Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every year at Halloween I make these...and every year, they go like hotcakes when I take them to work. This year was especially memorable...I decided to triple the recipe to use the whole can of pumpkin, and the amount of cookie dough in the stand mixer covered the beater! It took 3.5 hours to finish making the cookies, 7 batches later. (oops) Needless to say, everyone else benefits from the mass-cookie-giveaway! These are a little bit pumpkin pie, a little bit cake, a little bit chocolate chip cookie. All-in-all, a delicious Halloween snack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c canned pumpkin
1 c white sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t milk
1 T vanilla extract
2 c semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir into dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

2. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

3. Drop by heaping spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown. (cookies will be slightly soft, but will no longer be shiny)

makes ~2 dozen medium sized cookies

Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies

I had a fun girls' getaway planned with my best friend, and I wanted to make some treats to bring with. It turns out, I only had time to make one, but it was SOOOOO worth it! This cookie has everything going for it...lots of rich chocolate flavor, soft brownie texture, and melted chocolate goodness! Warning: You Cannot Possibly Eat Just One! Be sure you've got a glass of milk nearby, 'cause this one's rich! I found the recipe here, and wouldn't change a thing.

Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies

Makes 24 large cookies

2-2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4eggs

1-1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.

3. In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.