Butterfinger Freezer Dessert

This is just a yummy cool summertime dessert that everyone seems to love.  It's easy and it's no-bake.  Win-win.  I brought it to my family's Father's Day get-together.

Butterfinger Freezer Dessert

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 packages (3.4oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 quart butter pecan ice cream, softened
1 carton (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed
1 Butterfinger candy bar, chopped

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Pat 3/4 of the mixture into a 13x9" baking pan.  Save the other 1/4 for the topping.  Refrigerate pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes until pudding thickens.  Stir in the softened ice cream until blended.  Spread over the chilled crust.  Spoon the whipped topping over the pudding layer and spread evenly.

Combine the candy bar and 1/4 cup cracker mixture and sprinkle evenly over the whipped topping.  Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Toffee Bits Triangles

I had some leftover chocolate chips and toffee bits, so I found this recipe online to use them up with other standard pantry ingredients I already had on hand.  I made a half-batch since that's what I had for ingredients, and they turned out pretty good. Maybe more than good.  I ate way too many.

Toffee Bits Triangles
from Hershey's online recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
8 oz pkg (1&1/3 cups) Heath Bits 'o Brickle Toffee Bits
12 oz pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips

Directions:
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on medium speed. Add vanilla and egg yolk and beat until well mixed.  Stir in flour and 1 cup of the toffee bits.

Press mixture into a 15x10" jelly roll pan (I recommend lining it with parchment paper for easier cleanup).  Bake at 350º for 16-20 minutes or until light brown.  

Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over top while still hot.  Wait 5 minutes to allow chips to melt, then spread chocolate evenly.  Sprinkle remaining toffee bits over top.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares, then triangles.

Butterscotch Pudding Pretzel Cookies

I decided to try a different cookie recipe and thought these sounded interesting.  I liked the combination of the salty pretzel with the sweet cookie with butterscotch and toffee bits.  I made half the batch with chocolate chips added in and half without.  I preferred the addition of the chocolate chips.

Butterscotch Pudding Pretzel Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2&1/2 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 box (4-serving size) butterscotch instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups mini pretzel twists, coarsely crushed
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate toffee bits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º

In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy.  Beat in dry pudding mix, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.   In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, soda, and salt, then beat into the cookie batter on low speed.  Stir in the crushed pretzels, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and toffee bits.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350º for 9-11 minutes until lightly brown.  Cool 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.