Naughty Treats - Oh So Perfect Pumpkin Applesauce Cookie!

 

 So I was at the store the other day when I came across a perfect little pile of pumpkins. Quickly my mind filled up with all the wonderful things I could make with them.. pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spiced lattes! Fast forward 2 weeks later and my little pumpkins were still sitting sadly in my kitchen looking neglected. I should never be allowed to go to the store when hungry, it always resorts in wishful cooking fantasies.

I decided to buck up and do something with the pumpkins before it was too late. A simple Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe didn’t seem too daunting and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

First you need to puree your pumpkin - 1 small pumpkin makes about 1 3/4 cups pureed

 

Cut your pumpkins in half top to bottom, scoop out the guts, place them cut side down in a baking dish filled with 2-3 inches of water, bake at 350 degrees for 45 min or until flesh is easily punctured, remove from over and let cool, scoop the flesh out and pop it into a blender or food processer until smooth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields about 30 cookies, Prep 20 Min, Cooking 12 minutes per batch

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (you’re not feeling ambitious 1 cup canned pumpkin will work just fine)
• ½ cup of applesauce (I used blackberry applesauce but any kind would work great)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ¼  cups all-purpose flour (reduce to 2 cups if using canned pumpkin)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Mix together your pumpkin, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, and egg.

In a separate bowl stir together your flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pie spice, salt, and baking soda

Slowly add your flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture mixing it well

Add your chocolate chips – I used the whole bag. Don’t skimp here! Good chocolate is key! Be careful not to mix to much once the chips are in or they will start to break up.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and pop those babies in the over at 350°F for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Let cool for 1-2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Stuff your face and enjoy!

 

Naughty Treats - Salted Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Let me just preface the start of this blog by saying I don't plan on setting any unrealistic goals for myself to blog daily, weekly, or even monthly. Only as my heart desires...

Now.. on to the good stuff.

This past weekend was my darling nephew's baby blessing. Isn't he handsome?

My sister was brave enough to have over 100 people come to her house for a luncheon after the blessing.

As always, In my daily procrastination I was hurriedly looking for a dessert recipe the morning of the blessing. I ended up with an hour and a half time slot to make something so I decided cookies would be a good route to go.

I must say... these cookies were delightful! Hide them from yourself or you might eat them all.

Sorry no pics... I'm new to this blogging thing okay?

Toasted Coconut Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Nutella Cookies

(everything that is bad and good all in one place cookies)

(adapted from http://www.shebakeshere.com/2012/04/salted-chocolate-nutella-cookies.html)


1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup butter flavored shortening (while I don't like to use shortening these cookies need it to help fluff them up a bit)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup Nutella

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup extra dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli extra dark)

Pinches of flaky sea salt

Shredded Coconut

Caramel Sauce

Oven temp 350*F - Have you ever looked into how much energy is wasted each year from "preheating" your oven? I typically turn on the oven to start heating when I'm nearing the end of each baking escapade. I don't know about you but my oven heats in about 5 minutes and I would be champion baker of the world if I could actually assemble whatever it is I'm baking in that time frame.

Using a hand mixer, beat together butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg, vanilla and Nutella and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the batter.

Stir in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon (don't get lazy and use your hand mixer. It will break the chips and ruin the consistency of the cookies!)

Drop mounds of dough in tablespoon-sized scoops on a greased baking sheet. Cookies will spread during baking, so try to space them out a bit. I did 3 x 4 rows on a standard sized cookie sheet.  Then add a good pinch of shredded coconut to the tops of the cookies before popping them in the oven.

Bake for 7-8 minutes and remove from the oven when your cookies are flat and slightly cracked on the surface. Immediately sprinkle lightly with sea salt and drizzled with caramel sauce. Let sit on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a wired rack to cool completely.

Makes around 24 cookies.