Linda Huang: A Profile, and Recipe for Frau Brownies

CakeSpy Note: Remember that amazing "So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?" Contest?Well, with the winner's trip to Seattle coming up, I thought I'd take some time to focus on several of the finalists and profiling them and their recipes. Let's get to know Linda and her Frau Brownies:

What does being a CakeSpy mean to you? Being a CakeSpy means that I've been recognized as someone who has an unhealthy appreciation of sweets, and thank goodness there are more of you guys out there (you guys wouldn't judge me for baking a batch of cookies the night before an exam, right?). It also means that I have an amazing group of family, friends, and pharmacy classmates that helped me get this far in the contest. Thank you all.

How did you dream up this dessert? To be honest, I am not the original creator of Frau brownies. I have a friend at Purdue who raved about these magical "Frau brownies" from his high school. I asked for the recipe, made my first batch for his birthday, and have been making them for friends ever since. The real creator of Frau brownies is a local German teacher. I met her for the first time the day after I found out I was a CakeSpy finalist, and she's just as sweet as the Frau brownies she created. I asked her what her inspiration was, to which she responded "Hmmmm, the inspiration, I guess, was decadence and seeing how much richness I could put in each bite… My daughter loves Rice Krispie treats. My husband and I love chocolate. We all are crazy about peanut butter. My mom would always make treats with melted chocolate chips and butterscotch bits together with something salty like pretzels or potato sticks. Just figured everything would go together well!!!" She's amazing, right?

Cake or pie? My gut reaction is to say cake. A good piece of pie can be so hard to find these days. Cake can also be portable (cupcakes!!), so that's a big plus for me.

What would be your "last meal" dessert? The cinnamon caramel donuts at Rise 'N Roll in Middlebury. I've never really cared for donuts until  a co-worker brought these to work last summer. They are pillowy clouds of heaven that melt in your mouth. No joke.

Frau Brownies

Yield:one 9x13 inch pan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 family-size box brownies, baked “cake-style” (usually with 3 eggs)
• 1 7 oz container marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• about 7 cups rice crispies

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare brownies in a 13x9 inch pan as per instructions on the box to bake more “cakey” brownies. This usually means using 3 eggs instead of 2 eggs.
2. Allow brownies to cool completely.Slightly warm the marshmallow fluff , then spread the fluff onto the brownies until covering every nook and cranny.
3. Gently melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together. Swirl in the peanut butter. Mix in the rice crispies one cup at a time into the chocolate, butterscotch, and peanut butter mixture. Pat the mixture on top of the fluff and allow to cool and harden.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

It's time to hit the bars. No, I don't mean to drink mai tais. I mean bar cookies, and boy are these ones good-looking: Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars.

They're a finalist in the upcoming Pillsbury Bake-Off, invented by Becky Pifer of Blanchard, MI, who says "Create ultimate bars in an easy way, starting with refrigerated cookie dough. Toffee, nuts, butterscotch and chocolate all rolled into layered goodness." That's a whole lot to love in just one bar.

Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars

Makes 36 bars 

• 2 rolls Pillsbury® refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
• 3/4 cup Heath® Bits 'O Brickle toffee bits
• 1 cup Reese’s peanut butter baking chips
• 1 3/4cups Fisher brand Nut Topping
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
• 1 bag (11 oz) butterscotch baking chips
• 1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan (dark pan not recommended) with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In large bowl, break up 1 1/2 rolls of cookie dough. (Refrigerate 1/2 roll cookie dough for another use.) Add toffee bits, peanut butter chips, 1/2 cup of the nut topping and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Press evenly in bottom of pan.
2. Bake for 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butterscotch chips on High 2 to 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth.
4. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups nut topping; press in lightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered.

Allyson Dwyer's Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles

CakeSpy Note: Remember that amazing "So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?" Contest? Well, with the winner's trip to Seattle coming up, I thought I'd take some time to focus on several of the finalists and profiling them and their recipes. Let's get to know Allyson Dwyer and discover her recipe for Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles!

What does being a CakeSpy mean to you? Being a CakeSpy means keeping your eyes open for the most unique and interesting of baked goods, and making sure to try them! I'm always super excited to find and make things that I think to be new flavors that totally change what you think baking can be. Like cookies that have fruity pebbles in them in NYC, or vegetable flavored ice cream in Baltimore, or a garam masala scone at my favorite bakery in NJ. Finding these things, plus making your own versions, is being a CakeSpy!

