Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies & Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! 

What are you doing today?

I'm taking my children trick or treating and to a church party!
They might not sleep after all the sugar.

I made their costumes - Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.
So I need to show them off more than once.

In case you're looking for a last minute treat for this evening,
(because I'm sure no one has enough sweets in their house already!)
here is my favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 egg

1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin

(if you have a large can of canned pumpkin,
measure out into 1/2 -1 cup portions and freeze in sandwich bags for later!)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg, then pumpkin, then vanilla. 

Combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
Gradually add to creamed mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. 

these are definitely NOT teaspoonfuls.  I like a BIG cookie!

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until light brown.  Cool or wire racks.

ENJOY!  
And Happy Halloween!

Super Soft Sugar Cookies

Last October my friend Crystal introduced me to the idea of making and decorating sugar cookies for each holiday.  I thought this was the coolest thing ever!  Not that my childhood was deprived because we didn't do this.  My mom made chocolate chip cookies on a weekly basis.  No lie.

Anyway, she gave me her yummy recipe and I'm determined to start this tradition.  We made the cookie dough and then a few days later rolled it out, cut, baked and decorated the cookies.  I wanted my kids to be in love with the cookie cutters and decorating them.  They could have cared less about the whole thing.  Maybe in a few years they'll appreciate the tradition that I desperately want to start.

Soft Sugar Cookies

1 c. sour cream

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. vegetable oil

1 T. baking powder

4 1/2 c. flour

Beat soda into cream.  Add salt, vanilla, eggs, sugar and oil.  Add dry ingredients.
Mix well.  Dough should be a little stiff.

 Roll dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours
(or the freezer for two) before baking.

*I made the full recipe and it made a lot of cookie dough.  I separated it into two different rolls - put one in the freezer and one in the fridge.  The freezer one can last up to 4 months!*

The next few steps of the cookie making process is all about flour.
Be sure to have extra flour on hand.
1 - Grease 2 cookie sheets.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 - Sprinkle flour onto a board, counter, table, etc.  Unwrap cookie dough and put it on the counter.  Sprinkle more flour on top and on a rolling pin.  Roll out cookie dough.
Not too thin, or you'll have crisp cookies. (which I did...oops).

3 - Then start cutting!  It's good to have a metal pie scooper on hand.  This works perfect to scoop up each individual shape and place onto the greased cookie sheet.

4 - Place full cookie sheet into the oven for about 6-8 minutes.
You want the cookies to puff up.  Don't let them get brown around the edges.

5 - Place cookies on a cooling rack.
6 - Combine the leftover pieces of the cookie dough.
Sprinkle more flour on top and rolling pin and repeat 1-6 until the cookie dough is gone.

And then, don't forget the best part!

DECORATING!

And if you have too many, wrap them up in Halloween gift bags and treat your neighbors!

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AND...did you know today is National Cupcake Day?  Make some cupcakes.  Maybe even these.

Follower Friday: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

 
Today's post belongs to Laura.  We've been friends since we were 13.  We both grew up in PA - yeah!  And even after we went to college (four hours apart in the West) we still made it a priority to see each other every couple semesters.  She's beautiful, creative and I've always been jealous at how comfortable she is in any situation.  She also has her own food blog - check it out!

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I feel so honored to be featured on Tiffanie's blog!

My name is Laura Larson,

  And Tiff and I met many years ago at girl's camp.

Funny story actually!

During our 1st year at girl's camp,

she totally (accidentally) walked in on me in the bathroom.

Awkward!

We didn't exactly strike up a conversation right then and there.

So it wasn't until the following year that we made the connection 

"Hey, you're that girl who...."

And we've been really good friends ever since!

She makes me laugh more than any girl I know!

I admire how she's always been herself 

and well, she's just Fabulous!

Anywho, enough about Tiff! :)

This cookie recipe that I'm featuring is one of my top 3 favorite holiday cookies ever!

My mom made it one Christmas and I've never forgotten it. 

I mean look at it, this is a decorative cookie that can be used for either

Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I have a blog called The Cookie Jar, All things BAKING, that you can visit HERE.

Please come by and visit for more cookie recipes or pies, breads, muffins etc.

Or simply to say hello. I'd love to meet you!

Thanks for having me Tiff!

