Our Military Life Blog

Celebrate the Holidays with Mars

The holidays are in full swing all over the world. Stockings are being hung by the chimney with care and Clark Griswold is making sure his decor is on point as always. One thing is for sure in this household, there will be plenty of holiday treats to go around.

Candies and cookies are a main staple in our holiday season. Growing up, my parents’ house turned into Santa’s Bake Shop and now the magic has started in our house. I wanted to find a recipe that would satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, and boy did I find one! This will definitely be on Santa’s Cookie Plate at the Buchanan’s this holiday season.

Brownie Turtle Cookies

Ingredients

(Don’t forget to shop all these ingredients at your local Commissary)

  • 2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup M&M’S MINIS MILK Chocolate Candies, divided
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
  • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350*F. Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside.
  • Heat chocolate and shortening on 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted; remove from heat. Mix in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in 2/3 cups of M&M’S MINIS Milk Chocolate Candies.
  • For each cookie, arrange 3 pecan halves, with ends almost touching at center, on prepared cookie sheets. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto center of each group of pecans; mound the dough slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire racks.
  • In a small bowl, combine ice cream topping, coconut, and chopped nuts; top each cookie with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture. Press the remaining 1/2 cup M&M’S MINIS Milk Chocolate Candies into the topping

Be sure to head over to your local Commissary to stock up on all the ingredients for this amazing recipe and all of your favorite MARS candies this holiday season!

Kristyn

A salty, seasoned Submariner Spouse who is living the Navy dream!