Pumpkin Gooey Butter Crinkle Cookies

This weekend, I’ll be co-hosting a joint birthday party for my nephews and my baby boy—who’s turning ONE! I can hardly believe it’s already been a year since he came into our lives. Time really flies.

For the party theme, I came up with: “Our Little Pumpkins Are Turning One!” (…or fourteen, or eighteen, depending on which boy we’re talking about). The older boys might be slightly mortified, but I think it’s adorable—and I can’t wait to start decorating with all the pumpkin-themed party supplies I picked up!

We’ll be having pumpkin pie for dessert—three full-sized ones and a batch of mini baby pumpkin pies. I’m especially excited to give baby Owen his very own pumpkin pie, topped with maple vanilla whipped cream. I just know it’s going to be the cutest mess ever. And yes, I found him the perfect pumpkin-themed outfit complete with a bow tie and suspenders!

I truly can’t wait to celebrate all of our pumpkins this weekend. 

And in the spirit of the theme, I’m sharing one of my favorite fall recipes: my original Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies. Imagine gooey butter cake meets a soft, spiced pumpkin cookie—rolled in powdered sugar and cinnamon for that irresistible crackled top. Perfectly cozy and sweet, just like the season.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy and combined.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until well combined - about 2 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Refrigerate dough 30 minutes, or until cold and firm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners sugar and cinnamon.  Scoop out 2 tablespoon-rounds of dough and roll into balls*.  Roll the balls into confectioners' sugar, place on cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart, and press down to flatten slightly using palm of hand.  Bake 12-14 minutes, or until slightly golden around cookie edges.  Cool cookies 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.  

*Tip - Spray cooking spray onto hands for easier dough rolling.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Salted Butter Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

Oh hello! I hope everyone is doing well and had the best holiday season!  I've been getting back into the swing of things and enjoying that sweet Missouri life again.  I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day next week, are you all? I know it's kind of a cheesy, commercialized holiday, but I've always enjoyed it.  It's fun, and it's nice to be able to celebrate all of your loved ones.

You could give your loved one a box of chocolates, or you could give them a box of this buttery, delicious chocolate chunk shortbread.  I know you've see this recipe a million times, it pretty much broke the internet; it's been featured on many Instagrams, blogs and food websites.  It's Alison Roman's Salted Butter Chocolate Chunk Shortbread recipe.

While I disagree and don't think this should ever replace your traditional chocolate chip cookie, I do think it's extremely delicious and would absolutely make this recipe again.  It was simple to make, too.  You just whip up some salted butter, granulated sugar, a touch of brown sugar, vanilla, flour, and chopped dark chocolate.  I took it a step further and used SALTED dark chocolate, oh yes I did.  The dough is rolled into logs then rolled in coarse sugar.  The cookie logs get chilled down, sliced, brushed with egg wash, then sprinkled with coarse sea salt.  I didn't have any of that good flaky salt, so I sprinkled mine with ground sea salt.  Still very good! 

Here's the link to the recipe for you again.

Peanut Butter Dream Bars

These bars are perfect to nibble on with a cup of coffee or tea.  They're undeniably rich, so you may or may not be able to finish eating a bar in one sitting.  The inspiration behind these bars comes from Potbelly's Dream Bars.  Potbelly is a really great sandwich chain, and whenever I frequent airports and see one, I have to stop and get a Wreck Sandwich and a cup of broccoli cheddar soup.  Next to the cash register at Potbelly they have a display of cookies and bars, one of which is their Dream Bar.

Dream Bars are rich, chocolatey oatmeal bars with sweet caramel.  This recipe is my adaptation of Dream Bars; I added chunky peanut butter, white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips.  I really love the crumbly, buttery texture of these.  For the caramel, I used the caramel bits that are already unwrapped - much easier than unwrapping fifty caramels.

Peanut Butter Dream Bars

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 bag of unwrapped caramel bits
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
Sprinkle of sea salt.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil; coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Beat in oatmeal, baking powder and flour until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and white chocolate chips until combined.  Pat half of the mixture into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt caramel bits and evaporated milk, stirring frequently.  Pour caramel on top of bars.  Sprinkle remaining dough evenly on top.  Bake 15-20 minutes more or until golden brown.  Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.  Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Makes 12 big bars

Tahini Vanilla Bean Blondies

I've been getting that old desire to blog again.  And bake!  I've mostly been doing a lot of cooking recently, with inspiration from Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine.  I just love the flavor of sesame so, so much.  I'm a big fan of seed pastes/butters, especially tahini  Also, I had these lovely vanilla beans that my mom gave me for my birthday (Christmas??) one year and needed to use them.  Voila, there's the inspiration behind my Tahini Vanilla Bean Blondies.

The vanilla beans are infused with browned butter, then the mixture is whipped with eggs, tahini and dark brown sugar.After folding in some baking soda, salt, flour and white chocolate chips, the mixture is spread into a pan and sprinkled with sesame seeds and coarse sea salt.  Give these a try!  I think you'll really love the salty, nutty, caramel flavor.  Also, I think these would still be fabulous if you left out the white chocolate chips or just used vanilla extract.

