Today is National Chocolate Chip Day

Let me count 15 of the ways I love thee…

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough & Marshmallow Stuffed Rice Krispie Bars (No Bake)

Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (no-bake, vegan, GF)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (no-bake, vegan, GF)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (no-bake, vegan, GF)

Toffee & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (no-bake, GF)

Coconut Peanut Butter Magic Cake Bars

Cookie Butter Funfetti Triple Chip Bars

Double Chocolate Caramel Corn & Cocoa Rice Krispies Candy Bars (No-Bake with Vegan & GF options)

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Double Chocolate Pillowtop Bars (GF with Vegan options)

Samoas Bars (vegan & GF options included)

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies with PB Cups & PB M&M’s

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF with vegan option)

Snickers Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

White Chocolate Peanut, Pretzel, & Chocolate Chip Fudge (no-bake, make in microwave)

Do you have any favorite recipes using chocolate chips?

Link up your chocolate chip recipes.

Do you have a favorite kind of chocolate chips?

I use this chocolate for most of my melted chocolate needs because it melts smoother than chocolate chips. There are no stabilizers in it, so I don’t have to “finesse it” to get it to melt. None of that in and out of the microwave seven times, stirring in between each 20-second burst and hoping it doesn’t scorch monkey business.

For my day-to-day baking that calls for in tact chocolate chips, I use Trader Joe’s semisweet chocolate chips (and stock up on their white baking chips before Christmas since they’re seasonal at my store).

Because I shop for many of my baking supplies based on price, if I didn’t have access to a Trader Joe’s, I would probably use Ralph’s grocery store-brand semi-sweet or Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet morsels.

I don’t splurge on more expensive chocolate chips like Ghirardelli or Scharffen Berger or fancier chocolate chunks for the “everyday” goodies that I make for my family. I reserve that kind of chocolate for extra-special baking occasions.

Happy Chocolate Chip Day and I hope you have something with chocolate chips in it today!

 Summer parties, get-togethers, barbeques, pool parties, and friends-dropping-by-spur-of-the-moment-parties are what warm weather is all about.

And warmer weather means you better hydrate.

With booze.

This sangria goes down so easily. So.easily.

I love mangoes and pineapple and they taste especially good after they’ve marinated with peach schnapps and a bottle of wine.

I don’t know why I didn’t spend my younger days making more sangria.

It’s a great way to stretch a bottle of wine and get some vitamin C into your diet, you know, from the chunks of fruit in each glass.

Dump everything into one big bowl or pitcher, stir and wait. The longer you wait, the better, but if you’re in a hurry and can’t wait and want to enjoy immediately, I understand and that’s just fine, too.

If you don’t have a dedicated punch bowl (I don’t because it’s a storage-space resource hog) use the biggest mixing bowl you have or the canister to your blender.

I kept this recipe on the smaller scale in case you’re having a smaller party. Or in case you’re having a party for yourself for you and one other person on a Tuesday night. It’s just one bottle of wine, not gallons worth like many sangria recipes.

 Related recipes:

Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch (Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, No Sugar Added)

Non-alcoholic but feel free to doctor them up

Peach Banana Colada Smoothie

Pineapple Banana & Coconut Cream Smoothie

Peaches & Coconut Cream Smoothie

Have you ever made sangria?

Do you have a favorite recipe?

I think sangria is destined to “turn out”, no matter the recipe used (or lack thereof).

Handfuls of fruit. Whatever you have.

A bottle of wine, or two. Whatever you have.

Peach schnapps, fruity liquors, everything from a splash of Hypnotiq to Midori to lemon vodka to Gran Marnier, toss it in. A dash of this and that, a little sugar, stir, and call it a party.

A glass of sangria was as wild as Scott and I got for our anniversary. I know, party animals.

It’s hard to believe that 11 years ago today, I was standing in a little chapel in Las Vegas getting married by a minister with spiked hair and a tail. A pink plastic corsage was affixed to the hot pink Betsey Johnson mini-dress I wore and I had a bubblegum machine pink light-up plastic ring that was used when we exchanged vows. My real ring was being made.

Scott has lost so many wedding bands over the years that I can’t even remember what his looked like. Put that man near an ocean, and watch him lose a wedding band.

What I do remember is that everyone said it wouldn’t last. Well, we lasted. Over a decade and a child later, we lasted.

