Checking the mail today I received 2 different cookie/candy swap party invites! That is so exciting yet a little daunting. Each year I always bring my rocky road fudge but try to add something new. So, I broke out my Mom’s cookbooks and recipe box. (Remember those….little boxes that set on every counter growing up as a kid!) Luckily when I am in a recipe rut Mom saves the day. I found her recipe for the nut cups she used to make. They were so good and I always wondered how she made them. Well, luckily Mom wrote it down! (Now, I am preaching….write your recipes down. Create a file on your computer or buy a journal. Start documenting your family favorites. I promise this will be a treasured memory for generations!) Ok, now back to candy and cookies!
Me and my Mommy
Dark Chocolate Nut Cups
2 pounds Vanilla Candiquick Bark, chopped
1 package Ghirardelli dark chocolate candy melts
1 package Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
2 cans Braum’s Virginia Party Peanuts
1 can Braum’s cashews
mini muffin cups
Place the peanuts and cashews in the bottom of a slow cooker bowl. Pour the chopped vanilla candy bark, dark chocolate candy melts, and bittersweet over the top of the peanuts. Put the bowl into the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for one hour. Stir after one hour. Allow to cook 30 more minutes. Move the slow cooker the LOW. Using a small cookie scoop, place a scoop full in each mini muffin cup. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to set up. Remove the candy cups and continue till all of the chocolate peanut mixture is used.
Peppermint Mocha Cookie Cups
1 package Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips
24 mini pretzels
1 cup peppermint mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini marshmallow pan with nonstick cooking spray. Separate the cookie dough into 24 balls. Press 1 ball into each muffin tin with an indention in the middle. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
To make the cocoa mugs:
Remove the cookie cups from the mini muffin tin. Melt the white chocolate chips and then pour into a ziploc bag. The handle of the mug is 1/3 of a mini pretzel. Simply break off the handle part of the pretzel and use the white chocolate piped into the bag to glue to the side of the cookie cup. Set the cookies and handles on a baking sheet to set.
To make the cocoa filling:
In a small saucepan, simmer the whipping cream and instant coffee. Add in the chocolate chips. Allow them to sit for a couple of minutes before stirring. Then stir till smooth. Pour the warm ganache into a small ziploc bag. Snip the end and fill each cup. Top with mini peppermint marshmallows.