Chocolate Cookies AND Banana Maple Creme Muffins

Have a box of apple cake mix lying around and in the mood for chocolate cookies?  Cursing yourself for not buying some chocolate cookie mix for a quick chocolaty cookie snack?  

Or perhaps you have a ripe banana you'd rather bake in a sweet treat than eat it on it's own?

You're in luck. I brought these to an open house last night for Partylite candles, who also has a food line by Two Sister's Gourmet.  I've made this mix before as apple cake, and it's good, but I wanted to show how versatile the mix is.  So I made gooey chocolate cookies- they're soft, rich, and gooey, and so chocolaty!

And the banana muffins were moist, the maple creme adding a little sweetness, and the apple cake mix adding some cinnamon and spices. 

They were a hit. 

On a side note- I told The Boyfriend I made cookies, and he's like 'You gotta stop makin' cookies all the time babe.' (We try not to eat so many sweets). Told him don't worry, they're just for the open house.  

Later that night, with cookies leftover, I text him if he wants me to bring some home, and he says 'HELLS YEAH I DO.'   Guess he liked them.

They were at hit at the party too, and recipes were requested.  So here they are!

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

You will need: 

1 cup Two Sister's Apple Cake Mix

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

2 oz unsweetened chocolate chunks or chips

1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

1. In a large bowl, mix together the egg, butter, vanilla, and olive oil. In a separate bowl, mix together the cake mix, light brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Gradually ass the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring to combine.  Fold in the chocolate chips and chunks.  

2.  Roll the dough into generous sized 1 inch balls.  You should have enough for 12 cookies, 6 on two baking sheets. 

3. Bake for about 9 minutes, or until cookies are still a bit gooey but mostly set.  Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes (if you try to remove them sooner they will fall apart).  Remove them from baking sheets and continue cooling on wire racks.

Banana Maple Creme Muffins

Makes 20 mini muffins, about 8 regular size muffins

You will need:

For the muffins:

1 cup Two Sister's Apple Cake Mix

1 egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 ripe banana, mashed

For the streusel:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cold unsalted butter

For the maple creme:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened but not melted

2 tbsp butter, softened but not melted

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or put paper liners in your muffin pan.

1. Make the muffins.  Beat together the egg and the butter. Mix in the banana.  Gradually add the cake mix to the banana mix, stirring until combined. Set aside.

2. Make the streusel.  Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl.  Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture.  Use your hands to mix, squeezing the butter into smaller and smaller pieces until you have a crumbly mixture.  Set aside.

3. Make the maple creme. cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup.  Add the confectioners sugar and mix until combined.

4. Assemble the mufffins.  Fill muffin halfway with muffin batter.  Add a dollop of maple creme in the middle of each muffin using a teaspoon.  Try to avoid having the creme touch the edges of the pan. Top with another scoop of the muffin batter, completely covering the maple creme. Top with a generous tablespoon of streusel, patting it down so it sticks to the muffin.  

5. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until muffin is set and golden on top.