If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part III: Marshmallow M&M Gingerbread Mounds

I love these cookies for the balance of bold spice (nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon) and heady semi-sweet chocolate. Fluff is the perfect adherent for the M&Ms because it seriously sticky and superficially sweet, so the cookies aren’t cloying.

Ingredients

1 roll (30 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated gingerbread cookies
1 jar marshmallow fluff
Green and red M&Ms

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a sharp knife, cut vertical slides approximately 1/4 inch thick from dough log.
Form each slice into even sphere.
Space evenly apart on cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes, until just set.
Cool completely. Glaze with marshmallow fluff and decorate with M&Ms.

Guys, guys, guys!!! IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

I’m talking about Halloween, my favorite season. Because it’s not just a “holiday” as in a singular 24-hour celebration but rather a month-long festival.

[I would seriously be this excited even if I hadn’t eaten several coffee-infused baked goods.]

I could and probably should write a book on why I so adore Halloween. However, since brevity is the soul of wit, I will simply say any occasion that sanctions pumpkins, the color orange, and the copious consumption of candy deserves my love.

In the spirit of Halloween (get ready, that’s the first of many puns), I’m baking as much as possible with candy for the next 30 days.

Some recent stress led to less-than-restful slumber the last few nights, so to ensure the pep in my step, I decided to supplement my liquid caffeine intake with some edibles in the form of these brookies.* Using brownie mix to make the dough is a cookie hack I had also been wanting to try for a while, and fortunately, it was not a #pinterestfail.

Ingredients

1 19.8 oz brownie mix
1/3 cup flour
2 Tablespoons ground coffee
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons water
2 cups Crunchy Espresso M&Ms

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, flour, and ground coffee. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, beat eggs with water.
Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients.
When thick batter has formed, stir in M&Ms.
Chill dough in fridge for 20 minutes.
Use an ice cream scoop to form dough spheres the size of golf balls.
Place spheres on baking sheets approximately 1.5 inches apart.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.

**Betty* and I disagree with regards to what constitutes a brookie. I think the composition should reflect the portmanteau and be a true hybrid, not just an unblended part-cookie, part-brownie confection.

#49. Pillsbury Baking Blitz, Part III: Marshmallow M&M Gingerbread Mounds

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part III: Marshmallow M&M Gingerbread Mounds

I love these cookies for the balance of bold spice (nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon) and heady semi-sweet chocolate. Fluff is the perfect adherent for the M&Ms because it seriously sticky and superficially sweet, so the cookies aren’t cloying.

Ingredients

1 roll (30 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated gingerbread cookies

1 jar marshmallow fluff

Green and red M&Ms

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a sharp knife, cut vertical slides approximately 1/4 inch thick from dough log.

Form each slice into even sphere.

Space evenly apart on cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes, until just set.

Cool completely. Glaze with marshmallow fluff and decorate with M&Ms.

#34. Mocha Crunchy Espresso M&Ms Brookies

Guys, guys, guys!!! IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

I’m talking about Halloween, my favorite season. Because it’s not just a “holiday” as in a singular 24-hour celebration but rather a month-long festival.

[I would seriously be this excited even if I hadn’t eaten several coffee-infused baked goods.]

I could and probably should write a book on why I so adore Halloween. However, since brevity is the soul of wit, I will simply say any occasion that sanctions pumpkins, the color orange, and the copious consumption of candy deserves my love.

In the spirit of Halloween (get ready, that’s the first of many puns), I’m baking as much as possible with candy for the next 30 days.

Ingredients

1 19.8 oz brownie mix

1/3 cup flour

2 Tablespoons ground coffee

2 eggs

3 Tablespoons water

2 cups Crunchy Espresso M&Ms

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, flour, and ground coffee. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, beat eggs with water.

Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients.

When thick batter has formed, stir in M&Ms.

Chill dough in fridge for 20 minutes.

Use an ice cream scoop to form dough spheres the size of golf balls.

Place spheres on baking sheets approximately 1.5 inches apart.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

*Betty and I disagree with regards to what constitutes a brookie. I think the composition should reflect the portmanteau and be a true hybrid, not just an unblended part-cookie, part-brownie confection.

**Betty* and I disagree with regards to what constitutes a brookie. I think the composition should reflect the portmanteau and be a true hybrid, not just an unblended part-cookie, part-brownie confection.