Pinterest Treats

Mine|  Theirs

I've had a Pinterest account for some time, but despite my best intentions I haven't really made anything that I've pinned (I even have a board called "Things I'll Never Make"). I currently have 113 pins in my board "Tasty Treats," and I was determined to make something from it this Christmas. I actually got ambitious and made two tasty treats, and to my delight they were both a major success.

The first one I made was this Buckeye Bark. Ever since my epiphany for the city swap gift, I've been craving the Ohio-centric candy. But I also wasn't looking forward to rolling balls of peanut butter until my hands fell off, so the bark version was a perfect compromise.

It's so easy you really don't even need directions, but here they are anyway: layer the chocolate, peanut butter mixture, then chocolate again on a Silpat-lined cookie tray, popping it in the freezer to set in between layers. I was worried I would be waiting a long time for the layers to harden, but each probably took less than 15 min. Breaking it with my hands was a little difficult (and melty) and resulted in some not-so-photo-worthy shards, but it tasted so good no one seemed to care.

Mine|  Theirs

Emboldened by my success with the Buckeye Bark, I decided to make these chocolate cherry cookies. My mom and I had made a version of these (called Santa's Whiskers) back in elementary school for a cookie exchange, and I was so excited when I stumbled on this version.

I added twice as much cherry juice as the recipe called for, doubled the almond extract and added more cherries for extra flavor. I actually only put kisses on top of about half, and sprinkles on the others. I definitely prefer them without the kisses, but I was making them for family and thought they might like the option.

Some reviewers said these were bland because they're not super sweet, but I think they're absolutely delicious. I just ate the last of them today, and I'm already thinking about making more. The cherry juice turns the cookie a really pretty shade of pink that would be perfect for Valentine's Day, even if my man wasn't a huge fan. Luckily, I don't think I'll have any problem eating an entire batch by myself.