Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have become a seasonal favorite in my house and featured among the first recipes that I blogged back in 2008.  Since the recipe is buried in the archives and accompanied by a terrible photograph, I figured I would dust it off and repost in order to share with my newer readers.

These cookies are amazing!   Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips – what’s not to love?  Over the years, I have managed to hook many of my friends on this wonderful cookie.  One of my friends from church professes that pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are his absolute favorite.  I’ve been told that the cookies that I give him rarely make it home, or even out of the church parking lot!

Because of the pumpkin puree, these cookies have less butter than a standard chocolate chip cookie.  This results in a cookie that is soft, tender and almost cake-like.  Don’t hesitate to add more pumpkin if the dough seems at all dry or not pumpkin-y enough for your liking.  I’ve easily added up to an additional 1/4 cup to a batch. Make sure you use pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield about 3-4 dozen cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I add more if the batter seems dry)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (or a little less) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat just until blended.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
6. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoons 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
7. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from the Boston Globe

Oh. My. Gosh.  This was amazing.  I have never had better hot fudge, seriously.  And I love me some hot fudge, so that’s saying something.  The perfect time arose for me to make this ’30 while 30‘ recipe when I was actually on my way to my co-blogger Beth’s house for dinner.  I offered to bring dessert – but it was just too darn hot to bake, so I thought ice cream sundaes would be the perfect sweet treat to end our evening.  I could have just stopped at the multiple grocery stores between our houses to pick up a jar of hot fudge – but where would the fun in that be?!  Instead, I decided to knock one more item off of my list and make it myself.  It took me about 10 minutes, start to finish – but if I don’t say so myself, tasted like I spent hours slaving over the stove with a candy thermometer.  Let me tell you friends – this recipe is about my favorite recipe ever.  It uses things most people (well, most insane blogging-bakers) have in their pantry – items such as cocoa powder, chopped chocolate (in my case, chocolate chips), and corn syrup.  Why stop and buy the mass-produced variety when in just 10 minutes you too can look like Ms. Betty Crocker herself!!

Homemade Hot Fudge

from: thatssoyummy.com

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces chocolate chips (or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped)
• 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cup into 1/2 Tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a heavy sauce pan, combine the cocoa, dark brown sugar, corn syrup, cream and salt, along with about half of the chocolate chips.  Heat over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture appears smooth.  Cook for 5 minutes more at a low boil, remembering to stir intermittently so it doesn’t burn!  Remove from the heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate chips, the butter, and the vanilla.  Let cool slightly before serving.  Enjoy!

My 31st birthday is less than a week away and I haven’t made too much of a dent in my 30-While-30 list.  While there are a few things that I’ve made, but not photographed, the vast majority of items have remained untouched.  So, I haven’t tried my hand at homemade fondant or whipped up English muffins just for the heck of it, but I did leave my corporate job, take a handful of classes and start a company.  That has to count for something, right?  I still want to finish my list, but there’s no way it’s happening with less than a week to go.  I’ll come up with something.

But in the meantime, I want to share this recipe with my readers.  I added scones and shortbread (coming soon!) to my list because they pair beautifully with tea.  While I certainly enjoy a cup of tea on the go, selecting a tea from my growing collection, brewing a pot  and savoring it slowly with tasty treats has become a favorite past time.  I first made these scones for an afternoon tea party Lisa’s (my fellow blogger!) house.  We whiled away the afternoon in her dining room chatting, sipping icewine tea and nibbling on scones, shortbread, lemon bars, raspberry kuchen and tiny sandwiches.

Thanks to the dark chocolate, orange zest and heavy cream, these scones are soft and rich with warm orange undertones.  They’re delicious warm out of the oven or room temperature the next day.  Pair with a piping hot cup of tea for a sublime breakfast or afternoon snack.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

Yields 8 scones

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 – 3/4 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F andline a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl and add the orange zest and.  Using your fingers, rub the orange zest and the granulated sugar together until the sugar is uniformly moistened.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Pour in the cream and, using your fingers or a fork, stir together until combined.
5. Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead to bring dough together. Pat into an 8-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles.
6. Place triangles on prepared baking sheet, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones are just lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

I know I’ve been gone for awhile, but I have a treat for you that may just make you forgive my lengthy absence from the blogging world:  chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars!  Sound amazing?  They are!  How can you go wrong with a buttery chocolate-studded graham cracker crust, creamy layer of cheesecake and crumbly cookie dough topping?  In my book, you can’t.

While there are three different layers to whip up separately, each comes together quickly and easily.  The end result is amazing, and well worth the effort and array of dirty bowls!  Make sure you allow the bars to chill for awhile before slicing and eating.  They’re cool, creamy, sweet, tangy and rich.  A little goes a long way, but you’ll probably find yourself going back for seconds!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

5 tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp  salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Line an 8×8 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
3. Crush graham crackers into crumbs to make 1 1/2 cups. Mix with sugar. Stir in butter and then add chocolate chips.
4. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan of prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes and then set on wire rack to cool.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at until smooth. Fold in flour and mix until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
6. In a small bowl, stir cream cheese until soft. Add sugar, stirring until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, stirring just until blended.
7. Pour batter into cooled, baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling, sprinkling with extra mini chips. Gently press down.
8. Bake about 30 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, place in the refrigerator to chill several hours before serving.

