Recipes Using Girl Scout Cookies

I love Girl Scout cookies. I love them frozen, I love them crumbled over ice cream, I love them straight out of the box. But if you, like me, have an adorable Girl Scout in your life (or in your house), you probably bought more cookies than you really need. (Yeah, like "need" has anything to do with cookies.) But if you have so many Girl Scout cookies hanging around that you need a little variety, did you know that you can use them in recipes? Here are some great ways to repurpose those treats into different kinds of treats.

Toffee Bark

1 box Shortbread Cookies (Trefoils)
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted* and slightly chopped (optional)

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper coated with cooking spray. Arrange cookies in pan in a single layer. Microwave butter until melted, then whisk in brown sugar. Microwave 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until mixture is a thick caramel sauce. Pour sauce over cookie layer and spread until evenly covered.

Bake at 350 degrees until puffed up and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot caramel. Let stand 5 minutes; spread chocolate over caramel. Top with almonds, if desired. Chill pan in refrigerator until chocolate and caramel have hardened, about 1 hour. Break or cut bark.

* To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally

Lemon Cheesecake

1 package Shortbread Cookies
3/4 cup butter, divided
2 packages Lemonades Cookies
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 eggs
1 cup lemon juice

Place Shortbread Cookies in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Melt 1/4 cup butter and add, pulsing just until blended. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Freeze 10 minutes.

Place Lemonades Cookies in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in Lemonades crumbs. In another bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread over crust. Freeze, covered, for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, whisk eggs, remaining 1 cup sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cube remaining 1/2 cup butter and add, then cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 170°. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl; cool. Press plastic wrap onto surface of lemon curd. Refrigerate until cold.

Spoon 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake. Freeze 1 hour longer. Remove rim from pan. Serve with remaining lemon curd.

Caramel No-Churn Ice Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups cream of coconut
12 Caramel De-Lights (Samoas), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted*
1 cup caramel syrup

Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in cream of coconut, then cookies and coconut. Spread evenly over an 8-in. square baking pan. Spoon caramel syrup over cream mixture; swirl with a knife. Freeze, covered, overnight.

*To toast coconut, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Coconut Baklava

4 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 package Caramel De-Lights (Samoas), finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted
20 sheets phyllo dough
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted*
1/4 semisweet chocolate chips, melted

In a large bowl, mix walnuts, cookies, and cinnamon. Brush a 13x9-in. baking dish with some of the butter. Unroll phyllo dough; trim to fit into pan. Layer eight sheets of phyllo in prepared pan, brushing each with butter. Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Spread with half of the walnut mixture. Layer with four more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Spread remaining walnut mixture over phyllo. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Using a sharp knife, cut into 36 rectangles. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine sugar, water and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool slightly.

Pour syrup over warm baklava. Sprinkle with coconut; drizzle with chocolate. Cool completely on a wire rack. Let stand, uncovered, several hours or overnight.

*To toast coconut, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Thin Mints Popcorn

10 cups popped popcorn
25 Thin Mint Cookies, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups white baking chips
1 teaspoon Crisco
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips

In a large bowl, combine popcorn and half of the crushed cookies. In a microwave, melt white baking chips with shortening; stir until smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat.

Immediately spread onto waxed paper; sprinkle with remaining crushed cookies. Melt mint baking chips in microwave; stir until smooth. Drizzle over popcorn; let stand until set.

Lemon Shortbread Pudding

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
8 Lemonades Cookies, coarsely chopped, plus extras for garnish
whipped cream

In a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in butter. Gently stir in lemon juice. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding; refrigerate until cold.

Fold sour cream into pudding. Divide chopped cookies among eight dessert dishes; spoon pudding over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve topped with whipped cream and a cookie wedge.

Samoa Hamantaschen

2 cups butter
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz whipping cream
6 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup melted caramels
1 1/2 cups shredded toasted coconut
1 egg white
1 cup chocolate chips

Beat together butter and sugar, then add the cream and vanilla. Slowly add the flour until completely combined. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to three days).

Melt the caramels in a saucepan and allow to cool. Stir in 1 cup of the toasted coconut and set aside.

Allow the dough to warm at room temperature for a few minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured board and cut out rounds of dough using a cookie cutter. Transfer the dough rounds to a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush the edges with egg white. Add the caramel/coconut mixture and pinch the edges together to create a triangle. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

While the cookies cool, melt the chocolate chips until smooth. Place a small amount of chocolate in a sandwich bag for the drizzle. Once the hamantaschen are cool, dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off, then place on parchment paper to set. Cut a small piece out of the corner of the chocolate-filled sandwich bag and drizzle over the cookies. Sprinkle the rest of the toasted coconut over the cookies allow to set.

Toasted Marshmallow Peanut Butter Bars

6 large marshmallows
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
10 Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs), quartered

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place marshmallows on the center of the sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove and reduce oven temperature to 350.

Stir together cake mix, butter, oil, egg, chocolate chips and cookies in a large mixing bowl. Gently stir in toasted marshmallows, just until combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and press dough evenly into pan. Do not spread all the way to the edges. Bake at 350 for 18-22. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing into squares.

Tagalong Chex Mix

7 cups Rice Chex
1 cup Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs)
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together the Chex and cookies in a large bowl and set aside.

Over medium heat, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup until the butter is melted and mixture starts to bubble. Allow to boil without stirring for 4 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. Pour over the cereal and cookies and use a rubber spatula to gently mix until completely coated. Spread mixture on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment or non-stick foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and break apart, if needed.