How did you come up with your amazing dessert entry? Going along with my CakeSpy philosophy, that is how I dreamt up enhancing one of my favorite treats: cakeballs. My friend introduced Red Velvet cakeballs to me, and ever since she told me how to make them, I have make many versions like pistachio, vanilla, orange, halloween-themed. They are so much fun to make! And stuffing them with a surprise in the center seemed like the next logical step to making them even better.

Cake or Pie? I have always been a cake person. Cake is so versatile, it can be so many flavors both within the cake, and the frosting, what you put in the layers or on top. Pie is delicious but its form doesn't all low for all the change cake does. Plus, I have more fun making a huge decadent cake for special occasions.

What would your "last meal" dessert be? Either my family's recipe for Irish Soda Bread with marmalade on top, or something from my favorite bakery of all time, The Flaky Tart, in Atlantic Highlands NJ. They have the best cinnamon buns, the best muffins, the best scones and brownies and pastries. They can't be beat and I can eat myself to death with their amazing treats!

Here's her recipe:

Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles

• 1 Box of Funfetti Cake Mix
• Vanilla Buttercream
• (1 cup unsalted butter softened, 3-4 cups confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons cream, a pinch of salt)
• 1 Recipe of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, for stuffing
• (3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup of unsalted butter softened, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg, 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups chocolate chips)
• Peanut Butter Cups, Chocolate Caramels, or anything you'd love stuffed into your cake ball
• White chocolate chips 
• Rainbow sprinkles for decoration

Directions:

1. Make cookie dough in advance: cream butter with sugar, and add egg, and extract. Add dry ingredients until well combined, and fold in chocolate chips. Let chill in the fridge for a while because it will be easier to work with. 
2. Bake cake as directed for your funfetti. While cake is baking, make frosting by combining sugar and butter, and adding the vanilla and cream and salt until combined and fluffy. When cake is done in oven, let cool completely.
3. When cake is cooled, crumble with hands, and spoon in tablespoons of frosting at a time and stir. You will have to use your hands to fully combine the two, but do not add all the frosting because you do not want it to be mostly frosting. 
4. Prepare a baking sheet and place a piece of wax paper, and set out your items for stuffing the cakeballs. Then (and you can eyeball the amount) scoop up a small amount of cake/frosting mixture and form half a circle. Then you can place anything you with (such as a small chunk of cookie dough, rounded out, or peanut butter cup) within. Then pick up more cake/frosting mixture and cover completely. Make sure shape looks round, and place on the baking sheet.
5. Once done, place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two. Once at a cold, solid temperature, melt white chocolate. Dip frozen cakeballs in the chocolate, making sure to let excess come off, and place back on baking sheet/wax paper, and throw some sprinkles on!
6. Place in fridge to let chocolate settle, and that's it!

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

 Now, this sounds tasty: "crusty French loaf slices hide the surprise creamy chocolate chip pocket in French toast, topped with a warm, tart cherry sauce. Mmm."

And who do we have to thank for this sweet contribution to society? Beverly Weaver Rossell of Morgantown, Indiana, that's who: her recipe for Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast is a finalist in this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off! Now, I should note: it wasn't strictly necessary for me to add googly eyes to the picture, but it was awfully fun to do.

Here's the recipe.

Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast

• 1can Pillsbury® refrigerated crusty French loaf
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (from 13.66-oz can)
• 1 LAND O LAKES® Egg
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips (from 11.5-oz bag)
• 1/2 cup Fisher® Roasted and Salted Almonds, chopped
• 1 jar (12 oz) Cherry Preserves
• 3 tablespoons Butter

Garnish, if desired

• Flaked coconut
• Fresh mint leaves

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with Crisco® Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place dough, seam side down, on cookie sheet. Using sharp knife, cut 5 diagonal 1/2-inch-deep slashes on top of dough. In small bowl, beat together coconut milk and egg. Lightly brush top and sides of loaf with egg mixture; refrigerate remaining egg mixture.
2. Bake 24 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer loaf to cooling rack. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and almonds; set aside.
4. Using sharp bread knife, cut thin slice off each end of loaf; discard. Cut loaf into 8 thick slices. Cut each bread slice crosswise down center to within 1/4 inch of bottom to form pocket. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each pocket. Press gently to close.
5. Dip stuffed slices in reserved egg mixture. Spray 12-inch skillet generously with Crisco® Butter Flavor Cooking Spray. Cook slices over medium-high heat about 4 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown.
6. Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium heat, stir together cherry preserves and butter until mixture is warm and butter is melted. Serve French toast slices topped with warm cherry mixture. Garnish with coconut and mint.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Carrot Cake Tart

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

Laura Majchrzak of Hunt Valley, Maryland, is clearly a genius. Need I say much more than the blessed, wonderful, lovely words "Carrot Cake Tart"?

