Healthy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Just the taste of fall you need and kids love ‘em!

3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

4 Tbsp milk

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Dash of cloves

Dash of ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour, wheat or white will do

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 oz. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

2. Mix the wet ingredients together. Then add sugar, salt, and spices. 

3. Mix in dry ingredients. 

4. Scoop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Using a cookie scoop is preferred. However, if you want the cookies to look more flat, flatten them before baking as they will keep their shape very well while baking.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, then let set for 5 more.  

Enjoy! You can freeze these as well with excellent results. 

Giant Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

ala Great Harvest... large, flat, chewy, buttery, addicting, etc.

2 to 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp molasses or honey
1 Tbsp milk
2 cups rolled oats
1 (12 ounce) pkg semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until well combined. Add eggs, vanilla, molasses, and milk and beat well. Add oats and mix until just incorporated. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop dough and drop about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until just starting to brown around the edges. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets then remove and cool on racks.

Oatmeal Cookies

with only one stick of butter (instead of the two that chocolate chip cookies require), you'll feel like you can eat 10!

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter (at room temp)
1 cup sugar (this can be all white sugar or half white and half brown sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (if using quick oats, only use 1 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup Craisins

1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, then the vanilla.
3. Mix the dry mixture from step 1 into the wet mixture from step 2.
4. Mix the in the chocolate chips and Craisins.
5. Bake for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Spicy Chocolate Cookies

I saw this recipe in Real Simple several years ago but never made them. I'm glad I finally did because they are quick, simple, unique, and so amazingly delicious.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and beat until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on high until fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until the butter is just incorporated. The dough may be crumbly.

2. Form dough into balls and bake as instructed below. Or, turn the dough out onto wax paper. Use the paper (and fingers) to shape and roll the dough into a compact cylinder about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly, folding or twisting the ends to seal. Chill for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator or freeze (for up to 3 months) until needed.

3. Before baking, preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap the dough (if frozen, let thaw for 5 minutes). On a cutting board, cut it into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Place the slices about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool until the cookies are firm enough to be moved, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Variation: add 1/2 cup chocolate chips after flour and butter mixtures are incorporated.

Coconut Macaroons

truly tasty macaroons are few and far between. this recipe will not disappoint. using honey in place of granulated sugar intensifies the flavors and enhances the texture.

4 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
3 cups finely shredded* coconut (unsweetened is best)

*process shredded coconut in blender one cup at a time to get a finely shredded coconut.

1. preheat oven to 325°. beat egg whites until white and very foamy. beat in salt, honey, vanilla and flour until well combined. gently stir in coconut with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
2. drop tablespoons full of batter onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. tuck/press any straggling batter into the cookie to make a nice round cookie. bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, cool on a wire rack. makes ~ three dozen.

for a delightful variation (as seen above), dip cooled macaroons half way into melted chocolate (chocolate chips melted slowly over hot - but not boiling water). place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet and let cool for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Haystacks (a.k.a No Bake Cookies)

1/2 cup (one stick) butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 heaping cup baker's cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups regular rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut chips (optional)
3 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

you can get as creative as you'd like with what you mix in beyond the oats. give it a try... that's how i came up with coconut and sesame seeds.

1. combine butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk in a large saucepan. bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and boil for one minute.
2. remove from heat. stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well combined.
3. add oats, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts and mix well.
4. drop by spoon fulls onto wax paper. allow to set up and cool - approximately 20 minutes. store in an airtight container (and in the fridge during the hot months).

Peanut Butter Cookies

so delicious: slightly crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle. oh, and good for dipping.

1 cup butter, softened but still cool
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter*
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla
11/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy - this is key.
2. Add sugars, blend well (2-3 minutes). Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla, blend until creamy.
3. Combine flours, soda, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Add a little more than half to the creamy mix and combine. Add the rest of the flour mix and combine.
4. Form rough balls, place on cookie sheet, crisscross tops with a fork and bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack (if you can wait that long).

* Contrary to popular belief you can make these cookies with natural peanut butter (like Adam's). Just make sure the peanut butter has been stirred really well and refrigerated at least overnight.

This dough also refrigerates and freezes great when formed into a cylinder, wrapped in some wax paper and sealed in a ziploc bag.

Mom's Cookie Press Butter Cookies

in case you're like me and have lost then found, then lost, then found this recipe card a few times, i'm posting it here. i just made these today and oh, the good memories came rushing back!

slight changes and tips:
• make sure butter and egg are room temp.
• add 1/2 tsp salt to dry ingredients.
• cream butter and sugar for a nice long time (2-3 minutes).
• substitute 2 tsp additional vanilla if you don't have almond extract.
• the cookies don't expand much at all so you can pack them in rather close on the cookie sheet.
• rotate between two or three cookie sheets if you have them, scrapping off and letting cool outside between baking (make use of that frigid weather).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

these cookies are great! they have a nice light consistency. not greasy, flat, or overly-moist like a lot of pumpkin cookies.

1 cup canned pumpkin*
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted and slightly cooled butter
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash cloves
2 cups chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 350°. combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg in a medium bowl. dissolve baking soda in milk and combine, along with vanilla, to the pumpkin mixture.
2. in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. combine dry and wet ingredients until just incorporated. fold in chocolate chips.
3. drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. cool on wire racks. store in airtight container and/or in the refrigerator.

*you can also use freshly baked, pureed pumpkin.

GRANDMA’S SOUR CREAM COOKIES

Bake: 350 Makes: 36

½ c. butter
1 ½ c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 ½ c flour
½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
½ pint sour cream

Cream butter, sugar eggs and vanilla- alternately add sour cream and dry ingredients. Hand stir to gently fold in sour cream until smooth. Drop T. dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on rack and frost with vanilla butter cream frosting.

