Sweet Treats for the Fourth of July

Celebrate the Fourth of July with chocolate! Homemade treats are a sure way to bring a smile to anyone's face on this holiday. Make the 4^th of July a day to celebrate with these tempting sweet treat recipes.

Easy July 4th Cupcakes with Homemade Frosting

Ingredients for Cupcakes

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cup sugar

½ cup softened butter or margarine

1 ¼ cups milk

3 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups. Combine all of the ingredients using an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue mixing on high for 3 minutes.

Pour batter into baking cups, filling the cups halfway. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin to finish cooling.

Ingredients for Frosting

1 cup shortening

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

4 tbsp milk

Combine sugar and shortening using an electric mixer, beating on medium for 30 seconds. Continue beating as you slowly add half of the powdered sugar. Add half of the milk. Add the remaining sugar and milk, beating until you have your desired consistency.

Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting.

Independence Special: Double Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 package white baking chocolate broken into pieces

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chips over low heat' make sure to stir constantly to keep the chocolate from burning. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool, stirring occasionally to keep the chocolate from hardening.

In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium until the mixture is well mixed. Add in the eggs and melted chocolate, continue beating until well mixed. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, and nuts.

Drop large tablespoonful of the cookie dough about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool for about 2 minutes. Remove cookies from sheet and place on wire rack or countertop until completely cooled.

Fourth of July Homemade Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter or margarine

5 ounces of baking chocolate broken into pieces

1 ¾ cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Chocolate frosting (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a square baking pan with shortening or butter. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Put aside to cool.

Beat sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer on high for 5 minutes. Add melted chocolate with beater on low. Add flour and stop beating as soon as the flour is combined with the rest of the ingredients. Add walnuts if desired.

Spread mixture into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan. Cool for about 2 hours. Frost with chocolate frosting if desired.