer
  1. -12 Reese's peanut butter cups, cut into quarters.
  2. -10 Oreo's, in chunks
For the topping
  1. -2 cups milk chocolate chips
  2. -1 cup peanut butter
  3. -1 tablespoon butter
  4. -1 teaspoon vanilla
  5. -1 cup Rice Krispie's Cereal
  6. -3/4 cup Oreo's, in small chunks
For the brownies
  1. *1. Preheat oven at 325 F. Grease an 8x8 inch pan. Combine the brownie mix, milk, eggs, and butter. Pour into greased pan. Bake for 50-52 minutes.
For the second layer
  1. 2. When you pull the brownies out of the oven, immediately place the Reese's peanut butter cups and the 10 chunked up Oreo's on top of the brownies. After 3-5 minutes, spread the melted Reese's and Oreo's with a knife. Let brownies cool completely.
For the topping
  1. 1. Place chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave using increments of thirty seconds. Stir between each thirty seconds. Continue until melted and smooth. Add vanilla and combine.
  2. **2.Add Rice Krispie's and Oreo's to the chocolate chip and peanut butter mixture.
  3. 3. Spread topping over cooled brownies and let set up completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
  1. *You can make this same recipe in either a 9x13 inch or 8x8 inch pan. The 8x8 inch pan will yield a very thick brownie like in these photos. Just make sure you adjust the baking temperature and time in correlation with the size of pan you use, according to the instructions on whichever brownie mix you have.
  2. **You can skip the 3/4 cup of Oreo's and just use 1 3/4 cup of Rice Krispies instead. Using the Oreo's makes for a pretty rich brownie but they are so good!
Butter, Love, and Cowboys https://www.butterloveandcowboys.com/
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