Scott is my best friend, my confidante, my cheerleader, one of very people in the world whom I truly trust; the only person I want to talk to when I’ve had a bad day, and the first person I want to call when I have amazing news or something fabulous happened.

I always loved my husband and the majority of days I’ve even liked him. I won’t say we’ve never fought. We’ve had our share of doosies; we’re both passionate people and when you put two of those in a room, every once in awhile all that passion collides and fireworks ensue. But we always kiss and make up.

I fell in love with my husband in a whole new way just over 5 years ago when Skylar came on the scene. I took this picture Friday afternoon with my iPhone at a Mother’s Day luncheon at her school. Scott and I were both in attendance and couldn’t believe what a big girl she is now and how much joy she brings us.

He is the most amazing father. I could not ask for a better father to her. I am truly blessed and she is truly blessed to have such a doting, caring, attentive, giving, and loving father.

She made this for me for Mother’s Day at school and all the kids presented their moms with their gifts. It’s a little easel, with a tiny canvas she painted and decorated, and a photo of her is affixed to the canvas. And there was a hand-made card, too. I melted.

It’s been quite the 24 hours for me. Mother’s Day and my anniversary.

I need to go buy more Kleenex. Lots of Hallmark happy tears have been shed.

It’s been a crazy, wonderful, exciting, and amazing 11 years with Scott, and 5+ as a family. I can’t wait to see what the future brings.

Ironically, on this day last year for our 10 Year Anniversary, I was sitting in the Atltanta-Hartsfield airport en route to Aruba. I’d like to buy airline tickets as our belated anniversary present to us, to our family, but I have to wait for the school year to wrap up and then maybe we’ll get lost for awhile.

I should probably cook something special for dinner tonight. But I’m not.

And we’re not going out. We’re homebodies these days.

However, I took care of the beverages. That’s the next post. Holy moly, so good.

Dessert? I’ve got that covered, too. I’m thinking these. Funfetti is always fun for a celebratory day.

Do you have any dating, wedding, or marriage stories?

In some ways it feels like just the blink of an eye that we were saying I do. In another sense, it feels like a lifetime ago because I can’t even imagine what it feels like to be single or without a child. Overall though, 11 years have gone fast. Really, really fast. I can’t even believe it some days!

Any Mother’s Day stories?

I had a wonderful day. I cooked and baked a ton, we went for a family power walk, the sun was shining and it was in the low 70s. A picture perfect day.

 Remember the old Mounds Bar and Almond Joy Bar commercials

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut, Sometimes You Don’t

I never feel like nuts in my baked goods. Macadamia nuts in white chocolate cookies, walnuts in brownies?

No.Way.

But big hunks of Mounds Bars?

Yes. For sure.

If you don’t like coconut, good for you because there’s more for me.

You can substitute Snickers Bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Rolos, or whatever candy is burning a hole in your pantry.

You also don’t have to put candy in your cookies.

No one is forcing you. But you will be missing out on some of the texture and of course the taste factor.

These cookies are so soft and chewy that I call them flexi-cookies.

Extremely flexible, pliable, and uber-chewy.

They’re a chocolate lover’s dream. Chocolate cake and chocolate chips and chocolate candy give them high marks on the overall fudge factor score card.

Grab a napkin and enjoy.

Because this recipe uses chocolate cake mix, success is almost guaranteed.

If you have cookie-making issues, cake mix cookies are nearly foolproof and these can fool just about anyone into thinking you spent lots of time at them.

  They’re a one bowl and a spoon special and I purposely kept this recipe and batch size small: one dozen.

No one “needs” more than 1 dozen of these on hand. However, if you do have those kind of needs, feel free to double the recipe.

These cookies are loaded with perfect bites.

You know those bites that include some cookie, some chocolate chips, some Mounds Bar candy pieces, all gooey and melted together.

The bites that make all the problems in the world stop while you’re chewing. Yes, lots of those bites going on here.

My batch of 11 cookies didn’t last long but that’s okay (a bonus) because variety is the spice of (dessert) life.

Related Cookie and Cupcake Recipes Using Cake Mix:

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Pina Colada White Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

3 Musketeers Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

Dark Chocolate and Candy-Stuffed Cookies (not using cake mix):

Dark Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies Stuffed with Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free)

Snickers Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies with PB Cups & PB M&M’s

Have you ever baked anything other than a cake with cake mix or baked with storebought candies?

