Pumpkin Stuff

I love cooking.  I love baking even more.

I find baking to be a stress reliever and tends to have delicious results (hopefully).  Now I'm no expert, but I do know a few things about baking from my experience.  So expect more unwarranted advice.

Now my husband really loves pumpkin desserts.  Ever since I found this out I've been on a quest to discover the best pumpkin recipes and make my husband the happiest pumpkin lover on the planet.

The very first pumpkin recipe I ever made was for my husband's birthday (when we were first dating).  It was a batch of chocolate chip pumpkin cookies that he claims to be his favorite now.  I've made a few modifications to make this recipe my own.  And now I'll share it with you cyberspace!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened                                  1 tsp salt

2 cups white sugar                                      1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs                                                       1/4 tsp cloves

2 tsp vanilla extract                                    1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree                     a pinch of ginger

4 cups all-purpose flour                              1 cup your choice of chips*

1 1/2 tsp baking soda                                  1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder                

*No not potato chips! Use your own choice of chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, or any other chip of your choice! (My personal favorite are the cinnamon chips in these cookies)

 Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). 

2.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs one at a time.

3.  Add vanilla and pumpkin and blend until well mixed.  (Don't be alarmed when it's not a smooth combination, the pumpkin will mix in better when the flour is added).

4.  Add all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger) and mix well.

5.  Mix in your choice of chips and walnuts, if desired.  Dough will be very sticky, and unable to be rolled into balls.

6.  Drop dough onto your baking sheet into small mounds (Don't make them too big unless you like doughy cookies).

7.  Bake for 12-15 minutes in the oven until edges begin to brown.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then onto a wire rack if desired.

I usually get somewhere between three and four dozen cookies from this recipe. It really depends on how large you make the cookies.  

Anyway, these are the best pumpkin cookies I've ever had (if I do say so myself).  I say give them a shot!  Farewell.