So for this past season of lent I decided to take on the seemingly impossible task of zero sweets during lent. Let me tell you, it was incredibly hard! As the time went on the challenge became a little easier and I found myself not even really wanting anything sweet. Crazy, I know. I guess I just blocked them out of my mind enough to forget. However, now that Easter has past and lent is over I cannot help but think of all the goodies that I cannot wait to consume. Here are a couple things that I drooled over during the past 40 days of no sweets, and I can’t wait to whip them up! Enjoy!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies
I found these deliciously creative looking cookies off of Tasteofhome. Can’t wait to try them!
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What you’ll need:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup Crisco butter shortening
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- ÂĽ cup milk
- 2tsps. Vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 2 tsps. Baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- Âľ cup jelly/ jam
How to make them:Â
Heat oven to 375°F.
Mix: sugar, brown sugar, shortening and peanut butter. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to peanut butter mixture. Beat well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Then cool 2 minutes. Make a depression in the center of each warm cookie. Fill each depression with about 1/2 teaspoon jelly. Cool completely. Done!
Eclair CakeÂ
I found this dream of a dessert on foodnetwork. It is super easy to make, the only issue you may have is the refrigerating time, but the taste is worth the wait!
What you’ll need:
1 (1-pound) box graham crackers
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Frosting
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 tbs butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
2 tsps light corn syrup
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
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How to make it:
Butter the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.
For frosting, blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Cover cake with frosting and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Chocolate-Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
What a simple classic: the ice-cream sandwich – but aren’t they so cute and fun! Not to mention super yummy! I craved ice-cream the most while off sweets and I can’t wait to have it! I found these on myrecipes.
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What you’ll need:
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbs unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsps salt
10 tbs (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsps vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 pints ice cream (any flavor)
How to make them:
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa,
baking soda and salt into a bowl.
Combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl; cream together with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop up heaping tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls. Place balls on baking sheets 3 inches apart (you’ll have about 8 balls per sheet). Bake until dry on top, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets on wire racks.
Make sandwiches:
Soften ice cream at room temperature for 3 minutes. Set containers on their sides on
a cutting board and use a sharp serrated knife to cut each pint of ice cream into 7
circles, cutting through cardboard. Peel cardboard away and place each disk of ice
cream between 2 cookies. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet, cover with plastic
and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.