Links welcome

 Do you like Mounds Bars or Almond Joy Bars?

I have fond memories of getting them in my Halloween pail and they were some of the first to be unwrapped.

I strongly prefer Mounds to Almond Joy because of the dark chocolate, no nuts, and the coconut filling is so rich and creamy, sweet. It’s pure hydrogenated oil heaven and I love every bite.Sink teeth into hard chocolate shell, have filling melt in mouth. Yes.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms. I hope you’re sitting around eating bon-bons or something like that. Have a great week!

Instead of partaking in my usual chores and housework this weekend, I’ll be sitting on the couch with my feet up, looking into my very clean kitchen that I didn’t have to clean.

From my vantage point on the couch with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bowl of bon-bons in the other, I’ll be watching as anyone other than me does the dishes, prepares the meals, cleans up the peanut butter that’s on the floor and the crumbs that went everywhere because a peanut-butter-cracker was accidentally dropped.

Peanut butter and crackers are great in your mouth, not so great on the wood floor.

I’ll also be watching and waiting for the laundry fairy who will do and fold a couple loads for me.

And I’ll be on the lookout for my personal assistant who can do the grocery shopping and carry the grocery bags up six flights of stairs for me, fill out permission slips for the next school field trip, and re-do Skylar’s hair for the tenth time before noon because her ponytail keeps slipping out.

All while I am kicked back with a bowl full of bon-bon’s from the couch.

Oh wait.

Wake up from that dream.

The chances of that happening are about as likely as Hades freezing over.

I’d rather keep others out of the kitchen so nothing breaks, burns, or explodes and since I am well aware that red shirts and white sheets should never be washed together, I’ll be the one in charge of the laundry.

In all seriousness though, I don’t mind. I really don’t. As a mom, it’s just what we do. We keep things running smoothly, or we try to.

However, instead of any complicated menu plans, I will be giving myself a little break in that department and plan to keep things very easy.

Fresh strawberries

A Strawberries and Cream Smoothie

Fresh watermelon

Tempeh and cucumber sticks with balsamic reduction

Vegetables with Cheezy Coconut Sauce

Maybe I’ll fire up the oven for ten whole minutes and toss in some Mango Basil Personal Tortilla Pizzas

Instead of having Scott surprise me with dessert from a fancy boutique dessert bar or something from the Cheesecake Factory, I’ll happily go to town on my own cheesecake.

Coconut Spice Cheesecake Bars

 I think Coconut Water Champagne Fruit Punch (Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, No Sugar Added) is in order, too.

Sure beats water.

What are your plans for Mother’s Day Weekend?

We don’t have any formal plans other than to just spend lots of time together. A family walk, brunch at home, and then who knows what we’ll do.

It’s supposed to be in the low 70sF and sunny which is perfect weather to just enjoy the fresh air and watch my peanut run around at the park. That gives me more joy than anything. The simple stuff.

If I could get a foot massage or a back rub from Scott while sitting on a blanket watching Skylar run around, my day would be complete.

If you’re a mom, will you be “taking the day off”?

I’m not “taking the day off” but it’s actually easier if I don’t. That would just mean double the work on Monday since it would have piled up. No thanks.

If you missed my 15 Gift Ideas Under $25 for Mother’s Day post, you could always order something for yourself for that special mom in your life and let her know something special is on the way.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms. I hope your day is exactly how you want it. Hug your kids, put your feet up, enjoy those bon-bon’s, or whatever it is that makes your day special! Know that you are a fabulous mom and your kids and families appreciate all that you do!

Every once in awhile I eat something other than desserts and sweets.

Shocking but true.

I love chocolate and cookies as much as the next person, or in my case, probably more than the next person, but I have to have green vegetables every day.

Without them I feel weird. off, out of balance, and although I crave brownies, I also crave broccoli and Brussels’s sprouts.

Yes, really. I love cruciferous vegetables of all kinds, but broccoli and Brussels’s are two of my favorites. Never met a brassica I didn’t like and that didn’t stink up my house.

When I feel the need to crunch on some cellulose and don’t have time for anything too fussy, complicated, or time-consuming, I steam veggies in the microwave, and make a quickie cheezy sauce by warming coconut oil and mixing it with nutritional yeast, and adding a few spices based on my mood.

