Giftable Goodies! Chocolate Dipped Cookies and "Stir-In" Spoons

Hooray for some more giftable goodies! Today's featured yummies are Chocolate dipped sandwich cookies (like Oreos), and "Stir-In" spoons. Basically it's a bunch of stuff dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with more sugary stuff. Haha.

These really are pretty easy to do, but be prepared to get slightly messy. It's amazing how melted chocolate seems to get everywhere. It wasn't too terrible, and most of it was on my hands, so it all worked out. ;)

The "stir-in" spoons are basically just spoons dipped in chocolate, and you stir them into either coffee or hot chocolate to flavor the hot drink. I did chocolate and white chocolate, but you can be creative. Caramel dipped spoons would be fun, and adding certain types of candy like peppermints can add another dimension of flavor (think peppermint mocha). The possibilities are endless.

So without further ado...giftable goodies!

Dipped Cookies
Ingredients:
-1 package sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
-1 package chocolate chips (you might need a little more than 1 package, depending on how many cookies you do)
-sprinkles, crushed candy, or whatever other topping you'd like (you could also melt some white chocolate and drizzle...)

Directions:
Melt the chocolate chips, either in the microwave or with a double boiler. In the microwave...dump the chips into a microwave safe bowl (I used my large Pyrex glass measuring cup). Heat the chips for 1 minute, then stir to get the chips all mixed up. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chips are JUST melted. If you over heat the chocolate, it will get nasty. I know this from experience. Be very careful. Haha. In a double boiler, heat the chips, stirring frequently, until just melted. Remove from the heat.

Dip one side of the cookie in the melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off.

Next, drop the whole cookie into the chocolate, non-dipped side down, so the already dipped side is facing up out of the chocolate.

Using a fork, make sure the bottom and sides of the cookie are covered in chocolate. Scoop the cookie out of the chocolate pool with the fork, letting the excess chocolate run off through the tines.

Place the dipped cookie on a waxpaper lined baking sheet.

While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with whatever sprinkle or crushed candy you have to decorate the tops.

When the cookie sheet is full of dipped cookies, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let the chocolate set. When the chocolate has set, package the cookies in whatever fun packaging idea you have, and give away! (If you can manage not to eat most of them yourself...)

I packaged mine in clear plastic bags with some pretty ribbon and a tag. :)



"Stir-In" Spoons
Ingredients:
-Plastic disposable spoons (you can use nicer non-disposable spoons if you want the gift to be a little nicer)
-1 package chocolate chips (I did some chocolate and some white chocolate), which will dip between 10 and 15 spoons, depending on how generous you are
-Fun sprinkles, crushed candy, etc for decorating/flavoring

Directions:
Melt the chocolate chips, either in the microwave or with a double boiler. In the microwave...dump the chips into a microwave safe bowl (I used my large Pyrex glass measuring cup). Heat the chips for 1 minute, then stir to get the chips all mixed up. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chips are JUST melted. If you over heat the chocolate, it will get nasty. I know this from experience. Be very careful. Haha. In a double boiler, heat the chips, stirring frequently, until just melted. Remove from the heat.

Dip each spoon into the chocolate, making sure to cover both sides well. Let the excess drip off, then set on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

While the chocolate it still wet, sprinkle with your decorative/flavoring fun stuff.

When the sheet is full,

place in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let the chocolate set up. When the chocolate is set, package the spoons for gifting!

I used some long, skinny clear plastic bags I got at a craft store. They were labeled pretzel bags, and I also use them for my dipped pretzel rods. They were the perfect size for this.

I will say that whatever packaging method you choose to use, they should probably be air-tight so the chocolate doesn't start to look odd. Sometimes as chocolate dries out, it starts to look spotty or weird. Not great for gifting.



Just as an aside, I'm posting pictures of my little goodie bags I'm giving away to friends. They include a Cookie Tower (a stack of three types of cookies in a clear plastic bag), my dipped pretzels, the stir-in spoons above, the dipped cookies above, previously posted peppermint bark and turtles, and a candy cane. I included a little Christmas card as well, so they know who it's all from and that we wish them a Merry Christmas! :)

Here's my table covered in goodies waiting to be packaged up,

and here is my table with all the goodies in cute little gift bags, ready to go!

And here's a look inside!

So excited to see how they are received. Enjoy your giftable goodies!