Dessert Ideas

ShawnaM83

A friend of mine is getting married next weekend and asked if I could make some sweets and desserts for her reception. She's having a hog roast for the dinner and has hired a baker to make her cake, but she wanted some other sweet options, sort of a homemade dessert bar. I can bake almost anything and love trying new recipes, but only have a week to perfect the recipes and make the goodies. The one thing I always have a problem with, surprisingly, is homemade cookies. (They always end up flat or crunchy.)

So, my questions:

1) What goodies should I make?

2) Does anyone have a fail-proof homemade cookie recipe that won't cook flat or cook to a crunch?

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

jessicabessica

The molasses cookies from the Silver Palate cookbook always come out the perfet mix of chewy and firm for me (recipe link).  They do flatten out, but that's how they're supposed to be.  My go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe is from a B&B we stayed at a while ago (link).  Make sure you have good cookie sheets and don't grease the pan if you're not supposed to.  

This (link) is a super-easy recipe for Nutella two-bite brownies.  Use muffin tin liners in the mini muffin tins, it will make them a whole lot prettier when you take them out of the pan.  You can play around with the nuts on top--I usually add slivered almonds or leave them plain.  

If you haven't made cake balls before, you could experiment with flavors and toppings (link).  They can be kind of time-consuming, though.  If you make them, put the cake balls in the fridge to harden after you scoop them--don't try to dip them right in the melted chocolate.  

FaithCaitlin

The possibilities are endless!!

Cake pops, cookies, pies, brownies, lemon bars, tarts, cupcakes..!!

How fun!

sparent2010

When my cookies were coming out flat I added some baking powder to help fluff them up 

One recipe I have is 1 tsp baking soda so I add 1/2 tsp baking powder in addition to the baking soda. HTH

kimberlyr22

We're doing a sweets favor bar at our wedding for guests to take home...our line up looks like this:

White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate dipped Marshmallows
White Chocolate dipped pretzels
Chocolate Dipped Oreos
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rice Krispie Treats
Decorated Brownies
Peanut Butter Fudge
Chocolate Cupcakes with PB frosting
Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

MelissaC315

Ditto everything kimberly said... that sounds amazing.

ShawnaM83

I made the molasses cookies, the oatmeal candy bar cookies and I used the nutella brownie recipe but quadroupled it and added pecans to the top with a caramel drizzel (Turtle Brownies!). Also, rice krispie treats, brownie cheesecakes and cake balls. The wedding was last night and the bride just called to ask if I had brought any of the 170+ goodies I made home with me. (I had not.) She said there were only 3 cookies left this morning, then asked if I would be willing to pick up the tons of leftover cake to take in to work this week. Thanks for the amazing recipes and help ladies! Those recipes are going in my "keeper" file to make over and over and over!!

jessicabessica

Yay!  Glad the recipes worked out for you.  You sound like a great friend to have made all those sweets for the wedding!