Desserts That Wow!!

By: Monique Holenko

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Get ready to put the WOW in your menu with these two Christmas desserts. Friends and family will beg you to make again and again. Decorate them for the holiday you are celebrating.

2023 Cheesecake Brownies


1 package of brownie mix (and ingredients on box to prepare)
1 package cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup topping of your choice: Sliced almonds, holiday M&M’s, Holiday sprinkles, chopped up candy bars
(Snickers, Reese etc.), coconut, pecans, peppermint chocolate chips, Oreos etc.


Preheat the oven to 350°.

Prepare brownies according to package directions. Lightly spray a 9” x 13” pan and pour brownie mix into the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes and carefully remove from the oven.

While the brownies are in the oven, prepare the cheesecake topping in a large bowl. Use a mixer or electric beater to beat cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and the egg. Combine well.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture as evenly as you can over the brownies (remember the pan is hot) Gently drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over your brownie batter and then swirl it around with a butter knife or small spatula, creating a marbled effect. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or when knife is inserted into the center comes out not wet but crumbly. Be careful of overcooking brownies, the knife should not come out clean like a cake, but moist with crumbs on the knife.

Sprinkle it with the topping of your choice.

2023 Holiday Strawberry Pie
One of Our Favorites!



1 package Strawberry Jello (3 oz)
1¼ cup of boiling water
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened a little
1 cup sliced strawberries, Optional: Save 2-4 of the best looking for topping decoration
1 premade 9” graham cracker pie crust
1 can of whipped cream and holiday sprinkles if desired


In a large bowl, dissolve a package of Jello in boiling water by stirring until powder is gone. Add softened ice cream a scoop at a time and stir until melted. Fold in sliced strawberries and pour into the pie shell.

Put into the refrigerator until firm (4 hours or overnight).

Decorate the top of the pie with whipped cream, strawberries, and holiday sprinkles.

For more R U Cooking? holiday recipes and step-by-step demonstrations, be sure to watch “Thanksgiving & Fall Desserts,” “Take Your Thanksgiving Dinner from “ehhh” to ‘WoW!’”, “Christmas Season Desserts & Gifts,” plus “Fun Food for New Year’s Eve.”

Go to www.MyReachUP.org/home-lifestyle

Dig Deeper with Questions & Action Steps
I Reach Up
  • Do you like to bake or cook around the holidays?
  • What’s your favorite item to share with others?
  • Which of these recipes looked good to you?

You can find this article and more in ReachUP Edition: Winter 2024

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