Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies

Did you know that Saturday was National Pumpkin Day?

We celebrated by taking the kids to the Pumpkin Patch.

It was the Little Pumpkins first time!

Even though it was chilly, my Big Pumpkins had fun too!

 In honor of National Pumpkin Day I'm going to share with you my new FAVORITE pumpkin recipe.

These blondies are very easy to make, but I guarantee it's more fun with little helping hands!

 (I love the perfectly placed chocolate chips!)

These are as good as they sound, look and smell! They are super moist and the perfect dessert or snack.



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies
{from Carmel Potatoes}

What You'll Need:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips, divided

Here's How:

Preheat oven to 350*. Line bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan with foil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture will look curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the batter.  Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift the blondies out of the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into squares and devour!

Nana's Pumpkin Cookies- Guest Post!

Two known facts about my In-law's:
1. My Father-in-law makes the BEST chili.
2. My Mother-in-law makes the BEST pumpkin cookies.

The perfect fall combo, don't ya think?

Fall would not be complete without Nana's Pumpkin cookies.

Church potlucks are not complete without Nana's Pumpkin Cookies.

I can't remember the last time I made a version of pumpkin cookies, simply because I knew I'd be disappointed that they weren't Nana's Pumpkin Cookies.

I LOVE them. My kids LOVE them. I LOVE them. (Oh wait, did I already say that?)

YOU.WILL.LOVE.THEM.

Seriously though, you are not completely enjoying fall until you taste these little pumpkin drops of Heaven. 
Funny thing is... I always thought they were a 'Super Secret Family Recipe'. Good for the world that they are not!!! 
Thank you Nana for sharing your recipe here!

The Story of The Pumpkin Cookies...

I found this cookie recipe out of a cookbook that I received from my bridal shower over 33 years ago.  It originally called for raisins but I added chocolate chips instead and it has been a big hit whenever I take them anywhere :)

The cookies can be frozen. I line each layer with wax paper in ziplock containers. Ready to go whenever you need them :)! And I alway double this recipe because one is never enough:)!!

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup shortening 

Mix together.

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Stir together in a separate bowl and then add to pumpkin mixture. 

Stir in 1 cup milk chocolate chips. 

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake until light brown, 8-10 mins in preheated oven at 375 degrees. 

Remove from pan and cool. 

Spread with Glaze.

Glaze:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon real vanilla

1-2 Tablespoons milk

Melt butter then add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Stir until smooth. (For a double recipe I usually add another Tablespoon butter and another 1/2 cup powdered sugar to stretch the glaze a bit more) 

I put on the glaze just enough to cover the cookie; it's plenty!

ENJOY!!!!! :)

Robin

Sprinkle Cookies

Every time I see sprinkles, I think of the time my husband ordered me a 

"donut with sparkles". 

The girl in the donut shop was confused and needless to say, we all had a good laugh.

In his defense, the donut stop was right after we got drinks and I had him order me a 

grande, iced, Tazo tea, passion, lemonade, sweetened. 

And yes, he struggled through that one too!

So, call them Sprinkles or Sparkles...

Either way, your appetite with sparkle for these sprinkles!

Here's What You'll Need:
1 box of vanilla cake mix, 18.25 oz.
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 bottle of sparkles sprinkles :)

Here's How:
Preheat the oven to 350*. Combine the cake mix and powder together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the sprinkles and drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before you transfer them to a cooling rack.


See all the fun sprinkles sparkling?

Stack them anyway you'd like....

Just don't forget to eat them...

Down to the...

last...

bite!

I found these yummy cookies HERE!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

Yum. The perfect combo: Cheesecake and warm Chocolate Chip cookies.

Don't worry, this recipe makes a ton, so you'll have enough to share.

 Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

(found here) 

What You'll Need:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

10 Tbs. margarine (softened)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

3 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Here's How:

1. Preheat the oven to 375*

2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) and set aside.

3. With a mixer, blend butter, sugar, egg, cream cheese and vanilla.

4. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing as you go.

5. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls and bake 10-12 minutes. (Just until edges slightly brown.)

If you're a 'big girl', grab some coffee and if you're a 'dipper', like me, grab some milk and enjoy!!!!

Sugar Cookies

I know, I know... most people are trying to slim their waist line this time of year. 

But who doesn't love a good sugar cookie?

(Especially when little fingers are involved in the making...)

A true boy- loving the mess!

The great wait... 

A 2-year-old can be creative.....

.....and hungry! :)

My other little artist taking her time to get those snowflake cookies just right...

The more icing, the better????

Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs

What you'll Need:

2/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

Here's How:

1. Preheat oven to 375*. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium for 30 seconds. Add sugar, powder and salt. Beat until combined, scrapping bowl occasionally.

2. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining four.

3. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. 

5. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7-8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are barely light brown. 

6. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Ice and decorate as desired.

(Recipe from the Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook- 14th Edition)

Chocolate Snowflake Cookies

Chocolate Snowflake Cookies


What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar

Here's How:
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.

3. Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended.
4. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended.
(This is where I find chilling the dough will make the rolling process much easier. I divide the dough into 1/2's, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for an hour.)

5. Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Shape heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Roll balls into sugar.

6. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

7. Bake about 11 minutes or until set and no longer shiny. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

(Good recipe Cute Bell!)

Melted Snowman Cookies

Hello, my name is Lindsey. I am a Pinterest addict (and totally not ashamed.)

Here's one of those Oh!-That-is-so-cute!-I'm-going-to-repin-and-try-that-sometime.



Reese's Kindergarten Christmas party, with the request, Please bring one dozen cookies, was the perfect reason to try these!

Melted Snowman Cookies


Start with your favorite cookie dough recipe....

Drop dough by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet.

Flatten with hands- nothing perfect about these cookies. Keep the form irregular!

(A tip from a friend: use powdered sugar instead of flour when flattening your sugar cookies. It keeps the cookies from drying out and keeps your fingers from sticking!)

Bake according to the directions.

Make a sugar cookie glaze. 

Here's mine.....

Whisk 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar and 6 Tablespoons of milk. When all the lumps were gone, add 7 Tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Glaze cookies, making sure the glaze falls over the sides.

For the snowman heads:

Heat large marshmallows on a greased microwave-safe plate for 20 seconds. Watch closely. Don't let the marshmallows double in size.

With greased fingers, remove the marshmallows and place on the cookie.

Use small tubs of colored gel icing to decorate. 

This is the fun part!

Get creative....

31 Days of Things I've Been Wanting to Do, Day 24: New Cookie

Whenever I make cookies it's always either your basic chocolate chip or an oatmeal (you can find one here). So, I decided, I need a new cookie in my life. I spotted Oreo Pudding Cookies and anything with Oreo is automatically a 'yes!' in my book. Pudding I like too. It also has Cookies N Cream candy bar in it, which, quite frankly, I had forgotten was even still made! Sounded good, and they are good..... keep reading if you can get past the ooie- gooie picture!

Oreo Pudding Cookies

What You'll Need:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (4.2 oz) instant Oreo Pudding Mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Hershey's Cookies N Cream Candy Bar
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here's How:
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Mix flour, soda and salt in a bowl.

2. Cream together sugars and butter. Beat in pudding mix until blended.

3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

4. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine.

5. Stir in chopped candy bar and chocolate chips. (Batter will be thick.)

6. Place dough 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Don't over bake!

7. Let cool 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.


Source: Adapted from Oreo Pudding Cookies

31 Days of Things I've Been Wanting to Do, Day 13: Cooking with Patience

I have been wanting to bake something special with Reese for awhile.

She suggested Banana (Bread) Muffins. Here's her recipe...

(If only cooking were that easy!)

Since I already posted a Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin recipe, I knew a new recipe we both would l-o-v-e. Besides, I was feeling extra patient and it was nap time for Graham. :)

 We even dressed for the part.....

If you have been on Pinterest lately, there's no doubt you have seen a recipe for s'mores cookies. If you haven't, let me fill you in....

S'mores Cookies
What You'll Need:
1 package graham crackers

2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
11 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup mini marshmallows

Here's How:
1. Preheat the oven to 375*. Line your pans with parchment. (I only had enough parchment paper for one pan. The marshmallows get a little sticky.) I used an 8 x 11 and a 10 x 16 stone pan.

Line your pans with graham crackers.

2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars.

 4.  Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture until combined. Then add in the flour mixture on low speed.

5. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup marshmallows. The original recipe said to chill the batter for an hour at this point. Are you kidding me? We couldn't wait....

6. Place a scoop of the dough on each graham cracker. (Our scoops were BIG because we like us some chocolate chip cookies!)

7. Bake for 5 minutes. Then remove from the oven and top with the other half of the chocolate chips. (The original picture shows mini chocolate bars which is very cute, and looks more like a s'mores. We just didn't have any. But chocolate is chocolate, right???)

Bake for 5-10 minutes longer. We were at the 10 minute mark because we had such thick dough.

8. For clean cutting, cool first. But again. Kidding??? We dove right in.

Y-U-M-M-M-M-M

Adapted from S'mores Cookies.