Drizzle sauce all over veggies.

Eat.

Enjoy.

And if I want some sinus clearing to go with my cheezy-coconutty vegetables, super simple homemade Spicy Honey Mustard comes in handy.

So as much as I have a seemingly voracious appetite for pina colada marshmallows and cookie dough, it’s nice to round out the sugar with a little chlorophyll.

But there must have sauce because everything is better with lots of frosting lots of sauce.

If you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast (nooch), I previously written about it included over a dozen recipes using nutritional yeast.

It’s not the same as brewer’s yeast, it’s vegan, gluten, soy-free and nut-free; it adds a cheesy and nutty quality to food, and it’s packed with protein and B vitamins.

Nutritional yeast is not typically sold in grocery stores or at Trader Joe’s, and although it is sold at Whole Foods, I buy it from iHerb because it’s about 40% cheaper. Use code AVE630 at checkout to save another $5 off your iHerb order. Stock up on stevia, bulk spices, honey, body wash, and supplements while you’re ordering. May as well stock up, right.

One favorite nutritional yeast-based sauce recipe is Spicy Doritos Cheezy Dip (vegan, GF, soyfree)

If you’d rather skip the nutritional yeast but still enjoy some cruciferous veggies with coconut oil, try Chocolate Coconut Kale Chips

Do you like Brussels’s sprouts, broccoli, or crave vegetables?

I really can’t imagine a day without vegetables. Or dessert. Balance, moderation, a little bit of this, a little bit of that.

Do you like nutritional yeast?

If you’ve made anything with it that you enjoy, feel free to link it up.

If you’ve never had nutritional yeast, I won’t say it tastes just like cheese. Instead, I find it to have a cheesy and nutty quality, which is why many vegans use it as a cheese alternative. It’s also packed with B vitamins and protein.

It may be a bit of an acquired taste but clearly, I’ve acquired it. Daily.

Cheezy chocolate coconut oil popcorn is a staple, too.

The winner of the Sprinklebakes Cookbook Giveaway is Cassie

The winner of the Trop50 Juice coupons is Amber K

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms!

Here are this week’s Thursday Things:

1. French Terry Crop Pants, French Terry Raglan Sweatshirt with Ganesh and a Renew Long Sleeve Raw Edge Tee with Ganesh from Be Present

Everything is so ridiculously soft and comfortable. I have been wearing Be Present, almost daily, since 2004. This is what I live in for yoga, for power walks, for grocery shopping, and for life in general, I love it.

Ganesh is the remover of obstacles and the lord of beginnings. I need all the help I can get.

2. Need yoga info from clothes I love to what kind of mat I can’t live without to what kind of music I like to the finer points on the different styles of yoga?

This post, Yoga FAQs, has you covered.

3. I got my hot little mitts on a copy of Lindsay Landis’ soon-to-be-released book, The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook

For anyone who loves cookie dough (the recipes are all egg-free so no risk of salmonella), this is the book for you. The recipes are for more than just cookie dough balls. She has everything from cinnamon rolls to donuts, all using cookie dough.

Lindsay did all her own photography for the book and her images are just stunning.

If a book doesn’t have images that jump off the page, unfortunately I probably won’t make the recipes. I crave jump-off-the-page-imagery and every single image does just that. I was drooling for cookie dough while thumbing through the book.

4. Lindsay mentions in the book that the highest viewed post on her blog is her recipe for chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, which she posted back in 2009, and that the post was also the beginning of the inspiration for her cookie dough cookbook.

Ironically, in 2009 I posted Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (no-bake, vegan, GF) and they are one of my highest viewed posts of all time. Stats don’t lie; people love cookie dough.

5. In 2009 and early 2010, I think most every post I did was for some sort of cookie dough ball, bite, truffle, or no-bake little round globe. Ahhh, the memories.

I’ve moved from ball recipes <– (every ball recipe I’ve ever made is there) to bars, but will always have a soft spot for all those little balls I used to roll out.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bite (no-bake, vegan, GF) anyone?

