BAKED CHICAGO RECIPES

Double Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

 

• 24 OREO cookies, crushed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.  Mix crumbs and butter.  Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch foil-lined pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla with mixer until well blended.  Add chocolate and mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.  Pour over crust.

Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate 4 hours; use foil to lift cheesecake from pan.  Serves about 16 people.  Garnish with powdered sugar and berries just before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookies Recipe

• 48 dark chocolate kisses
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• additional granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Remove wrappers from chocolates.  Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.  Add brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat well.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.  Immediately press chocolate kisses into center of each cookie.  Cookies will crack around edges.  Remove from baking sheet to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

 

Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies Recipe

 

• 14 ounces sweetened, condensed milk
• 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 cups all-purpose biscuit baking mix
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red colored sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon green colored sugar

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Beat sweetened, condensed milk and peanut butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in baking mix and vanilla.  Stir in peanut butter chips, then set aside.

Stir together granulated sugar and colored sugars in small bowl.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Flatten slightly with bottom of glass.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until very lightly golden.  Cool slightly and remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Rugelach with Cocoa Nut Filling Recipe

 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups ground walnuts
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat softened butter and cream cheese in large bowl on medium speed until blended and smooth.  Gradually add flour, beating on low speed until well blended.  Divide dough into 3 equal parts.  Wrap individually in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until firm enough to roll.

Prepare cocoa nut filling by stirring together walnuts, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar and cocoa in a small bowl.  Stir in 3 tablespoons milk to make about 1 cup of filling.

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Roll one part of dough into 9-inch circle on lightly floured surface.  Cut circle into 12 wedges.  Place 1 teaspoon of prepared filling at wide end of each wedge.  Spread about 3/4 of the way up wedge.  Starting at wide end, roll toward the point.  Place cookies, point sides down, about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Brush with melted butter.  Stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon, and then sprinkle over cookies.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Cocoa Applesauce Bread with Vanilla Drizzle Recipe

 

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chunky applesauce
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Grease bottom of 9x5x3 loaf pan. 

Stir together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl.  Add shortening, eggs and applesauce - beating just until blended.  Spoon mixture into prepared pan.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Stir together powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth.  Drizzle over bread

Dreamy Lemon Squares Recipes

 

• 20 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cold
• 8 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Line 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, with ends extending over sides by 2 inches.  Mix wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in medium bowl.  Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press onto bottom of prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat Neufchatel cream cheese and granulated sugar with mixer until well blended.  Add eggs and 2 tablespoons flour.  Mix well, then blend in 1 tablespoon lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder.  Pour over crust.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until center is set.  Cool completely and then refrigerate for 2 hours.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest just before serving.

 
 

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies Recipe

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/3 cups toffee bits
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. 

Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with mixer on medium speed in large bowl until well blended.  Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Beat until blended. 

Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut with spoon.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheets.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool one minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

 

Fall Harvest Honeycrisp Apple Crumble Recipe

• unsalted butter for baking dish
• 3 pounds Honeycrisp Apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 12 ounces cranberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Butter 9x13 baking dish.  In large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, sugar, 3 tablespoons of flour, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice.  Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with topping.

To make topping, combine in large bowl cold butter with 2/3 cup flour, oats, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Using electric mixer, beat on low until coarse crumbs form.

Bake until topping is browned and juices are thick (about 55 to 60 minutes).  Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Halloween Blondies Recipe

 

• 1 cup butter, melted plus more for pan at room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup each orange, yellow and brown M&M peanut candies

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Brush 8-inch baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper.  Leave 2-inch overhang on two sides.  Butter parchment paper.

In large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and salt.  Stir just until moistened.  Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.  Arrange candies in 12 rows on top of dough.

Bake until top of cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 45 to 50 minutes).  Set pan on wire rack and let cool completely.  Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to cutting board (cut into 16 squares). 

Raspberry Puffs Recipe

• all-purpose flour for work surface
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 3 cups raspberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.  On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 10x12-inch rectangle.  With sharp knife, trim edges and cut pastry into eight 3x5-inch pieces.  Place pastry on large baking sheet and refrigerate until firm (about 15 minutes).

Transfer sheet to oven and bake until pastry is puffed and golden (12 to 15 minutes).  Let cool, then split each pastry horizontally.

In bowl, mash raspberries and sugar with fork until juicy but still chunky.  Spread mascarpone on pastry bottoms.  Top with raspberry mixture and pastry tops.