This post should be titled “How to completely negate an 8 mile run in one minute.”

Before these life-changing cookies, I could take it or leave it when it came to Nutella. It’s probably the only thing I could watch Ivan eat off a spoon and be content to just watch. I am aware that there is a World Nutella Day, so there’s clearly a very devoted following, including my usually apathetic about sweets husband. I think it’s just because I am not a huge fan of hazelnuts, but anyway, let’s stop talking about why I didn’t care for it and talk more about why I am now reformed.

These. Cookies. Are. Ridiculous.

Ridiculous.

The crackly outer crust with the complex chocolate-ey smooth and chewy center smacked with gobbers of milk chocolate is pretty unbeatable. This was the best reward for a run I’ve ever had.

For the Recipe, click here:

Nutella Chip Cookies

Sneak Peak: We are headed to Utah this weekend for another round of snowboarding! I will be making a Moussaka ahead of time to pop in the oven after a powdery day on the slopes. Stay tuned…

Most of the time when I’m making cookies, it just comes down to what I have in my kitchen. I’ve gotta have an extreme craving to make me actually go to the store for specific cookie ingredients. I prefer to improvise with what I’ve got in my pantry. This time, I had a couple bananas that were past their prime, a bit of butterscotch and a bit of chocolate. So these came about!

The best cookies come from a little improvisation. That’s what I’ve learned. So I’m teaching my little sous chef Uni the tricks of the trade. He is a master chef in training as you can see.

For the Recipe, click here:

Banana Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am zooming out the door, late as usual! Just wanted to share this sugary, easy chocolate confection. I am planning on adapting this for Christmas gifts (maybe a little peppermint oil?), but I don’t think you need a holiday as an excuse to make it.

Just a tip… When cutting into pieces, don’t cut with the knife, instead, simply stick the tip of the knife into the bark in the approximate place you want it to break and allow it to fracture by itself. Otherwise, the white chocolate will slide off the dark chocolate!

Don’t worry about having even pieces. There always seems to be someone who wants to small one and someone who wants to gigundous one. I don’t think you have to guess which one I have my eye on.

For the Recipe, click here:

Pretzel and Toffee Chocolate Bark

I apologize for being a tease and making you wait two days for these, but considering I ate them all and had to make another batch, I hope you will understand.

I don’t want to brag, but I make a silly good chocolate chip cookie. Growing up, I had my family convinced that I added a secret ingredient and kept them guessing by kicking them out of the kitchen every time I made a batch, but here’s the truth… I use the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.

Alright, I do make a few changes. The biggest one being the proportion of white sugar to brown sugar. If you want a caramelized crisp bottom instead of a thick crunchy one, you have to use more brown sugar. Secondly, you must refrigerate your dough before baking. I repeat, cool the dough down! I know this seems stupid and a waste of time, but it is the kicker to a good cookie.

Here’s the thing…you know how the recipe calls for softened butter? Well, softened butter = a spread out, thin cookie. So chilling the butter keeps the dough in one place, making a layered masterpiece. Try it once, I beg you!

For the Recipe, click here:

Heavenly Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is not the most amazing photo. I only had my little Canon powershot and very limited time and space to snap a picture of this over-the-top cake before it was gobbled up. But the cake…. ohhhhh the amazingness of that!

My dear friend Zipporah turned one year older yesterday and part of the reason I made this decadent confection was because Zipporah is a whiz of a baker, so I needed something that had fireworks. I love Zipporah’s style because you will not find her in the reduced fat aisle. She bakes it right, full on and still manages to stay slim. This in itself should be considered a talent.

Don’t bake this if you have a bunch of friends that only eat celery and lettuce leaves. They won’t be able to handle it… Believe me. Despite what you may think, the backstage at Cirque Du Soleil is like a sweets factory, so I knew the little acrobats could handle this bomb of a cake.

Make it a day ahead for best results!

For the Recipe, click here:

Peanut Butter Torte with Chocolate Ganache

I really did try hard to lay off the sweets this week. I promise. After cheesecake and blondies last week, I thought I could do a week of 100 percent greens and beans, but of course, my strike was unsuccessful.

