Top 5 Kylee's Kitchen Recipes of 2015

I’m counting down the days to the New Year with the “Top 5” Kylee’s Kitchen recipes of 2015!

I’ve made a wide variety of recipes this year, from cookies to slow cooker meals to more sweets, but here are the five most viewed recipes on my blog this year!

5. Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

4. Gooey Butter Cookies

3. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

2. Three Ingredient Banana Pancakes

1. Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

What was your favorite recipe in 2015? What types of recipes would you like to see more of in 2016? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

Texas Sheet Cake is a universal way to say “yum!” I’ve only had it a few times in my life, but for some reason I had the strongest craving for it over the weekend. I could not stop thinking about it.

But I realize it’s a bit odd to make an entire sheet cake for oneself. Cookies on the other hand… It’s not weird AT ALL to make an entire batch of cookies with the sole purpose of eating every single last one all by myself!

That’s not actually what happened. Don’t worry, I shared them. But mainly because they’re so rich and dense that one cookie is enough to satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth.

The cookie making process has two parts: the cookies and the icing. The cookie dough comes together easily and has a mousse-like consistency. It doesn’t look like the dough will make many cookies, but after scooping out tablespoons I ended up with 20 cookies.

The second part is my favorite – the icing. The frosting smelled heavenly and it made my entire kitchen smell like a Mackinac Island fudge shop.  I tried to pour the icing straight out of the saucepan but determined it was best to drizzle with a spoon.

The hardest part of the whole process is waiting for the frosting to cool and set on the cookies. But if you eat one or two before they’re ready, I won’t judge.

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Yield: 12 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup salted Challenge butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour* (167 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

For the Icing

• 1/2 cup salted Challenge butter
• 2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 3 Tablespoon milk
• 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar (315 grams)
• 20 Pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

For the Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit*
2. Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat, set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until light, about 2 minutes.
4. Add egg and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix on low until just combined.
7. In a microwave safe bowl heat chocolate chips on high in 30 second increments until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds.
8. Add melted chocolate directly to bowl of cookie dough and mix until combined.
9. Scoop out dough in Tablespoon-sized mounds, roll into ball, and place on baking sheet.
10. Bake for 7 minutes. They will still be very soft on the inside. Do not overbake!
11. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the Icing

1. Add butter, cocoa powder and milk to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking until melted together.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in powdered sugar.
3. Pour icing over cookies. If you choose to add pecans, sprinkle them on top right after icing the cookies. You may have to gently press the pecan pieces down in order for them to stay in place.
4. Allow icing to set before serving (this will take an hour or two).

*I baked these cookies below 3500 feet elevation.

*Make this recipe gluten-free by replacing all-purpose flour with Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour.

Recipe adapted from Cookies and Cups.