Pumpkin Cookies

What better to make this time of year than pumpkin cookies. Well, anything pumpkin I think. You might as well take advantage of it while you can! I've never made pumpkin cookies so I thought I'd give it a try this year, and I'm glad I did. They're really good!!

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It's suppose to have a glaze on top, but I didn't have powdered sugar like I thought I did, and I didn't want to run to the grocery store. So I improvised. I melted some chocolate and drizzled it on top instead. Having done that I'm not sure if I would have liked the glaze topping. I think it might have made it a little too sweet. I honestly liked them plain without the chocolate too. They're very cake like and moist. They're not too sweet like most cookies. The only bad thing is that they're a little addicting. Especially if you're a fan of pumpkin.

What I really like is that they're super easy to whip up. Just your basic ingredients and a cup of pumpkin puree. Pretty simple. The recipe says to bake for 15-20 minutes. I only baked mine for 12 and I think I could have probably done them for 10-11 minutes. Not a bad cookie I'd have to say so myself.

Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie

Well, I guess I've decided to start posting again:) It's been a fun, busy last couple of months and I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of having a baby and still accomplishing things. Hopefully I'll keep this up a little better. I have sooo many things I want to bake and try and talk about. But I thought I'd start back up with my all time favorite cookies.

I found this recipe when I was in high school and have been in love sinse. They are dangerous to bake though. I tend to start eating the peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and peanut butter cups......mmmm.....Anyway.....

They are pretty simple and come out great. It's hard to tell when they're done cause they are a darker cookie, but I usually under cook mine a little cause they come out better that why. I bake them for 9 minutes. They still look pretty soft, but you don't want to cook them for too long. The recipe says to let them sit on the cookie sheet after taking them out and you should. They are really delicate, especially right out of the oven. I also use a bag of miniature Reeses, freeze them, cut them, and then fold them in while they're still frozen. That way they don't smash and you can really taste them when you bite into it.

These are truly the best. But beware, they are also very tempting. I always have to give mine away so I don't get too tempted!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 10 chocolate covered peanut butter cups, cut into eighths

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter cups. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for 1 or 2 minutes on sheet before removing, or they will fall apart.