With the fall season well on its way, the urge to bake has grown greater and greater as the days have gradually gotten shorter, the winds howling- a bit louder, and the trees slowly undress.
So far, I've baked Peanut Butter Cookies, Sugar Cookies and Pumpkin Cookies.
I LOVED the sugar cookies!!
I wound up using mostly cake flour in the recipe for these cookies. It called for AP flour, but at the time, I had more cake flour than AP, so I made do.
The recipe also called for butter, but all I had was margarine. I didn't account for the fat I used having salt already in it, so this batch of cookies came out tasting a bit saltier than I like, but they're still my absolute fav! Next time, I will use half AP flour and half Cake to see how it does (this time, they were very close to a tollhouse cookie texture, just domed rather than flat). I will also use less salt and unsalted butter. I've got a stick in the fridge waiting to be put to good use!
My in between cookie adventure was a quest for the perfect Peanut Butter Cookie (if there is such a thing- peanut butter has got to be my second least favorite cookie after oatmeal raisin).
I tried a 3 ingredient cookie recipe that I found online and while it was a solid, peanut buttery cookie, it was as if you never took a bite after is was swallowed. It melted away so fast that a few of us had to scratch our heads and wonder 'dang, DID I just have a cookie?'.
Then, I tried a recipe that a friend suggested which was a full recipe- complete with flour and vanilla and everything!
The recipe claimed that it was going to be a 'soft and chewy' cookie, but all I got was something that resembled a flat sugar cookie with only a hint of peanut butter. I didn't dig that recipe, or the other peanut butter cookie one, so there are no pics for those.
This Halloween, Dominic and I had planned to carve a few jack-o-lanterns. It didn't quite work out that way- we only wound up doing one, so I had a pumpkin to spare.
I had never cooked pumpkin before this year, so I had to resort to the internet once again to learn how to get it out of it's raw form and into something that I could bake with.
After slicing and boiling, and then pureeing in the blender, I got what was pretty close to, if not a bit more than a gallon of pumpkin stuff!
I could not wait to make something pumpkiny! bread- muffins- cookies- cake- pies... the possibilities!
After some searching on the internet for a recipe, I finally remembered that I've got a friend who bakes. After a little conversations, she posted a recipe for pumpkin cookies on her blog that I just had to try.
I made a pan of plain and a pan of cranberry chocolate chip pumpkin cookies and they both disappeared that night.
I wasn't the only one who thought they were pretty good.
The bit of whipped topping certainly did help. I was confused at first as to why I would dip a cookie in whipped topping, but after a few bites of the plain batch, it dawned on me that they're PUMPKIN cookies! and what goes better with pumpkin dessert than whipped topping? Nothing!
After those two batches were gone, I decided to try chopped walnut with the chocolate chips rather than cranberries.
I LOVED the sugar cookies!!
I wound up using mostly cake flour in the recipe for these cookies. It called for AP flour, but at the time, I had more cake flour than AP, so I made do.The recipe also called for butter, but all I had was margarine. I didn't account for the fat I used having salt already in it, so this batch of cookies came out tasting a bit saltier than I like, but they're still my absolute fav! Next time, I will use half AP flour and half Cake to see how it does (this time, they were very close to a tollhouse cookie texture, just domed rather than flat). I will also use less salt and unsalted butter. I've got a stick in the fridge waiting to be put to good use!
My in between cookie adventure was a quest for the perfect Peanut Butter Cookie (if there is such a thing- peanut butter has got to be my second least favorite cookie after oatmeal raisin).
I tried a 3 ingredient cookie recipe that I found online and while it was a solid, peanut buttery cookie, it was as if you never took a bite after is was swallowed. It melted away so fast that a few of us had to scratch our heads and wonder 'dang, DID I just have a cookie?'.
Then, I tried a recipe that a friend suggested which was a full recipe- complete with flour and vanilla and everything!
The recipe claimed that it was going to be a 'soft and chewy' cookie, but all I got was something that resembled a flat sugar cookie with only a hint of peanut butter. I didn't dig that recipe, or the other peanut butter cookie one, so there are no pics for those.
This Halloween, Dominic and I had planned to carve a few jack-o-lanterns. It didn't quite work out that way- we only wound up doing one, so I had a pumpkin to spare.
