Pumpkin Cookies

When the first day of fall came around I cleaned my grocery store out of canned pumpkin. I've been anxiously waiting for this season purely for that reason; pumpkin everything!

These cookies are the first in a series of pumpkin-inspired recipes that I have been dying to make.

On the "to bake" list this year is pumpkin cheesecake, quick bread, pie and muffins and the first to cross off the list are pumpkin cookies. I made these cookies for the first time last year and they are the absolute best!

These are a soft and cake-like textured cookie mixed with seasonal spices. Load the cookies with the cream cheese icing and you'll find it perfectly compliments the earthy pumpkin flavor.

Needless to say, these cookies are pumptastic and a perfect way to start start your fall baking. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies
Adapted from: Joy of Baking

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose   flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil or corn oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces room temperature cream cheese, regular of low fat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes).  Beat in the oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Using 1/4 cup of batter place small mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 5 cm apart.

Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean (I took mine out at 12 minutes). Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the frosting is soft and creamy.

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Chocolate Puddle Cookies

Goodness me! I think my body is going into pre-hibernation mode and going on an only crave and eat carbs diet. Oh dear. Lucky for me (but unfortunate for my waist line) these cookies fall into my new “diet” category.

These are best described as collision between soft meringue and a fudgy brownie. They are perfect. I haven’t been able to put them down. Seriously. Absolutely no will power.

Each bite is chocolate heaven; soft and fudgy with nuts for crunch and bound with egg whites. What’s even better is that they are gluten and dairy free. Now no chocolate lovers have to comprise on chocolaty bliss.

There are just six ingredients between you and a batch of these cookies. No mixer necessary, just a big bowl and a wooden spoon. Pour yourself a large glass of milk and enjoy.

I’m going to go and look for my Spanks.


Chocolate Puddle Cookies
Adapted from: 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

3 cups pecans (or hazelnuts or walnuts)
4 cups icing sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
4 large egg whites
1 Tbsp. good vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast your pecans, cool them and roughly chop them.

In a large bowl, stir together the icing sugar, cocoa and salt. Add the nuts, then stir in the egg whites and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and spoon the batter, about 2 tablespoons each, in mounds allowing for plenty of room between cookies. These cookies really expand! Don't try to get more than 6 cookies on each sheet and try to avoid placing the batter too close to the edge of the pan.

Bake for 10 -13 minutes. They will spread, puff, crack on top, get glossy and then turn matte. Slide the cookies on the parchment off the sheet onto a cooling rack and let them cool.

S'more Cookie Bars

Have mercy, these are delicious.

They seriously tasted just like a s’more, and they should, considering that all of the same ingredients are used, just kicked up a notch!

But that's exactly why these minions are so irresistible. They are rich and gooey with a layer of chocolate and marshmallow sandwiched between a graham cracker cookie crust.

If you really need further prompting, think back to your very first s'more. Now multiply it's size and taste by 100 and imagine it in the form of a soft, cookie bar with a little bit of salt added into the tender graham cracker.

Please, don't hold me responsible for any stomach aches or extra mileage added to your daily run as a result of this recipe but do know that each bite is worth every calorie.


S'more Cookie Bars
Adapted from: Lovin' From The Oven

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized Hershey's milk chocolate bars (if you want a more subtle chocolate flavor use regular sized chocolate bars; enough to fit)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (7 1/2 oz jar) (not melted marshmallows)


Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together). Spread it around gently.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I took mine out at 27 minutes), until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.