Milky Way Pudding Cookies

Sooo I am back! But since I dropped off the face of the earth and did not post this before I left. I am going to rewind a bit AND then in the next post start describing my trip! Missed posting! Its great to be back!

The hectic semester is almost over and lucky for me because.......::drum roll::...the hubby and I OFFICIALLY BOOKED OUR ANNIVERSARY TRIP TO SOUTH EAST ASIA!!!!! Ahhhhhh! I had mentioned it before, but its official! We are going to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), and Cambodia, for two weeks! I think I am long overdue for a vacation, especially a vacation with the hubby (because if you remember, we did not get to go on a honeymoon). I am looking forward to relaxing, site-seeing, food eating and culture soaking! I am beyond excited! Do not worry! I will post a TON of pictures of every little part of my journey :) I am a social networking- media enthusiast! Plus, I mean, you have just go to know everything I eat right?! But as a warning- I will be dropping off from blogging for most of May (I hopefully will post about my travels but no recipes :/ I hope you still follow along though.

Okay, well the hubby and I booked it last weekend. And we were so excited that we got up and made a day of it (and by it I mean preparing for it). We tried this doughnut place the hubby wanted to go to called Daylight Donuts. We learned that it is connected to this place called Sweet Eugene's that sells wonderfully, delicious desserts. I got a chocolate filled doughnut and a jalapeno sausage Kolache. The hubby got a maple, hazelnut scone, Bavarian creme filled doughnut and an apple fritter. I really liked my chocolate filled doughnut but not so much the Kolache. And I definitely want to come back to try the crepes (yes crepes!) rest of the desserts. It was just too early in the morning to justify a chocolate explosion cake (did I just say that?!)

Afterwards we went to Barnes and Nobles and Half Price Books to pick up any and all travel books we could find on Southeast Asia. It was so fun  looking and grabbing, knowing that all these wonderful places we saw in the books, we would actually see in person! And, you, hopefully through my Nikon Lens ;) We also picked up some books, like crossword puzzles, word searches, recreational books to read, to distract us on the 20 HOUR FLIGHT to Moscow and then the four hour flight from Moscow to Singapore. That would be right--a 24 HOUR FLIGHT total! If you know me, you would know I begin to get stir crazy after about 3 hours! I am not sure what I am going to do, but I hope the books provide a nice distraction. And the yummy food, that Singapore Airlines is known to serve :)

In the meantime, I made these cookies for the class that I have been teaching. They have been absolutely wonderful. I always bring candy when there is an exam, but for the last exam, since they know I love to bake I thought I would bake them cookies. Since its 8am and there are 40 of them, I thought it would be difficult to make anything else. Tangent alert: funny thing about Milky Ways, are that I never used to like them at a kid at all. But Angie always brings them in at work and leaves it for the graduate students to eat. And for some reason I have became addicted to them- the milk chocolate and dark chocolate version (milk chocolate more so, of course ;) Well, I saw these cookies on Pinterest and I just knew I had to make them, pudding style! BUT, although they are pudding cookies, they are the first pudding cookie I made that was not fluffy and I think its because the caramel in the milk way weighed the cookie down. Still delicious though! 

Milky Way Pudding Cookies

Adapted from I Heart Nap Time

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350F Degrees

2 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding

1 1/2 stick of butter, softened

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. caramel sauce (optional)

25-30 fun size milk ways- chopped*

* Add in as much milk ways depending on flavor preference. I did 30 fun size bars. Mini milk ways could also be used but you would need double the amount. Either milk chocolate or dark chocolate milky ways could be used as well (I did milk chocolate). The best way to chop the milk way bars is to refrigerate them first until hard. 

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla pudding- set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream together (on medium speed) butter and both sugar until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Then add egg--one at a time--followed by vanilla and caramel sauce. Scrape down the sides of the mixer. Reduce to low speed and add flour mixture (dry ingredients). Combine until just incorporated. Add in chopped milk way pieces. 

Line two cookie sheets with either aluminum foil, parchment or baking sheets-- and scoop 1 inch cookie dough balls onto the sheet (I used a cookie dough scoop and rolled between my pals for a nice round shape). Space cookies at least 2 inches apart (the cookies do spread) and bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes, before transferring to a cooling wrack. 

Enjoy,

Chika