These cute little bite-sized brownies LOOK like sushi but taste like a sweet tropical sunrise. Below, you’ll see how to do 2 flavor combinations: banana split sushi and kiwi-mango sushi. (But you can make up your own flavors!) This is a creative, super-fun idea that’s sure to get big applause at dessert time!

Kiwi, mango, and a toasted walnut float on a cloud of banana pudding, cupped in the sweet embrace of a tiny brownie. Sugar sprinkles masquerade as "rice." So cute!

BROWNIE INGREDIENTS

Mini muffin pan(s)

1 box brownie mix (I used Duncan Hines)

Egg(s), oil, and water as stated on the box instructions

FILLING INGREDIENTS (BANANA SPLIT)

1 pkg of 4 Snack Pack pre-made pudding cups, banana cream flavor

1 cup of large walnut pieces or halves, toasted

About 1/3 cup pineapple preserves (I used Smuckers)

About 15-20 maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped

Coarse sugar sprinkles (white color, to mimic the look of rice)

FILLING INGREDIENTS (KIWI-MANGO)

1 pkg of 4 Snack Pack pre-made pudding cups, banana cream flavor

1 cup of large walnut pieces or halves, toasted

2-3 kiwis, peeled and cut into small strips

1 mango, peeled and cut into small strips

Coarse sugar sprinkles (white color, to mimic the look of rice)

Here are the ingredients for the Banana Split Sushi Brownie.

To get good-sized sushi, fill your cups almost all the way with batter.

So cute!

Do I really need to say anything more than: Tagalong Brownie Pie? This recipe features Girl Scout Tagalong cookies, a ridiculously gooey peanut-butter-caramel layer, and toasted walnuts. And it’s one of my easiest recipes! PS – When Girl Scout Cookies are out of season, you can substitute another (preferably chocolate-coated) peanut butter cookie…like Little Debbie Nutty Bars or even Nabisco Nutter Butter cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 brownie box mix (I used Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme)
• Eggs, oil, and water as called for on the box’s directions
• 1 cup (8 ounces) peanut-butter-caramel dip (I used a 16-ounce tub, Marzetti brand)
• 1 package Girl Scout Tagalong Cookies (or any peanut butter cookie)

With ingredients like this, how can you go astray?

So wonderful, but there are only 15 in a package. And, for me, that means 5 for Monday morning, 5 for Monday lunch, and 5 for Monday dinner. Woeful Tuesday. With this recipe, you can have enough to serve all week!

If Girl Scout Cookie season is over and you can't get Tagalongs, here are two fabulous peanut butter cookie alternatives! Little Debbie Peanut Butter Crunch Bars or Little Debbie Nutty Bars.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Toast your walnuts on a cookie sheet for about 5-6 minutes, until they’re slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Make brownie mix with eggs, oil, and water, according to the directions on the box. I like to use the “extra egg” recipe, which is sometimes in fine print next to the “regular” recipe. That extra egg adds a little more loft and cakiness to the brownie. But that’s just my preference; you should build your own brownie world the way you like it. Pour brownie batter into two (2) well greased 9-inch pie pans.

This recipe makes two 9-inch brownie pies. One for me, one for you.

Since you’re using 2 pans, your baking time will be much shorter than the box instructs. (My box mix suggested a baking time of 35-40 minutes, but my brownie pies only needed 22-24 minutes to bake.) When a center-placed toothpick comes out nearly clean, that means your pies are done.

Yum. This is a happy moment.

When pies have cooled, put about 1/2 cup of peanut-butter-caramel dip on the surface of each pie. Spread it evenly. I intentionally avoided covering the outermost half-inch of brownie, the part where a pie would normally have a “crimp” in the crust. I thought it looked cute that way, plus it helped make serving a little easier.

Spread the love.

Using a walnut as a “stand,” prop up your cookies. This will make it easier and cleaner for your guests to grab those cookies and eat them with their fingers.

Who knew you could use a walnut as a cookie stand? (I did.)

