Our Team’s Favorite Holiday Treats!

Happy Holidays from Charleston Orthodontic Specialists! It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year, and that means celebrating with delicious treats. Our team wanted to share some of our favorite holiday recipes as a way of spreading joy to your homes. We hope your holiday is filled with love, happiness, and, of course, great food. Enjoy!

Jessica’s Favorite:

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings 3 ½ dozen

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 sticks of real butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 (3.4 oz) package of vanilla instant pudding mix
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 3 to 3 ½ cups of flour
• 12 oz bag of mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat the two sugars and 2 sticks of butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract. Add pudding mix; stir until incorporated.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 3-3 ½ cups of flour with the baking soda and salt. Slowly blend into the egg mixture.
4. Add any additional flour, if needed. The dough should be somewhat like the consistency of pie crust dough – not sticky.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Drop spoon-full of dough on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies are JUST starting to turn golden (they should look somewhat done to keep that puffy/softness). Let cookies cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

 

Chelsea’s Favorite:

GORILLA BREAD

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
4. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside.
5. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts.
7. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts.
8. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

 

Beverly’s Favorite:

CRUNCHIES 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup coconut
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 4 oz. margarine
• 2-1/2 tsp. water
• 2-1/2 tsp. syrup or maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Mix together flour, brown sugar, coconut, oats, baking soda, and ginger.
2. Melt syrup, water, and margarine in a small saucepan. Add to the dry ingredients. Mix well by hand.
3. Place in a 8×8 greased baking dish and flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

 

Angie’s Favorite:

CHOCOLATE CHIP CARAMEL BROWNIES

Ingredients:

• 1 box Devil’s Food Cake
• ½ Cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• ½ Cup butter
• ½ Cup sweetened condensed milk
• 14 oz. bag of caramels
• ½ Cup chopped walnuts
• ½ bag of red & green M&M’s

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix Devil’s Food Cake, melted butter, and the egg until crumbled
3. Pat ¾ of cake mix dough in ungreased 9×13 pan
4. Bake 10-12 minutes
5. Meanwhile, heat on medium-low the milk, butter, and caramels. Stir constantly until melted, then pour over baked crust
6. Top with M&M’s and nuts
7. Top with remaining crumbled mixture
8. Bake 25-30 minutes