Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

So, since I'd been so focused on writing recipes for my children's cook book (due out next summer - I'll keep you posted) I decided to look one up on the good ol' Internet for pumpkin sugar cookies. I googled "pumpkin sugar cookies." Instead of getting a bunch of cookie recipes, all I got were sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins - unacceptable! I wanted sugar cookies made with pumpkin not just made to look like pumpkins. So, I took it as a challenge and viola!

Aren't they cute? I did make a couple that looked like pumpkins because it's close to Halloween and I let the kids pick the cookie cutters. I frosted them with a cream cheese frosting with a twists. I added 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon to the frosting for an extra special flavor. It was really good and I think I might do the same thing on a pumpkin bunt cake recipe I've been playing with. Hope you like these!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies 

Makes 24-30 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pumpkin

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

5 cups flour

Directions:

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar.

2. Add the eggs and the vanilla, beat well.

3. Add the baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and sour cream. Beat until smooth.

4. Add the flour one cup at a time until the dough is thick and smooth. It will be sticky but it should not be runny.

5. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap them in saran wrap and chill in the fridge overnight. This is an important step as it allows the flavors to mature and the dough to firm up for rolling.

6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Lightly dust the counter with flour and coat your rolling pin. Leave one half the dough in the fridge while you work with the other half. Roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place cookie dough cut outs on cookie sheets.

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are cooked through. If you rolled your dough out thicker, it will take longer for the cookies to cook.

9. remove cookies form cookie sheet to wire racks to cool.

10. Once cool, frost with cream cheese/cinnamon frosting and decorate.

Extreme Bookies

So, a couple of weeks ago I blogged about Bookies. (1/2 brownie, 1/2 cookie) Check them out if you haven't yet because they were so good. So good, I couldn't get them off my mind. I decided to take it up a notch. Oh-boy what a notch!
Picture please:

So here's the dish on how you make these. I hope you have plan for hiding them because once your family/friends/coworkers get a taste - you're going to have to work hard to keep them to yourself.

What you'll need:

1 brownie mix and oil/water/eggs to make mix

1/2 batch of back to school cookie dough

12 Oreo's (I used double stuffed because let's be honest we aren't trying to save any calories here)

1 7 oz jar of marshmallow cream

What you do:

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Pour into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch, greased pan. Lay Oreo's in batter. Drop spoonfuls of marshmallow cream between Oreo's but don't let it touch the side. Roll out cookie dough like you would sugar cookies. Lay it accross the top of the Oreo/cream/brownie  layers. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until cookie dough is golden brown. Cool before serving. (Or, for heaven's sake, grab a large spoon and just dig in. Oh, darn, I just had a wicked thought. Top with chocolate ice cream and hot fudge.) 

Introducing: BOOKIES!!!

A Bookie: a combination of brownies and cookies. (Two of my favorite things.)

 

My excitement runneth over. Squeal!

I like to experiment in the kitchen, everyone knows that. But what you don't know, is that my experiments are controlled. I don't go throwing together random ingredients hoping things turn out well. I research, plan, premeasure and meditate over a recipe before I give it a test run. So this was a bit odd for me - and look how good it turned out.

To make your own Bookies. You will need one Pillsbury brownie mix (family size) and the ingredients called for on the back of the box. One 1/2 batch of my Back to School cookie recipe found here. You'll want to use chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms this time. Oh, I used a dark chocolate that was melty good. Lastly, you'll need square muffin pans.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Make the cookie dough according to the recipe. (Only make a half batch. Or, brainstorm, you could make a full batch, use half now and freeze the other half to bake later.)
3. Mix the brownies according to package directions.
4. Spray your square muffin pan with non-stick spray.
5. Fill each square 1/2 full of brownie batter.
6. Roll cookie dough in 1 inch balls. Squish the balls just a little and place on the top of the brownie batter in the pan. Repeat for each square.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or when the cookie dough is cooked through and the brownie starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
8. EAT!

You can eat them warm or cool. I couldn't wait to taste one so I ate one warm, but I found that I liked them better after they had cooled off. You can store them in an airtight container - if you have any left that is.

Love Bars

If you love peanut butter...

If you love fudge...

Then you're going to love these cookie bars. I think they are actually called Peanut Butter Fudge bars but my kids thought that was WAY to boring of a name for such a delicious treat.

Side note: don't they look lovely in this jar? I hesitate to cut things baked in pans because they tend to dry out faster. However, this beautiful jar keeps them fresh as daisies.

Side note #2: I just had a thought. Maybe I could be one of those ladies that collects cookie jars! Yeah. I'm thinking 10 should do it. One for each season, one elegant one for entertaining, one everyday one for the kids and one hippie-chic one just to make me smile.

So go make yourself some Love Bars and if you see any great cookie jars let me know!

What you'll need:

1 pkg golden vanilla cake mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 extra large egg
1/4 cup butter
1 can sweet and condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Beat together cake mix, peanut butter and egg. Press 2/3 of the mixture (save the rest) into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for ten minutes.

In a medium sized sauce pan, melt butter, milk and chocolate chips over low heat. Pour over baked crust. Top with the remaining 1/3 of peanut butter mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light tan. Cool on wire rack.

Gingersnaps

These gingersnaps are a snap to make. I have to give the credit to my mom. It's her recipe. (Thanks Mom!) I also have to giveher credit for the beautiful new cookie sheets. I love them. The cookies were a perfect combo of ginger bite and chewy goodness.

Cream:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter

Add, then beat well:
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses (Isn't that a fun word to say? Molassas)

Add, then mix well:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon (another fun word)



Shap into 1" balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with the bottom of a small glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (I did elevin.)

T is for train

Ever since Rub found the train cookie cutter in the pantry, he has been begging to make them for school. They aren't my best work, but they work.



The WB stands for WonderBugs. It's the name of his preschool. He was thrilled with the result. (That's why I do what I do.) When I went to pick him up, all the kids had red frosting around their mouths. It was cute.