Want to relieve stress by baking? Here are some recipes from Channel 11 personalities for you to try

PITTSBURGH — If you’re looking for a way to relieve your stress while staying home and practicing social distancing, why not head to the kitchen and create something delicious to enjoy?

Experts say that baking, reading, focusing on long-term projects or learning new skills can help boost well being and help people cope.

With that in mind, we asked some of our Channel 11 personalities for their favorite cookie recipes that you can try out at home.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes - Cara Sapida

This recipe was in the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest back in 2010. A decade later, it’s still amazing.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil

1 cup water

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 egg

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips

Steps

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla to flour mixture, stirring just until smooth (do not over mix).
3. In another large bowl, beat egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat until creamy.
4. Spoon 1 level tablespoon chocolate batter into each cup; evenly spread 1 level tablespoon peanut butter filling on top. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips and chocolate chips.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

Candy Cane Cookies - Katherine Amenta

A message from Katherine: This recipe is the Amenta family’s favorite cookie!! My mom has made them for years at Christmas! I’m so excited to share it with you! Also, I recently modified it for Halloween pumpkins for my nephew in October. Turns out – they’re delicious in any shape!! 😊 Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 egg or 2 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red food color

Steps

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. You’ll need a mixer. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt.
3. Divide dough in half; blend red food color into one half (or other colors for whatever shape you’re making.)
4. Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half into 4 inch rope. For smoother, even ropes, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board.
5. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist. Complete one cookie at a time.
6. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle of cane. (see picture below)
7. Bake about 9 minutes – or less (The Amentas like lightly baked) !! ENJOY!

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies - Lori Houy

Lori got the recipe from Judy Gradisek of Beaver County.

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix

1 bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

Steps

1. Mix ingredients together.
2. Roll into balls (in teaspoon) to fit small muffin tin.
3. Bake 350 degrees for ten minutes. (They will look very light brown.)
4. Immediately push peanut butter cup into middle of cookies.
5. Cool in tin.

Makes approximately 24 cookies

Nestle Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - Peggy Finnegan

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

2 cups quick oats

Steps

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until creamy
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
5. Stir in morsels and oats.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 350 degree over for 8 to 11 minutes or until golden.

Dawn’s Banana Bread - Peggy Finnegan

From Peggy: The 4 Finnegan sisters are passing around this banana bread recipe from Dawn Finnegan.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups banana (about 6 medium ripe bananas)

4 eggs

Steps

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Prepare large loaf pan, or two small loaf pans.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
4. In mixing bowl, beat together oil, sugar bananas and eggs.
5. Add dry ingredients & mix with spoon just until combined.
6. Bake for 55 mins (approx) or until knife comes out clean.
7. Turn out from pan after 5 minutes of cooling.

Pistachio Lime Chex Mix - Jennifer Tomazic

Ingredients

6 cups Vanilla Chex® cereal and I usually add another cup of Corn Chex

1 cup roasted, salted pistachios, shelled

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup frozen (thawed) limeade concentrate

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Steps

1. In large microwavable bowl, measure cereal and pistachios; set aside.
2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter and juice concentrate on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until butter is melted; stir in lime peel. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on High about 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until cereal just begins to brown. 
4. Spread on waxed paper to cool.  Store in airtight container.  

Trisha’s Favorite No-Bake Cookies - Trisha Pittman

Disclaimer from Trisha: I don’t really measure things when I cook or bake, I just eyeball it.

Ingredients

Peanut butter

Pure maple syrup

Oats

Steps

1. You melt the peanut butter and mix in the pure maple syrup. The real deal maple syrup, not the kind of stuff you put on pancakes.
2. Next, mix in the oats until everything is combined. The mixture should look a little dry.
3. Then, you take a small scooper and scoop the mixture onto a cookie sheet.
4. Flatten the cookies out a little bit with a fork or the back of a spoon.
5. Put them in the freezer and then get them out and eat them whenever you would like!

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