Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

       I've always enjoyed my sister's recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but for some reason couldn't locate my copy of the recipe so I made up my own (see below) since I had some extra pumpkin puree and a tiny pile of chocolate chips left over from making ganache.  This recipe only yields 12 cookies, which is perfect for our small family.  Often pumpkin-based recipes use a lot of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger but I wanted to focus on the pumpkin so you won't see those spices in the recipe, but they could be added.  I also tried using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour because I love the fine quality of cake flour and the lovely taste of cake flour.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 12 cookies

1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c softened butter
1 egg
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c plus 2T cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c chocolate chips or more if preferred

Cream butter and sugar, add egg, then rest of ingredients except flour and chips.  Add flour and chocolate chips, stirring just until combined.  Drop in mounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until they look almost done (cookies will continue to bake even when cooling on a rack).

 



Happy robot girls devour a couple cookies:

 

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins
 

       Wanting to start September with some pumpkiny goodness, I made a batch of pumpkin muffins based on my sister's recipe (I lessened some of the spices but otherwise very similar to my sister's).  Here is my version:


Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine dry ingredents.

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
1 egg

Combine above above four ingredients and then mix into dry ingredients.  Place in muffin cups and sprinkle on a streusal topping (I combined some flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.  My sister's recipe calls for pecans in the topping which I'm sure would be splendid, too).

Bake at 350 degrees until raised and they look "almost done."  For me it took 10 minutes for the miniature size muffin pans.