Source: Bakingblonde’s Weblog

I’ve been told that my family has the chocolate gene.  The women in my family simply adore it.  Most desserts at family gatherings are chocolate and for years a birthday cake that wasn’t chocolate may as well have been considered blasphemy.  I had to chuckle when my cousin’s 8 year old son surveyed the dessert table at our last  family Christmas party with dismay and queried “Is there anything that isn’t chocolate?”  There were oreo truffles, chocolate cookies, doubly chocolate cookies and a host of other chocolate-containing cookies.  I think he settled on some sugar cookies, and possibly relented on Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Poor kid.

I can relate to my little cousin.  For years, I didn’t get what all the fuss was about.  Vanilla, fruit and mint flavors piqued my interest and tantalized my taste buds far more than chocolate ever could.  My family probably wondered what was wrong with me.  However, I can assure you that my chocolate gene has kicked on and my love of chocolate has shifted into high gear in recent years.  Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake is my absolute favorite cake recipe, and I keep a supply of Ghirardelli squares and Lindt truffles on hand for chocolate emergencies.

Even in my vanilla-loving hey-day, I adored these Hershey’s Doubly Chocolate Cookies.   They’re simply perfect:  soft and chewy, chocolaty and rich, but not overly so.  Each bite is full of chocolate flavor from the mellow cocoa and the perfectly sweet chocolate chips.  I’ve been baking these for years – first with my mother and then on my own.  They’re always part of my Christmas baking rotation and make numerous appearances throughout the year.  With two kinds of chocolate rolled up into one little cookie, you just can’t go wrong.  The only way to make them better would be to add more chocolate!

Hershey’s Doubly Chocolate Cookies
Yields approximately 4 1/2 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups (12 oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set. Cool for 1-2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

My neighbors must think I’m crazy.  I recently discovered that the late-afternoon light in my backyard is just perfect for food photography.  I regularly scamper into the backyard with a white resin table, place-mat, dish of food and my camera and proceed to crawl around on the ground snapping pictures.  Taking this picture was a race against time, as ice cream doesn’t really appreciate 90 degree temperatures.

Onto the ice cream:  I simply love this coffee ice cream!  While I have enjoyed all of my homemade frozen confections, this is one of my favorites.  It’s smooth and creamy with the perfect punch of coffee flavor.  Mini chocolate chips  add a nice crunch and burst of chocolate.

Most coffee ice cream recipes I found involved steeping whole beans for an hour or so.  This seemed like a time-consuming and relatively expensive way to make coffee ice cream.  Homemade ice cream is certainly not a money-saving endeavor, but I figured that there had to be an easier, less pricey way to do this.  I decided to experiment with my favorite vanilla ice cream recipe and some instant coffee.  By reducing the sugar, eliminating the vanilla extract and adding 2 tablespoons of instant coffee, I was able to easily whip up the coffee ice cream I had been dreaming of.

Coffee Chip Ice Cream

1/4 cup Egg Beaters
7 oz. fat free sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
4 tbsp white sugar
8 oz heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp instant coffee
8 oz fat free half and half
8 oz skim milk
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1. Pour half and half into small saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until steam rises. Remove from heat.
2. In a separate bowl, use a whisk or electric mixer to beat Egg Beaters, sweetened condensed milk and sugar together. Beat in 1/2 cup of hot half and half and then stir this mixture into the saucepan with the remaining half and half.
3. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue until the mixture reached 170-180 degrees or is slightly thickened. Do not bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and stir in the cream, milk, vanilla extract and salt.
5. Chill the mixture for several hours (overnight is even better). You can speed up the process by placing the bowl containing the mixture in a large bowl filled with ice and water.
6. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.
7. Once the ice cream is done, gently fold in the cookie dough chunks and chocolate chips.

I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to chocolate chip cookie dough. While others grew up stealing tastes or outright devouring raw dough, I shunned it in fear of raw eggs. In fact, I still won’t consume uncooked cookie dough. But homemade eggless cookie dough – that’s another matter entirely.

This ice cream falls into the “where have you been all my life?” category. It’s amazing. The cookie dough bits, courtesy of David Lebovitz, are perfectly buttery and sweet – I could (and did!) eat them like candy. Regular readers of this blog may recognize the vanilla ice cream recipe, as it’s the same one used for Cookies and Cream, as well as Moose Tracks. It’s rich, creamy and oh-so-easy to make.

