Peppermint-Chocolate Brownies

Peppermint-Chocolate Brownies
By: Pillsbury Holiday Baking

4oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup butter
2 pkg (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 ½ cups sugar
5 eggs
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups crème de menthe baking chips (from 2-10oz bags)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9x13 glass baking dish. In 3-quart saucepan, heat baking chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, ½ cup of the sugar and 1 of the eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Set aside.

Into chocolate mixture, stir remaining 2 cups sugar, remaining 4 eggs and the peppermint extract. Stir in flour and salt until well mixed. Spread half of chocolate batter in pan. Drop cream cheese filling by teaspoons over batter. Carefully spoon and spread remaining batter over filling.

Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle evenly with baking chips. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes. For brownies, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store in refrigerator.

48 brownies

Merry Berry Wreath Cookies

Merry Berry Wreath Cookies
By: Pillsbury Holiday Baking

1 roll (16.5oz) Pillsbury Create ‘n Bake refrigerated sugar cookies
1 container (1lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
4-5 drops green food coloring
2 tubes (0.68oz each) red decorating gel
About 2 Tablespoons holiday red and green candy decors

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Cut dough into 12 slices, ¼ inch thick. On floured work surface, roll each into 6 inch long rope. On parchment paper lined baking sheets form into wreath shapes 2 inches apart, pint ends of each wreath together.

Bake 9-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining half of cookie dough.

In medium bowl, mix frosting and food coloring until well blended. Frost tops of cookies. With decorating gel, form bow at top of each wreath. Sprinkle with candy decors.

24 cookies

Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes

Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes
By: Pillsbury Holiday Baking

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts
48 (14oz) chocolate stars (or peppermint mini patties or chocolate kisses)

Sugar coating:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon red sugar (sprinkles)
1 Tablespoon green sugar (sprinkles)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and the vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed beat in flour, salt and nuts.

For each cookies, shape scant measuring Tablespoonful dough around chocolate stars to make 1 inch ball; place 2 inches apart on parchment paper covered pans.

Bake 12 minutes or until set and bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl mix sugar coating ingredients.

Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; roll in sugar coating. Cool completely on cooling racks, about 30 minutes. Roll in sugar coating again.

About 3 dozen cookies