6. This “31 Bits” 87 Cuff from Harabu House- Using fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty.

“Kallie Dovel traveled to Uganda in the summer of 2007, getting a first- hand look at life in Northern Uganda. While she was there, she met women making paper beads but who lacked a plan to market and sell them. After spending time in their homes and hearing their stories, Kallie knew there had to be a way to give opportunities to her new friends. She brought a box of jewelry back to the U.S., and spent the next year finishing her degree and dreaming up the concept of a development organization. She brought a few friends on board and her ideas quickly evolved into 31 Bits. The girls traveled back to Uganda in August 2008, and selected six women to begin buying jewelry from on a monthly basis. Since then, we have grown to 99 women; each with a unique story of suffering that has been overcome with joy and liberation.”

7. 7 Budget-Friendly Wines from Trader Joe’s. All under $10 and some of the featured wines can be found at places other than TJs.

Read the comments because there are suggestions for budget-friendly wines from a variety of stores, not just TJ’s. We all love a bargain vino, right?

8. Chef Talk – Food and Cooking tips, tricks, and chatter.

People share the nitty gritty and their opinions on everything from a very obscure types of knives, to their thoughts about a certain type of microplane, baking sheet, food processor, mixer, and more.

These people really get into discussing specifics. If you like to research kitchen and cooking items before you buy them, and then research some more, this forum is chock full of very detailed opinions.

9. Have you entered the Sprinklebakes Cookbook Giveaway?

10. I have 3 product coupons for 3 free bottles of Trop50 with Tea Beverages ($4.99 each).

If you’d like the coupons, leave a comment below about anything at all from yoga to cookie dough to baking to tea. I’ll pick a winner and announce it in my next post.

What are your Thursday Things?

If you’ve made anything great, done something fabulous, bought something exciting or fun, link it up below.

Do you prefer baked cookies or cookie dough? Favorite kind of dough?

Both have their place, depending on my mood. The chewiness of a baked cookie, warm and gooey straight form the oven is fabulous, but so are spoonfuls of cookie dough straight from the mixing bowl.

I’ve never met a dough I didn’t like. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, molasses, snickerdoodle, you name it, I wouldn’t say no.

I was at Target a couple days ago and saw these Pina Colada Marshmallows from Kraft Jet-Puffed

My heart skipped a beat. Marshmallows and pina colada in one? These were tailor-made for me and instantly went into my cart.

Target has some great finds. Sure, I need that new sports bra color, those new seasonal M & Ms that if I don’t buy them now I’ll never be able to get them again, that new body wash scent. Too many great finds for my wallet to handle. You can relate, I’m sure.

I just made Pina Colada Cookies and wish I would have had the pina colada marshmallows to include. Just means I’ll have to make another batch of cookies. Oh darn.

I haven’t even opened the marshmallows yet and am storing them in a sealed Ziplock in my pantry until I figure out what I’m doing with them.

Even in the sealed bag, the strong coconutty, tropical pina scent is ridiculously intense. They are the marshmallow equivalent of Drakkar cologne. Remember that stuff? Strong, potent, intense, you can smell it from a mile away and probably shouldn’t like it but you do. At least when you’re in ninth grade.

I also picked up these little vanilla marshmallow bits. I have a few recipes I’m going to put these into and they’re are also great by the handful in hot chocolate.

I’m a big fan of the sweet white puffballs in just about any form.

I made Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispies Smores Bars for a friendly little competition.

A friend and fellow San Diegan won, but I still had fun including most every item from my baking pantry into the recipe.

Other marshmallow recipes:

Deep Dish Double Chocolate Golden Grahams Smores Bars (Vegan & GF options)

White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough & Marshmallow Stuffed Rice Krispie Bars (No Bake)

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Double Chocolate Pillowtop Bars (GF with Vegan options)

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars with Vegan Chocolate Frosting (No Bake)

Double Chocolate Caramel Corn & Cocoa Rice Krispies Candy Bars (No-Bake with Vegan & GF options)

Twinkies (3 ingredients, no added oil or butter)

Do you like marshmallows?

Yes, I love them.

Do you have a favorite marshmallow recipe? Brand? Ever made homemade marshmallows?

Links welcome

Thanks for the Sprinklebakes Cookbook Giveaway entries

I have been waiting for the release of Heather Baird’s cookbook, Sprinklebakes, for what feels like an eternity.

Heather is the mastermind behind some of the most creative, beautiful, and awe-inspiring desserts I have ever seen.

From No-Bake Strawberry Milk Cheesecake

To Peanut Butter Mousse in Tuile Cookie Spoons, the way her brain works and what she comes up with just blows me away.

