Brown Bears Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla until completely combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half, then pat or roll each piece into 1/4-inch thick sheets between pieces of plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Position 2 oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, remove the plastic wrap and transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper. Place a second piece of parchment on top and roll out the dough between the parchment to 1/8-inch thick, being sure to smooth out any creases. Cut out 20 to 22 bears by pressing a 2 3/8-inch bear cookie cutter into the dough, sliding a small offset spatula underneath the cutter and dough and lifting to release from the paper. Place the bears on one of the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (If the dough becomes too soft, put it in the freezer to firm up a little so it is easier to work with.) Reserve the dough scraps wrapped in plastic at room temperature.)
• Place a pecan between the arms of each bear and fold the arms up around the pecan to make it look like the bear is hugging the nut (the arms may crack at the shoulder; that's okay as long as they sit on the nut). Put the baking sheet in the freezer to firm up, 10 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough, adding the scraps to the reserved scraps to roll later. After 10 minutes, take the first baking sheet out of the freezer to bake it and put the second baking sheet in to chill.
• Bake, 1 baking sheet at a time, rotating it 180 degrees halfway through, until the cookies are beginning to become golden at the edges but are still slightly soft to the touch, 14 to16 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes. The cookies will firm as they cool.
• Knead together the reserved scraps and reroll, chilling if necessary; repeat the forming, chilling and baking process until all the dough has been used.
• Melt the milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, about 2 minutes total. Use a toothpick to draw chocolate eyes, noses, ears and feet on the bears. Alternatively, put the melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag, snip off a corner and pipe the features onto to cookies. Let the chocolate set completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Prepare cake mixes according to package directions. Pour 3 cups batter into a greased and floured 2-qt. round baking dish. Pour 1-1/2 cups batter into a greased and floured 1-qt. ovenproof bowl. Using remaining batter, fill six greased jumbo muffin cups and four greased regular muffin cups two-thirds full., Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes and cakes for 40-45 minutes at 350° or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes and cakes for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Level the top of the cakes, four jumbo cupcakes and two regular cupcakes. (Save the remaining cupcakes for another use.) Place large cake top side down on an 18x12-in. covered board. For teddy bear's head, place the small cake top side down above large cake. Position jumbo cupcake cut side up for arms and legs. Place regular cupcakes on top of head for ears., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and milk; beat until smooth. Frost tops and sides of cakes and cupcakes. Tint 2-1/4 cups coconut dark brown; tint remaining coconut light brown., Sprinkle dark brown coconut over arms and legs. Leaving a 4-in. circle in center of bear's body, sprinkle dark brown coconut in a 1-in. circle around edge of cake. Sprinkle dark brown coconut in a 1/2-in. circle around edges of the head and ears. Press dark brown coconut into the sides of the body, head and ears. Sprinkle light brown coconut over the middle of the body, head and ears., Position one peppermint patty on face for nose. Place one peppermint patty and four M&M's on each paw. Insert chocolate kisses point side down for eyes. Cut one licorice piece into two 2-in. strips; shape to form a mouth. Cut two licorice pieces into a 7-in. strip; place around the neck. Shape the remaining licorice into a bow; place below neck. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Mix sugar, cinnamon and butter together until well blended.
• Take the biscuits and roll in hands to form long snake like pieces. Butter hands first to prevent sticking. Wrap the snake like dough around a stick in a coil fashion.
• Cook over an open fire until cooked (should appear brown). Roll the cooked dough in the cinnamon mix and put some inside the hole the stick was inches.