Cookie Dough Ice Cream

1/4 cup Egg Beaters
7 oz. fat free sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
3 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar, not packed
8 oz heavy whipping cream
8 oz fat free half and half
8 oz skim milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 batch of eggless cookie dough chunks (see recipe below)
1/4-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Pour half and half into small saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until steam rises. Remove from heat.
2. In a separate bowl, use a whisk or electric mixer to beat Egg Beaters, sweetened condensed milk and sugar together. Beat in 1/2 cup of hot half and half and then stir this mixture into the saucepan with the remaining half and half.
3. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue until the mixture reached 170-180 degrees or is slightly thickened. Do not bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and stir in the cream, milk, vanilla extract and salt.
5. Chill the mixture for several hours (overnight is even better). You can speed up the process by placing the bowl containing the mixture in a large bowl filled with ice and water.
6. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer?s directions.
7. Once the ice cream is done, gently fold in the cookie dough chunks and chocolate chips.

Cookie Dough
The Perfect Scoop, p. 209

5 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the butter and sugar until smooth.
2. Stir in the flour (I needed to add an extra tablespoon), followed by the vanilla and chocolate chips.
3. Form the dough into a 1/2 inch disk. Wrap in plastic and chill in freezer for 30 minutes.
4. Unwrap the dough, chop into bite-sized pieces. (using a chef’s knife works well)
5. Store the pieces in the freezer, covered, until you’re ready to use them.

I love having a well-stocked freezer. A double batch of vegetarian black bean chili and multiple portions of Mexican rice have saved the day on multiple occasions. I freeze leftover sauce, broth, black beans and shredded chicken to prevent leftovers from spoiling and to save for future use. However, the most enjoyable part of my freezer stash has to be cookie dough.

Freezing cookie dough serves multiple purposes: 1) It prevents my husband and I from eating too many cookies in a short period of time. Sometimes you just want a few cookies, and it’s not always easy to figure out what to do with the remaining four dozen! 2) It allows me to whip up freshly-baked cookies with no mess in a very short amount of time!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies were my bite-sized dessert of choice for most of the fall, but the classic Toll House cookie became my go-to dessert during the latter part of the winter and into the spring. There are countless variations of the classic chocolate chip cookie, but this is my favorite. They come out chewy on the inside with a hint of crunch on the outside.

I made a few minor changes to the original recipe, based upon recommendations from a friend. I use half butter and have shortening, and I adjusted the amounts of brown sugar and granulated sugar.

If you want to freeze your cookie dough and bake at a later date, drop the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper (for easy clean up) and place the sheet in the freezer for about a half hour. Remove the firm balls of dough from the sheet and place in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. When you want to bake the frozen dough, there’s no need to defrost! Preheat the oven to 375 and place the frozen balls of dough on a cookie sheet. You’ll probably need to bake the cookies 2-3 minutes longer than usual, but keep and eye on them so that they don’t burn.

Toll House Cookies

Yields 60 cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Beat in vanilla extract.
4. Beat in flour mixture gradually.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on cookie sheets for at least two minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

BAKE at 375 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

My cousin Debbie usually makes this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball for family gatherings. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and is a nice contrast to other savory appetizers. Full-size graham crackers (pictured above) or miniature graham sticks make fun dippers.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, or mini chips
Graham crackers

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy.
2. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball.
6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
7. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans or mini chips. Serve with graham crackers.

I haven’t baked in nearly a month. After my Christmas baking extravaganza, I decided that I needed to take break from sweets and embarked upon a one month baking moratorium. Entertaining or bringing goodies to a friends home were the only exceptions to my rule. We had company tonight, so I could bake with a clear conscience.

I wanted something sweet, but not too heavy. With the cold temperatures expected this weekend, I figured that I wanted something that would go well with a warm cup of tea. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies seemed to fit the bill, so I thumbed through my cookbook collection in search of a recipe.

Both Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens had recipes that looked simple and tasty. Betty Crocker won me over by offering a low-fat version of the recipe. Using unsweetened applesauce in place of shortening and Eggbeaters instead of eggs cut the fat and calories quite a bit. Since the texture of oatmeal cookies can vary widely and still taste wonderful, I figured it was worth a shot.

Since I forgot to purchase Eggbeaters, I used regular eggs and only substituted applesauce for shortening. The substitution did not cause any problems in consistency or taste, and I would happily try Eggbeaters next time.

When I first removed the cookies from the oven and transferred them to my wire racks, they seemed very soft and I was concerned that they wouldn’t hold together well. The cookies were soft and chewy – a little softer than I expected – but delicious. As they cooled completely, the cookies took on more firmness. They’re still moist, soft and chewy, but the cookies hold their shape and don’t crumble as easily. The applesauce did not change the flavor of the oatmeal cookies much. If anything, it added an extra hint of sweetness.

I enjoyed a few cookies with a piping hot cup of Lady Grey tea tonight. I’m happy with the recipe selection and will certainly be making these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies again.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook
Yields about 48 cookies

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
2. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars.
3. Add applesauce, eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix well.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients (flour mixture and oats).
5. Stir in chocolate chips
6. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned along edges. Immediate remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

* 1/2 cup of shortening may be used in place of applesauce. If shortening is used, reduce vanilla and cinnamon to 1 tsp each.

* 1/2 cup of Eggbeaters may be used in place of 2 eggs.