I think of her as a food artist who has surgeon’s hands. I am amazed as how she pulls some of these things off!

She also photographs her food with such amazing talent and skill that I literally drool over recipes such as Coca-Cola Cupcakes and Salted Peanut Butter Frosting while gazing at the stunning images.

Her cookbook was just released on May 1 and it’s chock full of amazing new recipes, coupled with her gorgeous photography.

You want this book. You need this book.

One lucky reader will win a copy of Heather’s book, Sprinklebakes

Comment below to enter the giveaway

1. What’s the most beautiful food you’ve ever made? (links welcome)

Or

What is your favorite dessert of all time? (links welcome)

2. For a second entry, Twitter Follow @AverieCooks and and then tweet the following:

“I entered to win the new Sprinklebakes Cookbook in the @AverieCooks @Sprinklebakes Giveaway http://tiny.cc/9gr0dw”

3. For extra entries and you must leave a separate comment for each:

Facebook Like Averie Cooks

Facebook Like Sprinklebakes

Twitter Follow @Sprinklebakes

Pinterest Follow & Re-Pin Something of Mine

Instagram Follow

Stumble Follow & Stumble This

or post this Giveaway on your blog

Contest ends Friday, May 11, 2012 and winner will be chosen randomly. Open to continental U.S. residents only.

Spice cake tends to be one of those under-appreciated desserts, but I just love it.

Any time I can indulge in flavors similar to carrot cake but without the dreaded chore of eroding my kitchen sponge (or my fingertips) because I need to clean shredded carrot fragments from my box grater, I am happy.

I really like cheesecake, too, but sometimes it gets a little monotonous.

Traditional cheesecake filling and graham cracker crust is lovely and all, but after a few bites I’m usually looking around to see what’s next.

It doesn’t tend to hold my attention, but these sure did. Probably because they’re like having two desserts in one; cheesecake and cake.

These bars also capitalize on my love of frosting. A little cake with my frosting. You can relate, right?

Nothing pains me more than seeing a great piece of cake with a skimpy layer of frosting on it.

Nothing skimpy about the cream cheese layer here.

These bars turned out to be:

part cheese cake

part cream cheese frosting

part carrot cake flavors

part spice cake

Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut are baked in between the cake and cream cheese layers, adding some texture to the smoothness and breaking up anything resembling cheesecake monotony.

These disappeared rather quickly from around these parts. Shocking.

The bars come together very easily with a boxed spice cake mix, an egg, and a stick of butter. Make the dough, press it into a pan.

Sprinkle with baking chips and coconut. These don’t have a particularly strong coconut flavor, and you could omit it if you don’t like coconut, but since I always have a bag on hand and open, a little sprinkle never hurts.

Flood with a sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese mixture.

Easy.

Bake.

Devour.

If you like carrot cake, and want a no-bake, vegan, gluten-free option, try Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites

Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes (no-bake, vegan, GF) play on similar flavors

Related cake bar recipes:

Coconut Peanut Butter Magic Cake Bars

White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars

Cookie Butter Funfetti Triple Chip Bars

White and Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake Bars

 Do you like spice cake or carrot cake?

I love them but find that carrot cake tends to make the rounds in the fall, along with anything and everything pumpkin.

Spice cake never seems to make the rounds which is unfortunate because cake that’s sweet and spicy from ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg is right up my alley. Even in the springtime.

One thing I don’t like is nuts in baked goods and I never put nuts into cookies or cake. On their own, I like nuts and I love nut butter, but nothing ruins a white chocolate cookie faster than a macadamia nut, and nothing ruins a great piece of spice or carrot cake faster than a walnut. Most storebought and bakery cakes have nuts in them. Not a fan.

Do you like cream cheese frosting? Cheesecake?

Cake is just not cake without frosting. And that is especially true with spice or carrot cake. It must have cream cheese frosting, and lots of it.

Cheesecake is one of those things that people tend to love or hate. I do like it, but as I mentioned, a few bites and that’s usually all I want because it gets a little…boring.

I promise, these bars aren’t boring. Two kinds of baking chips, coconut flakes, and two-desserts-in-one: cake + cheesecake. Not boring.

The winner of the Special K Granola Bars Giveaway is Catalina @ Cake with Love