Cookie Pudding

1 (approx. 6 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed (or equivalent fresh whipped cream)
2 cups crushed cookies (any variety - or combination - of Girl Scout cookies will work)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Whisk together pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Stir together cream cheese and Cool Whip until well blended.

Spread 1 cup of crushed cookies evenly in the bottom of an 8-cup serving bowl. Spread half the cream cheese mixture over cookies and sprinkle with half the pecans. Spread all the pudding evenly over the top and top with remaining cream cheese, cookies, and pecans. Chill until ready to serve.

Desserts to Make with your Kids

Since today is National Pi Day, my 6-year-old son and I baked a pumpkin pie (his favorite). It reminded me of how fun and easy it is to make desserts with kids. Here are a few of my favorite dessert recipes that are great to make with a young assistant!

Pumpkin Pie

If you use a pre-made pie crust, making a pumpkin pie is pretty much an issue of dumping all the ingredients into a big bowl and stirring. Older kids can help measure; younger ones can break the eggs and whisk. There are hundreds of pumpkin pie recipes out there, but the one on the back of the One Pie brand canned pumpkin is easy and delicious – not too spicy for young palates, and the molasses adds extra flavor and sweetness.

Frozen pie crust
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
scant ½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin or squash
 2 eggs, beaten (with hand whisk or electric mixer)
1-1/2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/8 cup molasses
1-1/2 cups milk

Pre-bake pie crust according to package directions. Cool completely.

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, eggs, butter, molasses, and milk. Pour into cooled pie crust. If you have extra filling, pour it into ramekins, set ramekins in a baking dish and add water to close to level of filling and bake alongside pie. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 50 minutes. Filling should be slightly jiggly in the center, but will set as the pie cools.

Resurrection Rolls

These sweet, doughy desserts are fun as an Easter treat, since they symbolize the empty tomb, but they’re a fun treat any time of year. This recipe is great for really little ones because there’s no measuring required.

Frozen crescent roll dough
Marshmallows (full size)
Melted butter
Sugar and cinnamon, mixed together

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Arrange balls of crescent roll dough, leaving about 2 inches between balls. Flatten each ball into a 3” diameter circle (it’s fun to squish with the bottom of a drinking glass). Place a marshmallow in the center and wrap the dough around it, pinching to close completely. Roll in the palm of your hand to smooth and seal. Brush generously with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Return to greased cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. Let rise till doubled (~30-60 minutes). Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Lime Fascination

This was one of my absolute favorite desserts as a kid – to eat AND to make. The hardest part was waiting for the jello to set before moving on to the next step! If you don’t wait long enough, you end up with a layered dessert with mostly green jello on the bottom and mostly whipped cream on the top. Delicious either way, though!

Crust:
2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (a pre-made chocolate pie crust will also work, as will crushed chocolate graham crackers) - use either a food processor or a rolling pin to make crumbs
4 Tbsp melted butter

Filling:
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 pkg lime jello
1-1/4 cups boiling water
¼ cup lime juice (can substitute lemon juice)
1 cup sugar

Combine chocolate and butter. Set aside a few tablespoons for topping (or use chocolate jimmies) and press remainder into the bottom of a 9” square baking dish.

Chill the evaporated milk by refrigerating overnight or placing in the freezer for about 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, dissolve the jello in boiling water. Add the sugar and lime juice and stir until completely dissolved. Cool slightly (you can scant the boiling water and add a few ice cubes at this point), then refrigerate until partially set.

Pour the evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer (start on low and increase speed) until it forms a solid, whipped-cream-like foam.

When the jello is partially set, beat until a light, airy texture. Fold into evaporated milk, mixing until color is even and not streaky. Pour over the crumb crust. Smooth with spatula and sprinkle with reserved crumbs (or chocolate jimmies). Cover with plastic wrap (hold up with toothpicks if necessary to avoid sticking) and chill for several hours before serving.

Gingerbread Boys

There’s something universally appealing about making gingerbread boys. These cookies are just as delicious cut into squares with a knife or circles with a drinking glass, but kids love using a cookie cutter to make little boys and girls. This recipe is moist and delicious enough to not need icing, but if your kids are artistic, feel free to add icing decorations after the cookies are cooled.

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup Crisco (or butter)
1 tsp vinegar (white or cider)
1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp salt
2-2/3 cup flour (adjust as needed)

Combine all ingredients, adding flour gradually until dough is a workable consistency. Roll out on a floured board (slightly thicker dough will result in a softer cookie) and cut with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Bake on a greased cookie sheet (cookies will spread slightly) for 5 minutes at 400.

Crazy Cake

This is a delicious, moist cake, but what makes it special is how fun it is to make. It reminds me of making mud pies! Kids love to dig wells in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids, then mix it all together. Adults love that there’s no big mixing bowl to wash afterwards.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups cold water

Sift together all dry ingredients in ungreased 9x13”pan. Make three wells and pour oil into one, vinegar into another, and vanilla into the third. Pour cold water over all and stir well with fork.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely and frost as desired.

Fun Fudge

Fudge is always fun; mini marshmallows are always fun. Put them together, and you get double fun! And now that microwaves have taken the place of double-boilers in melting the ingredients, fudge is a much more kid-friendly recipe.

18 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows (white or multicolored)
1-1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate chips and margarine in microwave-safe bowl, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and heat an additional 30-60 seconds, stirring till well blended. Fold in marshmallows and vanilla. Spread evenly in an 8” or 9” square pan lined with waxed paper. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn out onto cutting board and peel off waxed paper. Cut into squares and store in covered container in refrigerator.