Brownies are my favorite go-to last minute dessert. They’re easy, everyone likes them, and they are delicious. It’s hard to improve on the original warm, chewy goodness of a classic chocolate brownie, but this rocky road version can definitely compete. Marshmallows and chocolate chips are added to create a sinful treat. Serve them warm with vanilla ice cream and these rocky road brownies will become your go-to dessert favorite.

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks butter. softened
1 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 c flour
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 c chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Combine butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and slowly add to the butter mixture.

4. Fold in marshmallows and chocolate chips.

5. Spread in a 13×9 baking dish and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the center is set.

6. Let cool before cutting into bars.

Chocolate covered pretzels offer a delicious marriage between sweet and salty sensations. When you’re not purchasing the decadent selections at Chocolate.com, you can create homemade pretzels dipped in chocolate with your own creative decorations. From simple embellishments to elaborate treats gift-wrapped for loved ones, consider the following ways to decorate chocolate-covered pretzels.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Recipe

Before you get started on decorating your sweet treats, you may need an easy recipe to follow. Gather 1 package chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon shortening, and pretzels (mini, regular, or rods). Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler over medium heat. Stir the mixture until smooth. Some people prefer to use a microwave to melt the chips – just make sure not to overheat and stir every 30 seconds. Allow the chocolate to slightly cool. Dip pretzels in chocolate and place on trays covered with waxed paper. Chill if needed.

Decorating Ideas

Spice up your chocolate covered pretzels with the following suggestions:

1. Chocolate Variety: Alternate the kinds of chocolate on your pretzels by drizzling white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. Not only does this make an inviting display of sweetness, but also offers a variety of flavors for your taste buds.

2. Nuts: Try plunging your chocolate covered pretzels in a bowl of crushed nuts or sprinkle on after a dip. A couple of suggestions include almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts.

3. Coconut: Add a bit of extra crunch by rolling dipped pretzels in toasted, shredded coconut.

4. Peanut Butter: Chocolate and peanut butter go together well. Before dipping your pretzels in chocolate, spread on a thin layer of peanut butter.

5. Sprinkles: Before the chocolate sets on your pretzels, get colorful with a rainbow of sprinkles. Use red, white and blue sprinkles to celebrate Fourth of July in style. Red and green make fabulous Christmas treats. Pastel-colored sprinkles make delightful Easter pretzels.

After decorating your chocolate covered pretzels, store them in an airtight container. Place layers of waxed paper between the pretzels to keep from sticking to one another.

There can be no more flavourful combination worthy of tickling your taste-buds than the classic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate. It is, in a word, perfection, and the very thought of such a wonderful partnership is enough to make your mouth water with anticipation.

So how can we get this delightful culinary treat on the go, short of grabbing a spoonful of peanut butter, slathering it in chocolate sauce and running out the door? Why, with the compactness of a cookie of course! Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies – the salvation of any desperate sweet tooth. This handy little recipe, compliments of Easy-Cookies.com.

The Things You’ll Need:

Courtesy of SanFranAnnie

1/2 cup butter (softened or melted)
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup peanut butter (the creamier, the better)
2 eggs and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (but nobody will scold you if you throw in a bit extra)

The Things You’ll Need to Do:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Mix together butter, both sugars, salt and peanut butter (mmm!)
3. Add in the eggs (beaten), vanilla, flour and baking soda.
4. (The best part!) Add in the chocolate chips.
5. Roll the dough into generous dollops and place onto a greased cookie sheet, making sure to space them evenly apart.
6. Flatten, either with the palm of your hand, a spoon, or the bottom of a glass.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Hey presto! Allow to cool, and you’re done!  Easy as pie, but delicious like a cookie!

Courtesy of yuichi.sakuraba

What with juggling three jobs, a rambunctious puppy and life in general, I find myself turning more and more to the kind folks at Kraft Canada for some simple, yet delicious under 10 minute dessert recipes.

And even though these desserts are not technically ‘made from scratch’ (because they simply combine preexisting products) they are still a delightful way to end any meal. They are also great afternoon snack standby, easy and effortless to whip up when your sugar levels decide to dive.

