Mini Grasshopper Cheesecakes

Crushed cookie crumbs make up the base of these easy, tasty cheesecakes.

Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 3 hr 40 min
Ingredients: 7
Servings: 18

Ingredients:
Crust
1 roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
One teaspoon peppermint extract
4 to 6 drops green food color

Topping: Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut cookies into slices as directed on roll. Place 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased large cookie sheets.
2. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are deep golden brown and crispy. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes. Crumble about half the cookies into fine crumbs to make 2 cups cookie crumbs.
3. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Place foil baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups. Press about 1 tablespoon cookie mixture in bottom of each baking cup. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Bake 5 minutes.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir peppermint extract and food coloring. Pour about 1/4 cup of the filling on top of each of the cookie crusts.
5. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are set and centers are still slightly jiggly. Turn oven off, and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cheesecakes are chilled. Top with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

End-of-the-Rainbow Cookie Parfaits

Kids and adults will flip for these easy rainbow parfaits that are easy to make and over-the-top delicious!

Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 6
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
2 eggs
Red, orange, yellow, green and blue gel food colors
1 pint whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 10 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. 
2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; add eggs. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Divide dough evenly into 5 small bowls. Color dough with red, orange, yellow, green and blue food colors, stirring until well combined.
3. Scoop dough into muffin pans, making 2 cupcakes of each of the 5 colors, for a total of 10 cupcakes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove cups from pan to cooling rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.
5. Crumble each of the cupcakes, keeping the colors separate. Sprinkle red cake crumbles into each of 12 glass parfait cups, glasses or small jars. Pipe whipped cream on top of each. Repeat process with orange, yellow, green and blue cake crumbles, finishing with the blue cake crumbles. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mini Whoopie Pies

It doesn't get much easier than these 5-ingredient whoopie pies made with Pillsbury® sugar cookie dough!

Prep time: 20 min 
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 5
Servings: 34

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookie dough
2 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon green gel food color
1 cup cream cheese creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 16-oz container)

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften.
2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add eggs, flour and green food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until well blended. Place mixture in decorating bag fitted with tip, or place in resealable plastic food-storage bag and cut off 1 corner. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch circles 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set and spring back when touched. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. To make 1 whoopie pie, pipe frosting between 2 cookies.

Tips: Give these whoopie pies extra-special flavor by filling them with your favorite homemade cream cheese frosting!