Hope y'all have a great Galentine's Day and Valentine's Day!

Tahini Vanilla Bean Blondies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split, seeded
1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Pinch of coarse sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil; coat foil with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and whisk until butter starts to turn golden and foam - about 3-5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in vanilla beans.  Cool 5 minutes.

Pour butter in a large bowl and add brown sugar; beat together using a mixer on medium speed until combined.  Beat in eggs and tahini until well combined - about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in salt and baking soda until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour until just combined.  Stir in white chocolate chips until combined.

Spread mixture into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sea salt.  Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into blondies comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 blondies 

Lemon Crackle Cookies

 

Hello again and happy fall, y'all! I feel like the year has flown by.  Here we are almost all of the way through October.  Soon it'll be Thanksgiving and Christmas.  But here I am, still thinking it's summer time, running around in sundresses and baking lemon cookies instead of pumpkin bread.  I'm in total disbelief that it's Autumn.  Here in Raleigh we're only starting to see a few signs of the changing season; cool, crisp air in the evenings and a few crunchy leaves under our feet.  If I didn't go to the store and see bags of candy lining the aisles, I would have no idea Halloween was a little over a week away.

The past few months have been incredibly busy, sometimes I feel like I don't get to stop and relax.  But when I do get a little break, I usually can't stand it and have to keep busy.  So any extra downtime I have had lately has been devoted towards baking - mostly classic desserts and treats given away to new friends.

 My sweet tooth isn't raging anymore like it was for the past... well forever.  Maybe as I've gotten older my little taste buds have evolved and are going in a different direction.  Instead of a piece of cake I'd probably choose a steak.  The other day I had a few lemons left over from a pasta dish I made and used them towards a nice light, lemony crackle cookie.

Quite the beauties, aren't they?  They're pretty photogenic, but then again what cookies aren't?  Hello.  I took these pictures using my iPhone, which is good enough for me these days.  I actually sold my DSLR a few months ago (gotta pay those bills) so I don't have a camera anymore.

 Lemon Crackle Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + zest of one lemon
1 large egg
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy and well combined.  Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest until combined.  Beat in egg until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.

Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll 1 inch balls of dough into confectioners' sugar and place on cookie sheets, spacing about 1 1/2-inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden in color. Side note-feel free to add a few drops of yellow food coloring into the dough.

Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.  Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Double Chocolate Chip White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Lately I've been thinking about how much I want to go back to Levain bakery.  It's been years and I'm really craving their chocolate chip walnut cookies.  Not only that - their oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and dark chocolate chip cookies, too.  They really do have the best cookies there.  I've never tried any of the breads they bake because I'm always so focused on the cookies.  Have you?  I wish we could all go together, each buy an item and then share.

And so these cookies were created yesterday from my cravings for a chocolate-y Levain cookie.  I was hoping to have these loaded up with white chocolate chunks, but my cookies were a little skimpy on the white chocolate.  I didn't have as much white chocolate in the pantry as I thought I did.

I was happy with how soft and fudgy these cookies turned out, and the crackles on top are pleasing to the eye as well.  I bet these would be really good with dark unsweetened cocoa powder.

Double Chocolate Chip White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 ounces white chocolate (or more), cut into small pieces
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

In a large bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, sugars and vanilla until a lumpy ball forms.  Beat in egg, one addition at a time, until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in white chocolate chunks and chocolate chips until just combined.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough out, roll into balls, and place on cookie sheets or plates (whatever will fit in your refrigerator).  Chill dough balls at least one hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place dough on cookie sheets, spacing an inch apart.  Bake for 15 minutes or until set and slightly crisp.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 16 large cookies

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Another Christmas cookie recipe for you, and the last recipe of the year! These pumpkin snickerdoodles were really, really good, and I highly recommend you make them.  Even if you think pumpkin season is over and you're sick of the stuff.

These cookies were so soft and crinkly, and perfectly spiced.  I love a good snickerdoodle... they're definitely in my top five favorite cookies.  This recipe is your typical snickerdoodle recipe, except made with pumpkin puree and more spices.  I hope you like them!

Thanks for stopping by and reading through all the years.  Happy holidays to everyone!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until soft and creamy.  Beat in egg yolk, pumpkin and vanilla until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until just combined.  Chill dough in refrigerator 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and place on cookie sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.  Bake 12 minutes or until firm and set.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Makes about a dozen

Milk Chocolate Chip Toasted Almond Cookies

These beauties came from my kitchen a few weeks ago. I've been meaning to post the recipe but have been pretty busy lately. I've baked several batches of different cookies plus made some Christmas candy, but it's all been pretty standard and not blog-worthy.

These Milk Chocolate Chip Toasted Almond Cookies are definitely blog-worthy, though!  They're made with browned butter, toasted almonds, and Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips.  Mmm!  They're so good.  Perfect for a last minute Christmas cookie!

Milk Chocolate Chip Toasted Almond Cookies

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place almonds on a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown and fragrant.