As Laura puts it, "Love carrot cake? Love pie? Bake them together in an ultimate dessert with cream cheese frosting and over-the-top caramel drizzle!"

Carrot Cake Tart

Serves 12

For the tart

• 1Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
• 1/4cup LAND O LAKES® Unsalted Butter, melted, cooled slightly
• 1cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3cup light corn syrup
• 2LAND O LAKES® Eggs
• 2/3cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2cups shredded carrots
• 1/2cup raisins
• 1/2cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Pecans

Frosting

• 2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened  
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Garnish

• 12 whole Fisher® Praline Pecans
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s® caramel syrup
• 12 carrot curls, if desired*

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place large cookie sheet on middle oven rack. Unroll pie crust; place in ungreased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press crust firmly against bottom and side of pan; trim edges.
2. In large bowl, beat 1/4 cup melted butter, brown sugar and corn syrup with electric mixer on medium speed until blended; beat in eggs until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed until blended. Stir in carrots, raisins and chopped pecans. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of crust-lined pan. Place tart on cookie sheet in oven.
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set and deep golden brown. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Remove side of pan; place tart on serving plate.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter with electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat on low speed until creamy. Frost cooled tart. Place praline pecans evenly around edge of tart. Refrigerate 1 hour.
5. To serve, cut into 12 wedges. Drizzle each serving with 2 teaspoons caramel syrup; garnish each with carrot curl. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Butternut Squash Brunch Braid

Image: Pillsbury Bake-OffCakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

I'll confess: I was on the fence about whether or not to include this one in the "sweets" category--but then again, like so many brunch dishes, it straddles that border of sugar-meet-savory, and ultimately the excess of the dish made me want to include it. Butternut squash soaked in sugar and bacon and wrapped in decadent pastry? Yes, please.

As inventor Natalie Edwards of Boxborough, MA says, "You're invited to a fabulous brunch! Braid and bake an easy crescent dish with a savory onion, squash and Parmesan filling." Invitation accepted!

Butternut Squash Brunch Braid

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2cups cubed (1/2 inch) seeded peeled butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon Crisco® 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
• 4 slices bacon, chopped (about 4 oz)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 1 can Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white, beaten

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, combine squash, olive oil, brown sugar and pepper; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into ungreased 15x10-inch pan with sides.
2. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until squash is light brown on edges and tender when pierced with fork. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
3. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon pieces to paper towels. Add onion and thyme to bacon drippings in skillet. Cook and stir onion over medium heat until onion is brown and softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon.
4. Spray large cookie sheet with  No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 12x8-inch rectangle. Spoon onion mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top onion with butternut squash; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press ends to seal. Brush with egg white.
6. Bake at 375°F 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 6 slices.

Everyone's Irish: Chocolate Irish Cream Pie for Serious Eats

Chocolate cream pie is undoubtedly a thing of beauty, especially when it is encased in a chocolate cookie crust. But when a celebration is in order, you can make it even better by adding a little bit of booze. A simple splash of Irish cream gives this already delicious triple chocolate pie an intoxicating upgrade, adding a creamy and slightly bracing (in a good way) flavor contrast.

Not into alcohol? Not a problem. Simply skip the strong stuff in favor of heavy cream sprinkled with a shake of cocoa powder, or whip up a batch of non-alcoholic Irish cream.

Between the buzz of the spirits and the sugar high from the chocolate, one slice of this pie may find you doing an Irish-style jig.

For the full post and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Nutty Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

Image: Pillsbury Bake-OffCakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

It's time to get nutty--in the most delicious cookie sort of way. This recipe for Nutty Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies is perfect for the days leading up to St. Patrick's Day. As Anita Van Gundy of Des Moines, Iowa says, "Infuse sugar cookies with coffee shop flavors and a creamy, dreamy frosting.". A delicious finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off!