Since there are 15 cookies in a Tagalong box, I put 8 cookies on one pie and 7 on the other. Add 1/2 cup of your toasted walnuts to each pie. I chopped my walnuts into large pieces.

This Tagalong Brownie Pie recipe would make any Girl Scout proud, and I’m sure your troop will love ‘em!

Here's another supah-delish take on this recipe. Use a mini-cupcake pan to make tiny brownies, "frost" with the peanut butter caramel, top with nuts, and garnish with a piece of peanut butter cookie. Finger-sized perfection!

Seriously. How cute is that? It's the best thing to have at work and just POP in your mouth. YUM!

It’s Easter season and time to make a brownie recipe that features those kooky, adorable Peeps marshmallow treats. Looky! It’s a brownie pond… Let’s jump in!

Thanks to Jaime Santillan for the adorable studio shot above. Jaime takes amazing photos.

Five-year-old Ella, my friend's daughter, is mesmerized by the peeps and the fish. Such a wonderful Easter moment here!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box brownie mix (I used Pillsbury Dark Chocolate in the “13 x 9 family size”)
• Oil, eggs, and water as directed on box
• Jelly fruit slices, about 20
• 1 box pudding mix, white chocolate or vanilla flavor (I used Jell-O White Chocolate)
• 2 cups of cold milk, any % is fine
• Blue food coloring, 10-20 droplets
• 1 16-ounce tub Cool Whip topping
• Marshmallow Peeps Chicks
• Fun garnishes (may I suggest some daffodil leaves and a tiny grape hyacinth?)

DIRECTIONS

Mix brownies as directed on box, using the “extra egg” version of the recipe. I also suggest using a 13×9 family-size box, as you’ll need as much brownie as possible to fill your trifle bowl.

Pour batter into a greased pan, bake as directed on box, and let brownies cool. You can do the next few steps while brownies are baking or while they are cooling.

Mix instant pudding with cold milk and about 3 drops of blue food coloring.

Pudding mix + milk + blue food coloring = An equation for pudding greatness

Whisk as directed on box.

Mmmm. Pond water never looked so delicious.

At first, your pudding may be blue-green rather than straight blue, because most light-colored puddings are a bit yellow-ish. Don’t worry; a few more drops of blue coloring will help. Whisk in a few more drops at a time until you’re happy with the color. After a few minutes of whisking, the pudding will be thick. Put it in the refrigerator while you do the next few steps.

Cut your jelly candies into fish shapes. Start by cutting the jelly in half.

Cut in half, revealing the SUPER-STICKY inside of the candy.

Then make a few cuts to create the appearance of a fish body and tail fin. My advice is: “Cut away everything that doesn’t look like a fish.” If that’s not enough direction for you, remember that all you need to do is cut away 4 tiny triangles. Follow the 4 easy steps below.

Cut #1: Create the top of the body and top of the tail.

Cut #2: Create the bottom of the body and bottom of the tail.

Cut #3: Create a notch in the tail.

Cut #4: If you're feeling particularly chipper, cut a smile into the fishie's face.

One by one, stick your fish onto the inside of the trifle bowl, about 1 inch above the bottom. The gooey jelly will serve as a very strong adhesive against the glass.

"Hi, I'm a green fish!" "Hi, I'm an orange fish!" "Do you smell brownies?" "Yep!"

Cats like this recipe. A lot.

Here's what your ring of fish should look like.

Crumble one-third to one-half of your cooled brownies into the trifle bowl. Set aside the remaining one-half to two-thirds of brownie to use in a higher layer.

Try to resist the urge to scarf those brownies. You'll need all those crumbles to fill up your trifle bowl.

It’s OK to use bigger brownie chunks in the center of the bowl, but when you get near the fish, use fine, small crumbles to fit in the crevices between the fish. It will make your fish stand out better.

By using smaller crumbles near your fish, you will help those cute little fishy features (fins, smiles) stand out better.