Melt half of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook and whisk until butter foams and starts to turn golden brown.  Remove pan from heat and pour butter in a large mixing bowl and allow to cool 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla to bowl with browned butter.  Mix together until creamy and well combined.  Mix in egg until well incorporated.  Stir in flour mixture and milk until just combined.  Stir in toasted almonds and chocolate chips just combined.  Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour or until cold.

Scoop out heaping tablespoons full of dough, roll into balls, and place on cookie sheet.  Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

I know it's not Thanksgiving yet... but I'm already baking Christmas cookies and giving them away to friends.  My house may or may not be already fully decorated, too.  My first batch of cookies were these Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies.  I know the pictures aren't great; I'm working on that.  You have to believe me how good they are!  They're very fudgy, rich, and soft.

The cookies are loaded with lots of cocoa powder, butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  I used a different technique with these babies - instead of creaming the butter with the sugar, I used cold cubed butter instead.  It created a really interesting scone-like texture.  I'm definitely going to try this again.

Oh another thing, I found the peanut butter chips at Aldi!  I've never seen them in there before.  Go get em while you can.  Any cookie requests for the holidays?  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, mash together the butter and brown sugar until it forms a ball.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until just combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in peanut butter chips and chocolate chips until combined.  Dough will not be smooth!  Don't you worry.

Scoop cookie dough out into heaping tablespoons full of dough and roll into balls.  Place on plates and refrigerate/freeze until cold - about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place dough balls on cookie sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.  Bake 12 minutes or until set.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melted semisweet chocolate, for dipping (I used chocolate chips + a teaspoon of coconut oil)

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy.  Beat in sugar, orange marmalade and vanilla until well combined.  Stir in dry ingredients  until just combined.  Form dough into about a 12-inch log, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until completely cold, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. 

Slice the log into 1/8-inch thick slices; place on cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart.  Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown.  Turn oven off.  Flip cookies, return to oven and allow to sit for an additional 10 minutes.  Transfer shortbread to a wire rack to cool.

Dip cookies in as much melted chocolate as you desire.

Red Velvet Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Red Velvet Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2-3/4 cups chocolate chips (You decide how much you want!  I used 1/2 cup chocolate chunks)
12 Red Velvet Oreos

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk and cook until butter starts to turn golden brown and foam; turn off heat and whisk in 1/2 cup flour until well combined.  Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the remaining 1 cup flour, baking soda and salt.  Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to bowl with browned butter.  Mix, using a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well combined.  Mix in egg and vanilla until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chunks.

Divide dough into 12 balls.  Flatten the dough into the palms of your hands, place an Oreo into the center, and wrap dough around it.  Place on a plate.  Repeat process with remaining dough.  Refrigerate cookie dough balls for 30-45 minutes or until cold.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place cookies evenly on cookie sheets.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Makes 1 dozen large cookies

Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
1 large egg
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together cream cheese, coconut oil and butter until creamy.  Beat in sugar, vanilla, matcha and egg until well combined and smooth.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in white chocolate chips until combined.  Chill dough in refrigerator or freezer until cold - about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake about 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown on the outsides.  Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes 1 dozen cookies

20 Minute-One Bowl Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

 20 Minute-One Bowl Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oatmeal
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mini peanut butter cups or chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter, butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth.  Stir in egg, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oatmeal until well combined.  Stir in flour until just combined.  Stir in peanut butter cups until combined.

Drop 8-10 rounded scoops of dough onto a large cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack.

Make 8-10 cookies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup peppermint baking chips
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup mini marshmallows

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth.  Beat in eggs until well combined.  In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Beat in the dry ingredients, on low speed, along with water, until just combined.  Stir in baking chips until just combined.  Chill dough for 1 hour, or until cold.

Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until crisp.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt together milk chocolate chips and oil in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.

Dip or pipe melted chocolate onto halves of cookies.  Push marshmallows into melted chocolate and allow to dry.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Gingerbread Cookies

    Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tablespoon molasses
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
4 tablespoons caramel syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove.  In a large mixing bowl, on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth.  Beat in egg, molasses and chocolate until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips until combined.  Chill dough 1 hour or until cold.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until crisp.  Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.  Cool cookies 15 minutes.  Drizzle caramel on cookies; sprinkle with sea salt.

Makes 40 cookies

Maple Walnut Puffs

Maple Walnut Puffs

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup very finely chopped toasted walnuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, half of the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until well combined and creamy.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour and walnuts until just combined.  Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on cookie sheets, spacing about 3/4-inch apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until crisp.  Maybe less if your oven runs hot.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool a few minutes.  Roll cookies in remaining powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cranberry Almond Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cranberry Almond Cookies
Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 
• 3 tablespoons almond butter 
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup quick oats 
• 2 cup chocolate chips 
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds 

Instructions:  In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, almond butter, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup until creamy and well combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until almost combined.  Add oats, chocolate chips, cranberries and almonds and mix until just combined.  Chill dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.  Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Makes a little over a dozen cookies, depending on how large you shape them