*Something funny about this recipe, when grandma wrote it for me, she wrote down different instructions (which have been modified to fit modern ovens). Because of her little oven, she has the cookies baking at 425 for 10 minutes. You’re welcome to give it a try, especially if you have a 50+ year old oven. These were my favorite cookies of ALL TIME when I was young and they continue to be my favorite still! Grandma was the best dessert maker in the world!

Lemon Zucchini Cookies

oven: 350, yields: 40 small cookies

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. lemon zest
1 c. zucchini shredded
1/2 c. walnuts chopped (optional, very optional)
Lemon Drizzle Frosting
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

In large bowl blend butter and sugar together, add egg and mix until well blended. Stir in flour slowly and gradually until it is mixed all the way in. Add lemon zest, zucchini (and nuts if you have to). Drop by rounded teaspoons on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 10 - 12 minutes, or until very lightly browned. While still warm drizzle with Lemon Frosting (mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together). Cool on rack.

This is a good little recipe to have when the zucchini season is ripe (and you already made some zucchini bread).

Sugar Cookies with Frosting

These are my favorite sugar cookies and I can’t resist making them. It helps to get the butter out the night before or a few hours before so it is room temperature. I get a thrill out of mixing by hand, but a mixer will work as well if you’re not going for the arm workout. I'll stick a photo on later.

SUGAR COOKIES
1 c. Butter at room temp.
1 1/2 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 t. Vanilla
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 c. Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt

In a glass bowl- mix butter, sugar eggs and vanilla together (I like to do it by hand) until smooth. Add flour, powder and salt. Blend together and add flour gradually until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (hence why it can vary from 2 - 3 cups of flour). CHILL for 1 hour. Yes, this is very important and you'll think, nah...but do it, it makes them taste better. Remember to put saran wrap over the bowl so it doesn't take-on the leftover's flavor...ooo gross:)

Divide dough in ½ put other ½ in fridge and roll out on floured surface. Cut 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick with cookie cutters. Slide gently onto a nice cookie sheet that is NOT greased and bake at 375 for 4-6 minutes (just so the edges on the bottom of the cookie are maybe-barely golden). Take off cookie sheet and cool on cooling racks. Frost when cooled. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

FROSTING
1/4 c. (1/2 a stick of butter)
some powdered sugar
some vanilla (about 1 t.)
some milk
pinch salt

Blend butter and powdered sugar together with salt. Add vanilla and whip as best as possible. Add, by capfuls, the milk and stir after each addition. Taste often to see if the consistency is good and if it tastes good. Keep adding more powdered sugar and milk until it tastes and looks like frosting. Whip it up! Hint: If it falls off a knife it is too runny. If it peaks sharp like and doesn't even look like it'll bend over, it is too stiff.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

i know there's already a chocolate chip cookie recipe on this blog but i've tweaked this one to near perfection and the more the merrier, eh? plus, this one is made with more brown than white sugar, and a little more than half whole wheat flour, which pushes it in the Great Harvest direction.

1 cup butter, softened but still cool
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
11/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 (+1/4) cup white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 bag chocolate chips
chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy - this is key.
2. Add sugars, blend well (2-3 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla, blend until creamy.
3. Combine wheat flour and 1 cup white flour, soda and salt in another bowl. Add a little more than half to the creamy mix and combine. Add the rest of the flour mix and combine. Add remaining 1/4 cup white flour if needed.
4. Add chocolate chips, combine. Form rough balls, place on cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 11-14 minutes until golden brown.

The dough refrigerates and freezes great when formed into a cylinder, wrapped in some wax paper and sealed in a ziploc bag.

Gingerbread Men

DO NOT DOUBLE THIS RECIPE... FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup warm water
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons baker's cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a medium bowl, beat butter. Cream in brown sugar and egg. Add vanilla, molasses and water and mix until smooth.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Stir them into the wet mixture until all of the dry is absorbed.
3. Cover the dough and chill for 15 to 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350º F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into shapes. Place cookies at least 1/2 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use parchment paper if possible.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Makes an army.

from Kel & English

LEMON CRISPS

2 sticks REAL non salted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3/8 tsp. lemon extract (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine ingredients. I used a mixer. Make two cylinders and wrap in wax paper. Chill for an hour.

Cut 1/4" dough with knife (much like Tube-o-cookies). Bake at 350' on greased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Don't let the cookies get brown. Makes 3 dozen. Mmmmmm!

Comments on this recipe: One could say this receipe is an-easier-to-handle lemon square. It's easier to make and eat, but still quite delicious. They are so simple and simple looking, and I could not stop eating them. Usually, I eat 2 or 3 cookies, but I was up to 5 cookies, plus the dough yesterday!!

Shared by Bellz

Chocolate Chip Cookies that won't disappoint

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Stir flour with baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color (about 4 minutes). Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

Cool Tip: You can keep cookies for longer by freezing them.

What I learned while making this recipe: In my search for a quality chocolate chip cookie, I finally found an excellent recipe, changed it just a bit, and it works every time. I found it on the Ghirardelli chocolate chip wrapper. Always delicious and soft. The key to guaranteeing that cookies come out soft is to take them out of the oven before they look light brown. If the recipe says to bake cookies for 9-11 minutes, don't leave them in for 10 minutes (like I did, I thought taking the average was good), take them out at 9 minutes. If they look too gooey, they aren't. When the cookies cool off, they'll be perfect. Also, don't use a hand-held mixer to mix in the flour and chocolate chips. It will break. And one more thing, if you live in a humid area, use about 1/4 cup additional flour (that is, if you want your cookies to be more fluffy rather than flat).