Get in the frig’. (Not literally. Don’t be silly.) Get out the blue pudding and pour it in an even layer over the brownie crumbs.

Yum. I love pudding and brownie together.

It's starting to get REALLY CUTE in that dish!

Add another layer of fish.

More fish = more awesome!

Add the rest of your crumbled brownies.

Again, be sure you use the finer brownie crumbles near the side so you can clearly see the outline of your fishy masterpieces.

Add 3-4 drops of blue food coloring into the Cool Whip. Mix. You can add more coloring until you achieve the color you want for your pond surface.

You could use plain white Cool Whip for your pond surface, but I liked the idea of adding some more color.

Pour 90% of the blue Cool Whip onto your brownie surface.

Reserve about 10% of the Cool Whip so you can add some extra color.

In the remaining 10% of Cool Whip, add 1 or 2 more drops of blue color. Don’t mix it in. Instead, spoon the unmixed blob of Cool Whip and color onto the top of your pond.

Here is how you make pretty blue ripples on your pond.

Without mixing too much, use a spoon to make round, sweeping swirls on your pond surface. The food coloring will create a nice medium-blue ripple in your light-blue pond water. Cute!

The ripples are there, but what's missing? Something to swim on them!

Add your marshmallow Peeps as floating decor on the surface of your Easter pond.

Aww. These little darlings are just icing on the cake.

My Peeps looked like they needed company, so I also added a few fresh leaves and flowers from my spring garden. Even the fish looked happy.

I hope you all have a happy springtime. This recipe is a great way to kick off the season with some "quality time with the kids."

It’s just like a cherry cordial — one that’s big enough to need a plate. BAM! Cupid just shot a thousand tiny arrows into your taste buds. Deal with that.

BATTER INGREDIENTS

• 1 box brownie mix (Ghirardelli Ultimate Fudge, with the fudge icing packet included)
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 or 2 eggs (1 for a shorter, fudgier brownie; 2 for a taller, fluffier brownie)
• 1/3 cup water

FILLING INGREDIENTS

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1 12-ounce jar marshmallow topping (the kind you drizzle over ice cream)
• 2-3 teaspoons almond extract, to taste
• 1/3 cup juice from a maraschino cherry jar
• 15-25 maraschino cherries, depending on pan size

DIRECTIONS
Open box mix and set aside the fudge icing packet, which you’ll use after the baking. Be careful when buying your brownie mix for this recipe. Don’t confuse a “put-the-fudge-packet-INTO-the-batter” mix with a “put-the-fudge-packet-ON-TOP-OF-the-baked-brownie” mix. (The into-the-batter packets are usually not very sweet and won’t work as a frosting.)

Pour powdered brownie mix into a large bowl.

Melt butter or margarine in microwave (about 25-30 seconds) and add it to the brownie mix, along with the eggs and water. Mix thoroughly and spread batter in a greased pan.

In a medium bowl, place cream cheese and marshmallow topping. Mix with hand beater on medium speed just until completely mixed.

By hand, mix in the cherries, almond extract, and maraschino juice. It will be the prettiest shade of pink!

Using a tablespoon, scoop up one cherry and a spoonful of the cherry filling. Place this cherry-pink filling down into the chocolate batter. Don’t just put a dollop on top of the batter; try to get it down in there.

Plan ahead on how you will space the cherries into your pan. Each brownie should have one cherry in its center. I used an 11×7 pan and I used 24 cherries in 6 rows of 4 cherries.

Bake until a toothpick placed into the chocolate part comes out nearly clean, about 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of your pan.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Soften the fudge icing packet by placing it under hot tap water for 30 seconds. Knead packet in your hands to mix packet’s contents. Cut away a tiny corner of the packet so it will deliver a thin ribbon of icing.

Drizzle icing over your cooled brownies in a pattern that will be pleasing to you and your valentine. You don’t have to go for a “fully frosted” effect here; feel free to leave some areas exposed.

Mmm, mmm. “Love” just isn’t a big enough concept for this. Serve with two forks.