#47. Pillsbury Blitz, Part I: Sugar Cookie Truffles

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part I: Sugar Cookie Chocolate Truffles

Confession: These are aren’t my favorite type of truffles. I prefer this variety:

And while those that know me, know that I would, with minimal prompting, eating a whole savory truffle by itself, the sweet kind are infinitely more poppable. (And actually less likely to give me a sick stomach.)

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies 

• Chocolate-flavored candy coating

• Festive sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Shape each cookie into a ball; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

3. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown (center of cookies will be soft).

4. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Shape each cookie into a ball. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes or until completely cooled and firm.

5. Line a third (cool!) baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WATER IN BOWL OR CHOCOLATE WILL SEIZE.

7. Dip cookie balls, one at a time, into melted candy coating. Immediately decorate with candy sprinkles. Refrigerate truffles about 10 minutes or until coating is set. Store covered in refrigerator.
   

#38. Chocolate-Covered Halloween Sandwich Cookies

This blog post not sponsored by Nabisco.

I’m old enough to remember a time in which the only “limited edition” Oreos available were those that emerged in mid-September double-stuffed with orange (in color never in flavor) creme.

Orange is my favorite hue and Halloween, my favorite holiday. How could I not lust after these heavily processed yet insanely delicious cookies?

Each year I purchase a family-size package (hey, I have a husband and two cats—that counts as a clan) and nosh all month long. This year, I put aside a few cookies to make some chocolate-covered cookie sammies. Hey, not every recipe has to involve a lot of heavy-lifting.

Ingredients

• Halloween Oreos (or generic Halloween-theme chocolate cookie sandwiches if you have no soul)

• Melting chocolate (chocolate chips or bar)

• Halloween sprinkles

Directions

1. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals. Make sure bowl is absolutely devoid of any water or else chocolate will ‘seize up’ and fail to melt smoothly.

3. Dunk Halloween Oreos one by one in melted chocolate and place on wax paper.

4. Decorate immediately with theme sprinkles.

5. Cool in fridge until chocolate is hardened.