This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®.
The opinions and text are all mine.
I am the first to admit, the holiday season can be a bit overwhelming. Especially once you have kids. There are multiple families to visit, programs to attend, gifts to buy, the list is endless. This is all on top of just keeping up with the normal everyday to-do's.
I get it. It's hard!
With all the craziness, I was happy to connect with Betty Crocker® and their #bakingwithbetty campaign to show you, my readers, ways to instill holiday traditions without the stress and hassle. It's important to create these family traditions, as trust me, they are the ones your kids will remember, long after you are gone.
In my house growing up and in our house now, holiday baking is a staple. It just does not feel like Christmas if there isn't a tray on the counter or one that can be pulled from the freezer is a jiffy come the month of December.
But, here's the thing. Baking can be an event. It's a bit tedious. Although, I love baking I know many, many, many of you don't. It's a science! Forget one ingredient and it can throw the whole process off. That for many reasons is why some shy away from it.
But, as always, Betty Crocker® to the rescue. Their dry cookie mixes make it darn right simple to throw a batch of cookies together in under an hour.
I went to Walmart with my little cookie herself and picked up a few Betty Crocker® mixes, both in Peanut Butter and Sugar Cookie.
She was a bit enamored with the bags, not letting them out of her tight grip! Maybe she knew they would soon turn into her favorite treat, cookies? Maybe she knew that when she would have a rare fussy moment at home I could bribe her with a treat?
I'm not above doing that by the way. We all have our moments.
When we got home I immediately knew what two cookies we would be making. The traditional Peanut Blossom, that I grew up making with my mom and a new Twix Cookie that seemed simple enough, and taste just like everyone's favorite candy bar.
I set my 4 year old to work unwrapping those chocolate bits of goodness {as that was my job when I was younger} and she took it to heart. Check out those perfectly lined up kisses!
Be still my OCD baking heart.
Betty Crocker's ® baking mixes are so darn easy to throw together. Dump the mix in the bowl, add in the required ingredients and stir! That is it. No measuring dry ingredients and praying you've got it right.
This peanut butter cookie dough turned soon turned into this...
I used my mini muffin tins, which are perfect for bite-sized portions. Once the cookie comes out of the oven, a chocolate kiss is pushed down into the hot cookie immediately and the two form into one. Letting them cool for at least 5 minutes will allow this morsel to pop out pretty easily.
You can also make traditional Peanut Blossoms by not putting the dough into a mini muffin tin and making regular cookies, but I enjoy these - they are just the perfect bite.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
1 pkg. Betty Crocker® Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
1 egg
2 T. oil
2 T. water
1/2 additional peanut butter {optional}
1 bag chocolate kisses
1. In a bowl combine the dry mix and remaining ingredients. Stir to form a cookie dough.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 36 count mini muffin try with cooking spray.
3. Taking a heaping spoonful of dough, roll into a ball and place in the muffin tin.
4. Bake for 8- 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and immediately push down a chocolate kiss in the center of the cookie.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and allowing to fully cool on a wire rack.
7. Keep in a plastic container for storage or freeze for up to 1 month.
Now, wait! We weren't done yet.
Sugar cookies, as you know, are a holiday cookie staple. Everywhere you go you see some version of them. My mom and I use a dynamite sour cream sugar cookie homemade recipe when time allows, but when it doesn't?
Better Crocker Sugar Cookie® mix it is.
I've had dreams of making a cookie taste like one of my favorite candy bars - the iconic Twix - for awhile now. I've finally done it! And it was easy. Super, super easy.
Twix Cookies
1 pkg. Betty Crocker® Sugar Cookie Mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 egg
3 T. flour
1/2 bag of caramel melting bits {1 cup}
2 T. water
1 c. chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl mix together cookie mix, melted butter and egg to form a dough. Place dough in plastic wrap, flatten and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 in. thickness. Using a circle cookie cutter, cut out 12 large circles, placing them on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set and very slightly golden. Place on a wire rack to cool.
5. In a small sauce pan, place caramel bits and water over low heat, stirring until melted. Drop caramel by the spoonful onto the cookies, spreading evenly.
6. In the same sauce pan, melt the chocolate chips over very low heat, stirring until melted. Drop by spoonfuls over the caramel on the cookies.
7. Allow the caramel and chocolate to harden and set. Once set, they can be stored in an airtight container or frozen up to 1 month.
Alright moms, can we do this?
YES. The answer is yes. Let's 'Spread Cheer with Simple Surprises'. Buying these affordable, convenient cookie mixes will allow time with your kids, creating a no fuss holiday tradition that they will for sure remember for years to come.
How about a .50 cent off coupon to get you started? Find it HERE.
I box mine up with a bit of ribbon and give them to family and friends. Who doesn't love receiving home baked cookies?
These two simple holiday cookies are the answer to your busy holiday season!
How are you spreading holiday cheer this season?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. The opinions and text are all mine.