My problem is that I always have a fully stocked baking cabinet. I’m the girl that immediately upon running out of chocolate chips, restocks. This is because when I have a baking urge, I just do it. Pop off the couch, slip on an apron and bam, I want to be on my way. So, I had white chocolate chips and I had macadamia nuts and I had a craving. So, 1 + 1 + 1 equals these divine cookies.

I am going to say without hesitation that these rank in the top 2 best cookies I have ever made. Seriously. These are pretty ridiculous. I think I had four over the course of the day, and I don’t even feel bad. I’m not even upset that my 4 mile run tomorrow will have to become a 6 miler! Sometimes, it’s just worth it.

For the Recipe, click here:

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies

Blondies. I mean, really, what else is there to say. I have never met a person that didn’t start salivating at just the mention of Blondies. If only my mom had made them in my childhood, maybe now they wouldn’t be such a weakness for me, but keeping with her super healthy child-rearing philosophy, all I ever got were carob chips… And have you tried carob chips? Deeeeefinitely not chocolate.

Ok, so possibly I am exaggerating, but really, I don’t remember having anything as decadent as a blondie in my early years, so now, I crave them like mad. This is more of a Blondie cake because I just couldn’t bear putting two sticks of butter into a casual weekday baking project (maybe mom rubbed off on me?), but if you have a faster metabolism than I do, go for it. Yours will be slightly gooier.

For the Recipe, click here:

Blondie Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Drizzle

Baking with pumpkin puree is a dream. I swear I have never made anything with pumpkin that wasn’t super moist and awesome. This is definitely no exception. I have had this can in my pantry for an epic period and since summer is not really a time I crave pumpkin, I had to take advantage of the crisp air and make this bittersweet treat.

This is an interesting cake. It’s not sweet, but not bitter, spicy, but not overpowering, chocolatey, but not rich, and although you can taste the pumpkin, it’s more of a subtle accent than the star. It’s actually a very light cake that goes best with a cup of coffee or a latte.

I also have a confession. I really made this just because I have been dying to display something on my new cake tier. And guess where I got this thing… Goodwill! I kid you not. I absolutely love shopping for little pretty trinkets and vintage dishes at the local Salvation Army. Tea cups for 50 cents? That’s my kind of price. And this cake tier? 7 bucks. I get a thrill knowing it has history and though this may creep some people out, to me, it makes things so much more interesting!

For the Recipe, click here:

Bittersweet Chocolate and Spice Pumpkin Cake

Just a warning. If you don’t like cake, don’t tell me it’s your birthday! This chocolate cake is so easy its almost ridiculous. No butter, no hassle, no way you can screw this up. Personally, I have some friends that are afraid of baking and so, this addition to Busy as a Brie is especially for you. I gotta give credit to my mom for this cake recipe. I’ve modified it a little, but if you follow the steps, you will come out with something so wonderful, your friends will think you are a Nigella Lawson in training.

For the whipped cream, if you don’t have some amaretto just hanging around (as Ivan and I do thanks to a recent party where we were shaking up Sidecar Martinis) go to the liquor store and buy the little baby amaretto from behind the cashier counter. Works like a charm.

Mamika’s Chocolate Cake with Amaretto and Coffee Whipped Cream

1 cup water

4 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares (such as Baker’s)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1 pint raspberries for decorating

Cocoa Powder for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat the water and the chocolate until the chocolate is completely dissolved and smooth. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar, oil, milk and eggs. Mix until combined and slowly add the dry mixture. Add the chocolate water and fully incorporate.

Butter and flour two 9” circular cake pans. (For those non-bakers, to flour the pan, after buttering, add about 1 tbsp flour to the pan and tap until the flour coats the bottom and all sides. Bang out any extra flour.)

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife and invert cakes onto a rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

Amaretto and Coffee Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tbsp brewed coffee

2 tbsp amaretto liqueur (such as DiSaronno)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cocoa powder

Whip the cream until it begins to form peaks. Add the other ingredients and whip until combined.

For those not familiar with frosting a cake:

Place 1/2 whipped cream in a piping bag or spoon into a large plastic bag and snip off a small piece from one corner. Spread 1/4 whipped cream on top of one of the cakes. Stack the other one on top. Using a spatula, frost the sides. Pipe in circular rings on top. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with raspberries.