PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 It's been a while since I have made anything for the church for the Cafe Treats. I needed a break after departing the leadership of the group, but it was not my intention to break completely from the ministry. I noticed only a few had signed up for the following Sunday so I signed up to bring something. (TBD) On the Saturday before the Sunday I tried twice to choose something to make. Both times after I chose something to bake, I saw someone else had chosen something very similar. 

So as they say, third time's charm, I decided to make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. The recipe was one that I had copied a while back but just never got around to making.

Well it may have been my third choice, but it was an excellent third choice and the visitors to the Cafe for a treat agreed. The cookie is soft and cake-like. The chocolate chip hides some of the pumpkin taste if you aren't a great fan of pumpkin, but at the same time gives you a pumpkin fix, if you like your pumpkin.

Hope you will give them a try.

PRINT RECIPE.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2        cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1        teaspoon baking powder

2        teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1        teaspoon salt

1        stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1        cup light brown sugar packed

1/4     cup sugar

2        large eggs

3/4     cup pure pumpkin puree

1        teaspoon vanilla 

2        cups (12 ounce bag) chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients - the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. (I did this first and measured and mixed together the dry ingredients while the stand mixer beat.)

Add the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.

Beat until smooth and everything is well incorporated.

Slowly add the dry ingredients as you mix until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop portions from a tablespoon scoop (flattened not rounded) onto the cookie about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. (The cookies will be slightly puffed but will flatten slightly during cooling.)

Cool baked cookies for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

APPLE PIE CAKE

 I love baking in the fall. Your kitchen is full of delicious smells without feeling so hot. And what says fall better than apples and cinnamon. Well, maybe pumpkin and spices but I will leave those for another day.

Yesterday was canasta afternoon with friends and Friend Fran was hosting. Since I make the dessert for her to serve since she doesn't do much cooking anymore, I have been on a search for several days trying to find something to bake.

This recipe was called Apple Pie Bread and it was supposed to be baked in two loaf pans.  That would have been okay, but I really preferred to have something a little more inviting than a slice of quick bread. Problem solved as I decided to make a Bundt cake instead.

I have a fancy Bundt pan which may or may not be an actual Bundt  brand, that I bought a few years ago from Hillcrest Thrift Shop that I like to use as the shape is a little different from the traditional Bundt pan. Some cakes that I have cooked in it didn't really show off the design because the batter was less, but that was no problem with this recipe. Since boxed cake mixes are smaller than they used to be, the added cup of flour added volume to the batter and filled the pan up nicely.

I was really pleased with how it turned out. The only thing I might have done differently is making a powdered sugar glaze and drizzled over it, but another friend who was filling in to make six players, can't do dairy. I just sprinkled the powdered sugar over it which soaks up after a while because the cake is so moist.

My friends really enjoyed it too.

Print recipe.

APPLE PIE CAKE

1     (21 ounce) can apple pie filling (No-Sugar-Added apple pie filling works)

1      box yellow cake mix (Sugar Free works)

4     eggs

1      cup self-rising flour *

1      tablespoon cinnamon

1      medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

Cinnamon/sugar for topping

*or 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder+1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Set aside.

Whisk together in a large bowl the cake mix, flour, and cinnamon.

If substituting the all-purpose flour for the self-rising flour, premix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt before adding it the cake mix.

Mash the apple pie filling so that the apple slices are in chunks.

Lightly beat the flour eggs together in a smaller bowl. Add the pie filling and the eggs to the dry ingredients stirring just until combined. 

Fold in the chopped apple. 

Make sure all of the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the cake.

Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the cake.

Cool 20 minutes in pan on a wire rack

before removing to platter. 

Allow the cake to cool. 

This is a very moist cake so just before cutting to serve, dust the top with powdered sugar.