Turn your Girl Scout cookies into brownies and bread pudding

Samoas are chewy caramel cookies mixed with flaked coconut and striped with chocolate. Two Samoas contain 140 calories. Use them as an ingredient to make Samoas Super Brownies.

SAMOAS SUPER BROWNIES

Recipe by Connie Post, Kamron Taylor and Vivienne Machi

1 package dark chocolate brownie

7 Samoas, chopped into bits

1 tub Salty Caramel Icing

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 Samoas, chopped into bits

DIRECTIONS

Prepare brownie mix as directed, adding in 7 chopped Samoas. Cook brownies as directed. Cool completely. Spread icing, then sprinkle coconut the remaining chopped Samoas on top. Cut into squares.

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A newcomer in 2015, Rah-Rah Raisins are thick oatmeal cookies with raisins and Greek yogurt nuggets.

Two cookies contain 120 calories. Use them to make a bread pudding in a jar that’s a perfect addition to your packed lunch for a delicious dessert or as a snack for hiking.

RAH-RAH RAISINS BREAD PUDDING IN A JAR

Recipe by Connie Post

8 Rah-Rah Raisins Girl Scout Cookies (1 cup, divided into ¾ cup and ¼ cup)

12 slices white bread, torn into small pieces

1 apple, cored, peeled and diced

1/3 cup walnut pieces

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/3 slightly packed light brown sugar

½ stick butter, melted

2 eggs, hand beaten with a fork

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Place the pieces of bread and ¾ cup of the Rah-Rah Raisins crumbs in a large bowl. Add diced apple, walnuts and cranberries, and mix by hand. Then add milk and heavy cream until combined. Add brown sugar, melted butter, 2 eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Spray non-stick cooking spray inside seven 8-ounce canning jars. Spoon the bread pudding mixture into the jars. Don’t overfill because the pudding will expand a bit as it cooks.

Mix the 2 tablespoons of melted butter with the remaining ¼ cup Rah-Rah Raisins crumbs. Place a small spoonful of this mixture on top of each jar and spread it across the top.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a cooking pan with ½ inch boiling water. Place the canning jars in the pan, making sure they don’t touch one another. Bake for 25 minutes.

After they’ve thoroughly cooled, place lids on the jars and refrigerate.