Are you looking for an easy recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? Pumpkin is a delicious and healthy way to sneak some goodness into your family’s favorite snacks and dishes. Although we associate pumpkin with autumn harvests and Halloween, canned pumpkin is available year round. If you have your own garden, freeze cooked pumpkin for baking throughout the year – you will save money and enjoy the fresh flavor whenever you like. Pumpkin is a good alternative to banana or zucchini muffins or quickbreads, and an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins A, C, K, and E, and of the minerals magnesium, potassium, and iron.
Here are two pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipes. The first one is quick to make and quicker to eat! If you find them too spicy, leave out the pumpkin-pie spice. The second recipe makes healthy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with the addition of whole-wheat flour and oats.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 can (15 ounces) or 1/2 of a 28 ounce can of pumpkin puree
OR 2 cups cooked pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (try almond extract for a different flavor)
2 cups dark-chocolate chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Optional (Vanilla Glaze)
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder,
baking soda and salt. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.
Gradually mix in flour mixture, chocolate chips and nuts. Use a teaspoon to drop onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 15-17 minutes or until pumpkin cookies are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes
then remove to wire rack to cool completely. This recipe makes about 5 dozen small cookies.
To make this recipe extra special, add Vanilla Glaze icing. Simply add 1 tablespoon milk and /2 teaspoons vanilla extract to 1 cup powdered sugar. Mix well – add a few drops of milk if the icing is too stiff. Ice cookies while they are still a little warm.
Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 cup rolled oats (NOT instant – they will make the cookies mushy)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a large mixing bowl and combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together. In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Add pumpkin and stir gently.
Add flour mixture to liquid mixture and stir as you are adding it in. Stir in oats, nuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool.