Sometimes, when I have a really rough day, I just want to go home, kick off my shoes and dig into something sweet. Not just anything sweet mind you. It has to be one of my favorite easy dessert recipes, filled with a decadent taste that will wrap me in a comforting hug. Today, for instance, is Friday the 13th. Usually, I don’t buy into all the bad luck surrounding it. In fact, I usually have an awesome day.
Well, my string of luck ran out this Friday the 13th. The mischief and chaos often associated with this unlucky day started at 5:00 a.m. when my (mostly) sweet little toddler woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He made his mood known in the form of screams and tantrums. (Happy Friday the 13th indeed!) Compound that with the normal morning setbacks, and my mind went straight to the decadent dessert sitting in my freezer. I barely resisted indulging before 7:00 a.m.
Just barely.
When I go home today, I will curl up in my comfy jammies, watch Moana with my son (for the 32-millionth time), and dig into one of my go-to, feel-good, easy dessert recipes (luckily, I made it last night, so it’s patiently awaiting my arrival). Since I’m probably not the only one experiencing a Friday the 13th funk today, I’m going to show you how to make the Frozen Caramel Pizookie. It’s one of those dessert recipes that sends your worries farther and farther away with each delectable bite.
How to Make: Frozen Caramel Pizookie
Step One:
Gather your ingredients: Luckily, this recipe calls for all of my favorite things like, refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, frozen sea salt caramel yogurt, and some chopped walnuts. I jazz the walnuts up with cinnamon and sugar and top the pizookie with whipped topping. The best part is the cinnamon sugar donut holes for garnish. (I found these Farm Rich gems in the frozen foods aisle of my local grocery store.)
My mouth is salivating and the day is just a little bit brighter as I think about it.
Step Two:
All right, let’s get down to business and get this dessert started. The first thing you’re going to do is grab a spring form pan, and slice the cookie dough into 1/2-inch thick-slices. (I’m not gonna lie. It’s tempting to eat Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough raw, but save it for the dessert!) You’re going to press the dough together in the bottom of the pan to create the perfect cookie crust. Bake it about 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let it cool.
Step Three:
While the cookie crust is cooling, we’re going to whip up the topping. In a small bowl combine a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, a 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix it well, making sure that those walnuts are covered in that delicious cinnamon sugar mixture.
Okay, so now, we need to take about 3/4 of the container of sea salt caramel frozen yogurt and gently spread it over our perfectly golden cookie crust. (I absolutely love Kemps Sea Salt Caramel for this!) Make sure you pack that caramel goodness into the pan, nice and tight. Once it’s all smoothed out, sprinkle that cinnamon sugar walnut mixture over the top. Cover and freeze for at least four hours or overnight so it’s ready to go for the next day.
Step Four:
Before you get ready to serve this, bake the cinnamon sugar donut holes according to the package directions and let cool. Then, top the pizookie with a generous amount of thawed, frozen whipped topping. (Cool Whip is my go-to for this. It’s got a smooth creamy taste, and saves me the time of needing to make it from scratch.) Top it off with the cinnamon sugar donut holes from the freezer aisle, slice the pizookie, and it’s ready to serve!
It’s okay to sneak some of the left over donut holes for yourself. Or ya know, add a few extra to your slice depending on how much comfort you need.
Friday the 13th may think it’s clever in how it misbehaves, and sure, it may have given my day a rough start, but there’s still a lot of daylight to burn, and one of the best, easy dessert recipes is waiting for me at home. I recommend this Frozen Caramel Pizookie for anyone who’s had a rough day.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s also great when you want to show off your dessert making skills. Having people over for a spring get together? A summer backyard bash? You can make this ahead and add the final touches right before the party starts. Of course, really, the party’s not going to start until you set this out. Everyone will get super excited to try it.
This Frozen Caramel Pizookie is a great feel-good dessert, and I bet it might just make it to the top of your favorites list.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL FROZEN CARAMEL PIZOOKIE RECIPE!
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This conversation is sponsored by National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. The opinions and text are all my own.
What is your favorite feel-good dessert?
The post How to Make: Frozen Caramel Pizookie appeared first on Mr. Food's Blog.