Ingredients:

makes 3 dozen

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or butter shortening

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

11/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 cups finely chopped peanuts

36 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

 Instructions

1. Microwave 1 c chocolate chips and 2 squares (1 oz each) baking chocolate for 2 minutes. 
2. Repeat until smooth (or melt on rangetop in small saucepan on very low heat).  
3. Allow chocolate to cool slightly.
4.  In a separate bowl combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. 
5. Beat 1 c sugar and 1/2 c butter.  Beat in 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla.
6. Add melted chocolate slowly.  Mix until well blended.
7. Stir in 1 1/2 c + 2 Tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda. 
8. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Roll in nuts.
9. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  
11. Immediately after taking out of oven, Press peanut butter cup into center of each cookie
12. Cool 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Drizzle

1. Place peanut butter chips in heavy resealable sandwich bag. Seal. 
2. Microwave for 1 minute.  Knead bag.  
3. Repeat until smooth (or melt by placing bag in hot water). Cut tiny tip off corner of bag. Squeeze out and drizzle over cookies. 

Microwave 1 c chocolate chips and 2 squares (1 oz each) baking chocolate for 2 minutes. 

Repeat until smooth (or melt on rangetop in small saucepan on very low heat).  

Allow chocolate to cool slightly.

 In a separate bowl combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. 

Beat 1 c sugar and 1/2 c butter.  Beat in 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla.

Add melted chocolate slowly.  Mix until well blended.

Stir in 1 1/2 c + 2 Tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Roll in nuts.

Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Immediately after taking out of oven, Press peanut butter cup into center of each cookie

Cool 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Drizzle

Place peanut butter chips in heavy resealable sandwich bag. Seal. 

Microwave for 1 minute.  Knead bag.  

Repeat until smooth (or melt by placing bag in hot water). 

Cut tiny tip off corner of bag. Squeeze out and drizzle over cookies.

 

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Chocolate and peanut butter...my favorite dessert combination!
HAPPY WEEKEND! :)

The BEST Pumpkin Cookies

I'm REALLY excited about today's post!  My older sister, Rachelle is amazing.  She's creative, an avid runner, makes yummy and healthy food.  She's hilarious and happy.  I'm jealous of her photo taking, blog posting, and let's be honest, she's gorgeous. :)  So just trust me when I say...make these dang cookies and any other recipes on her blog.  Because they will be LEGENDARY! (reference, anyone?)

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With temperatures falling and Halloween right around the corner all I can think about is cookies. Pumpkin cookies to be exact. This recipe is to die for! It's a bit different from the traditional pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe everyone makes. Don't get me wrong, I love those. But this one is a bit fancier I think with the frosting on top and these cookies will melt in your mouth! Be prepared to eat a lot. And have some milk close by.

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

1 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 c pumpkin
2 c flour
1 tsp b. powder
1 tsp. b. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugars. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix in egg and vanilla. Mix well and scrape down bowl again and then add your pumpkin. Give it a good mixin', scrape down bowl and then add your dry ingredients. Now mix it up until it is just combined. Don't overmix this.

Drop by spoonful on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 -12 min. My oven was more towards the 12 minutes time. They will be very soft, don't over bake. Let cookies cool.

While baking the rest of your cookies you can whip up the frosting.

Penuche Frosting:
6 Tbsp butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c milk
3 - 4 c powdered sugar

Mix butter and brown sugar on stove top. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Take off stove and let cool for 10 minutes.

 Then add your milk right into the pan and stir it up real good. You might have to scrape the edges of the pan to get all that butter/sugar goodness. It will mix up smooth so just keep mixing. Then pour over your powdered sugar and give it a good stir so it looks like so.

Next frost your cookies!!

Take to a Halloween party, eat them all by yourself, or give them to a friend.
Happy October!

No Bake Cookies - don't laugh, just make them!

I had a request for more desserts.  I also was made aware by my cousin, Kristine that National Homemade Cookie Day was on October 1st!  Did you know that?  I hope you made cookies!  So in honor of those two things, we're making cookies today.

No Bake Cookies might be a no brainer, but oh my gosh they are the greatest combination ever!  I mean really, when's the last time you've made no bake cookies?  Make this recipe - which I've decided is the best.  Yes, there are a few variations of the no bake out there.  But the ratio and the brand of ingredients in this recipe...make it the best no bake cookie ever.

No Bake Cookies

1 stick of butter

2 cups of sugar

4 T. cocoa powder (Hershey's)

1/2 cup of milk

3 cups quick oats (MUST be quick!)

1 cup peanut butter (Jif all the way)

1 tsp. vanilla (I double it)

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and milk in a saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. (not just one or two little bubbles, but bubbles all the way around the pan) Start a timer for EXACTLY one minute.  The time is very important - so pay attention.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Pour in vanilla and peanut butter.  Once the peanut butter has melted, add the instant oats.  Scoop spoonfuls of cookie onto aluminum foil.  Let cool and enjoy!