Nutty Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

Makes 20 cookies

• 1package Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s® baking cocoa
• 4 tablespoons Irish cream-flavored coffee syrup or Irish cream-flavored creamer
• 1 1/4 cups Deluxe Mixed Nuts, chopped
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Unsalted or Salted Butter
• 1/2teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In large bowl, mix cookie dough, cocoa and 2 tablespoons of the flavored syrup with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Stir in 3/4 cup of the nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
2. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, remaining 2 tablespoons flavored syrup, vanilla and enough milk for desired frosting consistency with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth.
4. Frost cooled cookies; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts. Store loosely covered.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Orange Cream-Chocolate Tarts

Image: Pillsbury Bake-OffCakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

Riddle me this. When a creamsicle and a fudgesicle and a pie all come crashing together, what do you get? 

Probably something like these orange cream chocolate tarts, a sweet invention by Lenore Klass of Koloa, Hawaii, whose creation is a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off this year.

As Lenore puts it, "Wow! Here's an individual dessert guaranteed to dazzle! Flaky pastry holds a hidden chocolate layer topped with a creamy orange filling."

To which I respond: "Wow! Get in my mouth, you beautiful thing." Here's the recipe. 

Orange Cream-Chocolate Tarts

Makes 6 tarts

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water  
• 4 Egg Yolks, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
• 1box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips

Procedure

1. In small bowl, soften gelatin in cold water. In 2-quart heavy saucepan, stir together egg yolks, sugar, 1 tablespoon of the orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Cook over low heat, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, gelatin and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla; stir until butter is melted. Fill large bowl with ice water; place saucepan in water. Cool egg mixture, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until thickened.
2. In medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped cream; refrigerate. Carefully fold orange mixture into remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate while preparing tart shells.
3. Heat oven to 425°F. Cover outsides of 6 (6-oz) custard cups or ramekins with foil; spray with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place cups upside down on 15x10-inch pan with sides. Unroll pie crusts; roll each into 12-inch round. Using 4 1/2-inch scalloped or round cookie cutter, cut 3 rounds from each crust. Place dough round over back of each custard cup, pressing dough to fit around cup. Prick dough several times with fork.
4. Bake shells 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove shells from cups; place open side up, on cooling rack.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and remaining 1 tablespoon butter on High 10 to 20 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Brush thick coating of chocolate mixture over bottom and up side of inside of each shell. Let stand 5 minutes or until set.
6. Evenly divide orange filling among shells. Top tarts with reserved whipped cream and remaining 1 tablespoon orange peel. Refrigerate 1 hour (filling will be soft). Store covered in refrigerator.

Chocolate Monster Cookies from Baking Basics and Beyond

Image: Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat SinclairI'll just say it: Baking Basics and Beyond: Learn These Simple Techniques and Bake Like a Pro wasn't the most immediately engaging book title to this sweet spy. It sounded slightly generic.

But when I received the book, which had a blurb saying "This is a great book" by pastry royalty Gale Gand, I figured I shouldn't judge a book by its title (the cover image, to be sure, was pretty appealing).

And when I got to the recipes, which were easy to follow and understand, and yielded consistently good results, I figured it was time to tell you-all about the book.

And here's one of my favorite recipes I've tried out so far: Chocolate Monster Cookies. As the headnote says, "we call these 'dishpan' cookies at my house because if you make the whole recipe, you need a dishpan to mix all the ingredients (or a very large bowl)." Now that's a batch of deliciousness!

Here's the recipe, which makes 32 jumbo cookies.

Chocolate Monster Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups quick-cook oats
• 2 cups cornflakes, slightly crushed
• 2 cups semisweeet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, M&M's, or a combination of the three

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a very large bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add vanilla and eggs; mix well.
4.  Reduce speed to Low and add the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until dough forms.
5. Scrape dough back into the very large bowl. Add the oatmeal, cornflakes, and chips and stir until well mixed. 
6. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop or cup measure, drop dough onto cookie sheets. 6 cookies will fit per sheet.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until set in the center and edges are lightly browned. For softer cookies, reduce bake time slightly. The cookies will still look moist in the center when done. Cool cookies for 1-2 minutes on the sheet before placing on wire racks to cool fully.
8. These cookies should be stored loosely covered at room temperature.