My mother and grandmother have baked with me for years, teaching me all the tips, tricks, and best recipes. Now, I’ve taken the skills with me to college, where I’ve baked cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes, and other desserts for friends. While baking, most people view anything beyond a box/bag mix as a difficult task, so why not try a few simple, dorm friendly dessert recipes to impress your friends!
For all the recipes that require a hand mixer, I do highly recommend one as it is the best way to evenly mix the cream cheese and leave no clumps behind.
1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients: Premade chocolate pie crust, creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, Cool Whip, powdered sugar
In a bowl, mix together one cup of creamy peanut butter with eight ounces of softened cream cheese using a hand mixer. Once smooth, beat in eight ounces of thawed Cool Whip and one and a quarter (1 ¼ cups powdered sugar). After it is thoroughly mixed, pour the mix into the premade chocolate pie crust, using a spoon to scrape the bowl clean. Smooth out the top and garnish with Reese’s Pieces. Place in the fridge uncovered for a minimum of one hour before serving.
2. Air Fryer Oreos
Ingredients: Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Oreos, powdered sugar
Roll out your crescent dough and pinch each seam together. Cut the dough into 8 squares. I do this with clean scissors or a sharp knife. Then, place your favorite Oreo in the middle of each square. After, fold all the sides around the Oreo and press the seams down to seal them together. Gently place them in an air fryer basket. Then, cook at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes on each side. Let them cook for a minute before taking them out of the basket. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
3. Chocolate Chip Dip
Ingredients: Cream cheese, brown sugar, marshmallow fluff, mini chocolate chips, Cool Whip
Mix eight ounces of room temperature cream cheese with four ounces of Cool Whip using an electric hand mixer. Once they are mixed, beat in seven ounces of marshmallow fluff and one tablespoon of brown sugar into cream cheese and Cool Whip. Fold in one cup of mini chocolate chips. Once all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, serve with a dipper of your choice! I recommend pretzels, graham crackers, animal crackers, and fruit.
4. Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries
Ingredients: Cream cheese, strawberries, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, crushed graham cracker
First, wash and core a package of strawberries, discarding the innards and leaves. Using an electric mixer, combine eight ounces of cream cheese with a half cup (1/2) of powdered sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla. After everything is mixed, scoop the contents into a Ziploc bag. Cut a little more than the corner of the Ziploc bag off, turning it into a piping bag. Squeeze the cream cheese mixture into the hollowed-out portion of the strawberry, filling it just enough so it pokes out the top. Once all the strawberries are filled, sprinkle the crushed graham cracker onto the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
And for those who are in the mood for something light and fluffy as a sweet treat, enjoy this delicious fruit dip!
1.Cool Whip Fruit Dip
Ingredients: Cool Whip, yogurt, Jello mix
In a bowl, whisk together eight ounces of thawed Cool whip with eight ounces of plain or vanilla yogurt (I use Chobani), and 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite Jello mix. Let chill in fridge for a half hour before serving. I’ve made blue raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and lemon and paired them with various fruits, but grapes and various berries are my favorite dippers! Pretzels go well with this dessert, too.