Take, for instance, the ‘Mix It Up Pudding.’

You need 2 cups of cold milk and a package of instant jello pudding. Mix the two together, then decide on your toppings.

Possible Combinations:

1. If you want to go the vanilla route (and there’s nothing wrong with that) you need the vanilla flavoured jello pudding, and a can of cocktail fruit pieces.

2. If you’re a little nuttier, opt for pistachio pudding flavour and sprinkle mini-marshmallows on top.

3. For all you chocoholics (aka, my people!) the choice is obvious. Chocolate pudding sprinkled with crushed oreo cookies. Mmmm!

4. Or, for a slightly mellower, yet equally tasty treat, butterscotch pudding, topped with sliced banana and walnuts.

Couresty of Accidental Hedonist

The trick to making these little desserts look amazing, is to combine the pudding and the milk together, leave in the refrigerator to cool, then arrange the toppings in neat little designs on top. Also, putting the pudding in a fancy dish goes a long way. Nobody need ever know that all you did was whisk, stir and serve.

Oh, and the four suggestions above are not the only combinations out there. Let your taste-buds take over and try any of the countless possibilities provided by Jello Instant Pudding mixes.

Inspired by a recipe from Kraft Canada, and fit for any occasion, this uber easy decadent chocolate cake is made with only one  bowl (that’s right, only one!) Easy to make, easy to clean up after, super easy to eat and enjoy. What’s not to love?

Courtesy of bunchofpants

The Things You’ll Need:

3 full squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

6 tbsp butter

¾ cup sugar (whichever kind you prefer)

2 eggs

1 ¼ cup flour

¾ cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking soda

How to Put It All Together:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Melted chocolate and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Stir until completely smooth.
3. Add each of the remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing with an electric beater after each new addition, until everything has become one rich mixture.
4. Grease a 9” pan. Pour mixture evenly into the aforementioned pan.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes.
6. Allow to cool, then garnish with a chocolate sauce or icing from a jar, and fresh seasonal fruit.
7. Serve and allow everyone to think you’ve slaved away for hours over a hot oven to bring them a divine chocolaty indulgence.

Courtesy of .ben*

To make this dessert suitable for Easter dinner, simply adjust the decorating style. Add a few mini chocolate Easter eggs or a chocolate bunny to keep it festive.

Also, if you have the time, salvage the egg shells used whilst baking and paint them. These can be used as table decorations, not only providing a little more flair to your Easter this year, but also making a small memento of your 2010 celebration, which can be admired in years to come.

Courtesy of cherrylet

The giving and receiving of flowers is a time honoured tradition cultivated from a rich history. Be it a single delicate stem or an entire bouquet, the practice of giving flowers has been used to express love, attraction, condolences, and celebration.

But what about those who suffer from allergies? Or perhaps those who are against the idea of flower giving altogether, because the beautiful blossoms inevitable wither away into nothing? Well, look no further, Edible Arrangements (R) are officially in your midst!

Although these edible arrangements also do not last forever, they do offer some sweet rewards. Fashioned out of an array of colourful fruit, and shaped like daisies, stars and tulips, a bouquet of the edible variety is a refreshing way to liven up any event (and guaranteed to make your bouquet stand out from the rest.)

If fruit isn’t really your ideal taste sensation, there are always the highly regarded chocolate alternatives. Check out the lavish “The Sweet Garden” for all your chocolate flower hopes and dreams.

Courtesy of Oh Nuts

White lilies, peach kissed daisies, ravishing red roses, tulips, daffodils, Black Eyed Susan’s, you name it, they have it in a scrumptious chocolaty form, prettily wrapped and ready to be shipped.

You can also make your own chocolate arrangement. Simply buy some Mint Meltaways (R), a medium Styrofoam ball, a fancy glass and a box of pins. Push a pin through the top of the Mint Meltaway (R) wrapper, then stick into the Styrofoam ball. Repeat until the entire ball is covered, place in the glass so that it is free-standing, and voila! You’re very own inexpensive, yet oh-so good, chocolate edible arrangement. What could be easier? What could be better?