I had never cooked pumpkin before this year, so I had to resort to the internet once again to learn how to get it out of it's raw form and into something that I could bake with.
After slicing and boiling, and then pureeing in the blender, I got what was pretty close to, if not a bit more than a gallon of pumpkin stuff!
I could not wait to make something pumpkiny! bread- muffins- cookies- cake- pies... the possibilities!
After some searching on the internet for a recipe, I finally remembered that I've got a friend who bakes. After a little conversations, she posted a recipe for pumpkin cookies on her blog that I just had to try.
I'm so glad I did!
I made a pan of plain and a pan of cranberry chocolate chip pumpkin cookies and they both disappeared that night.
I wasn't the only one who thought they were pretty good.My little brother enjoyed them as much as I did!
The bit of whipped topping certainly did help. I was confused at first as to why I would dip a cookie in whipped topping, but after a few bites of the plain batch, it dawned on me that they're PUMPKIN cookies! and what goes better with pumpkin dessert than whipped topping? Nothing!
After those two batches were gone, I decided to try chopped walnut with the chocolate chips rather than cranberries.
It was El Oh Vee EE!
I've been totally praising this cookie recipe, but there is one thing I'd change-
I'd spice it up a bit! The pumpkin flavor was very subtle. It was almost like a light spice cookie. I'm going to add some allspice or something to the next batch.
Oh! another plus to this recipe - It is a fluffy, a mixture between cake and cookie really- almost muffin like cookie.
I decided to use a small tin to make a muffin cookie out of the last bit of dough. I just spooned it in and sprinkled the goodies on top. I found that the bottom was a bit soggy (I didn't use a liner or anything) but it was still great because after turning it over and allowing it to cool a bit, it was just like the inside of the cookie, only on the outside!
I loved that part because they spread nicely. I dropped mine onto the pan by the rounded tablespoon fulls and kind of smashed them down with the back of the spoon. Perfect every time.
Well... almost.
I did find that they stuck to the pan (or would have had I not hovered over them and poked at them every second).
They were a bit resistant on the leave of the pan even when I lined it with foil, and the chocolate chips definitely weren't feeling the whole getting off the pan thing. So, i'd suggest a light greasing, especially if you like to load your cookies up like I do.
I've got to thank Michelle for sharing this recipe with me. If I weren't afraid of a burnt outside and a jiggly inside, I'd pour this dough right into a pan and call it bread! (but I'll refrain for sanity's sake lol)
Thank you!
I'd spice it up a bit! The pumpkin flavor was very subtle. It was almost like a light spice cookie. I'm going to add some allspice or something to the next batch.
Oh! another plus to this recipe - It is a fluffy, a mixture between cake and cookie really- almost muffin like cookie.
I decided to use a small tin to make a muffin cookie out of the last bit of dough. I just spooned it in and sprinkled the goodies on top. I found that the bottom was a bit soggy (I didn't use a liner or anything) but it was still great because after turning it over and allowing it to cool a bit, it was just like the inside of the cookie, only on the outside!
I loved that part because they spread nicely. I dropped mine onto the pan by the rounded tablespoon fulls and kind of smashed them down with the back of the spoon. Perfect every time.
Well... almost.
I did find that they stuck to the pan (or would have had I not hovered over them and poked at them every second).
They were a bit resistant on the leave of the pan even when I lined it with foil, and the chocolate chips definitely weren't feeling the whole getting off the pan thing. So, i'd suggest a light greasing, especially if you like to load your cookies up like I do.
I've got to thank Michelle for sharing this recipe with me. If I weren't afraid of a burnt outside and a jiggly inside, I'd pour this dough right into a pan and call it bread! (but I'll refrain for sanity's sake lol)
Thank you!
hey.. I know that recipe :) I do also add lots more spices.. I do the same thing with my pies... I have never thought of adding things like nuts or chocolate chips... hmm might have to give it a try. I do have some mini cupcake pans.. I am going to try making some in those... you are so creative.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love this recipe because it's like a good base. I think that If I were to spice it differently and add some shredded carrots or apples, I could call it something else, and no one would be suspicious that there's actually pumpkin in it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care for the cranberries because they were so tart, and don't like raisins because they're so sweet and yucky, so I'll be leaving dried fruit out of this recipe.
Unless...
I can find some dried peaches or something.