Introducing: BOOKIES!!!

A Bookie: a combination of brownies and cookies. (Two of my favorite things.)

 

My excitement runneth over. Squeal!

I like to experiment in the kitchen, everyone knows that. But what you don't know, is that my experiments are controlled. I don't go throwing together random ingredients hoping things turn out well. I research, plan, premeasure and meditate over a recipe before I give it a test run. So this was a bit odd for me - and look how good it turned out.

To make your own Bookies. You will need one Pillsbury brownie mix (family size) and the ingredients called for on the back of the box. One 1/2 batch of my Back to School cookie recipe found here. You'll want to use chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms this time. Oh, I used a dark chocolate that was melty good. Lastly, you'll need square muffin pans.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Make the cookie dough according to the recipe. (Only make a half batch. Or, brainstorm, you could make a full batch, use half now and freeze the other half to bake later.)
3. Mix the brownies according to package directions.
4. Spray your square muffin pan with non-stick spray.
5. Fill each square 1/2 full of brownie batter.
6. Roll cookie dough in 1 inch balls. Squish the balls just a little and place on the top of the brownie batter in the pan. Repeat for each square.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or when the cookie dough is cooked through and the brownie starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
8. EAT!

You can eat them warm or cool. I couldn't wait to taste one so I ate one warm, but I found that I liked them better after they had cooled off. You can store them in an airtight container - if you have any left that is.

Brownie Mix

As you may have figured out, I go through baking supplies pretty quick. One thing I like to have on hand for the kids to mix together on their own is brownie mixes. My two oldest have learned how to read the instructions on the back of the box. Let me tell you, they can mix up a mean batch of brownies.

I've also found brownie mixes to be handy for those days when I need to throw something a little more ambitious together and don't want to make the brownies from scratch. Sometimes a mix works just fine.

I was feeling a little over the top the other day. I wanted to put together a brownie as rich as Uncle Scrooge. But I was out of mixes. I could have made from scratch, but instead I decided to mix up my own mix. I have several books with recipes in them. I perused the two best and ended up combining them to make the recipe below. I store the mix in an old hot cocoa can, but you could use a #10 can or tupper ware or just a zip lock bag.

As you can kind of see, I write the instructions for baking on the can. That way I don't have to pull out my book every time I want to make brownies and the kids can easily find the directions.


Brownie Mix:

2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 cups sugar
4 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (I uses a dark chocolate powder)

To make brownies:
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups brownie mix
1/4 cup water

Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl. Pour into an 8 inch greased and floured pan. Bake 30 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean) at 350 degrees.