I don't know about the traditions at your house, but in this house, Thanksgiving Day is when we debut our trays of beautiful Christmas cookies for the first time. It's exciting and fun, and above all, it's DELICIOUS!
I want to make sure that you are all prepared for the Cookie Craze on November 25th, and throughout the holiday season, so I will be baking (and posting!) up a storm for you! First up, is a classically fall, and amazingly delicious cookie that we affectionately refer to as the "Chunkin' Cookie" in our family. (A quick combo of CHocolate and pUNKIN, in case you haven't had your morning Coca-Cola, yet!).
Interestingly enough, although I absolutely adore pumpkin pie, and I'm obsessed with chocolate chip cookies, up until a few years ago, I had never even tasted a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. In fact, I didn't even know these beauties existed. Lucky for me, however, my incredibly smart brother-in-law, Granger, married a beautiful and AMAZING woman, named Anne, who has become more than my sister-in-law, but also my very best friend, and who is also the brains behind of these delectable delicacies. In fact, Anne has become so famous in The Family for these cookies, that she often wonders if we have forgotten that she knows how to cook other delicious food items (like O-Balls, and Green Bean Casserole), since these are her #1 request.
And for good reason. These cookies embody everything that a perfect cookie should be. For one, they are GINORMOUS (yes, it's a word...if you don't believe me, go watch Elf!). For two, they are fluffy, and soft, and perfectly textured. And they combine two of the very best flavors in the world, pumpkin and chocolate. Now, if you are my awesome sister-in-law, Anne, you will choose the decadent Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate chips, that are twice the size of the regular ones. But, if you're like me, and rotten to the core, you'll choose semi-sweet, normal-sized morsels, because you like the slight bitterness they impart. Or, if you can be an in-di-vi-du-al, and choose any other kind of chocolate chip you prefer. Regardless of what kind of chip you prefer, one thing is certain, you MUST bake these cookies. Join the cookie craze!
Oh, and you also MUST marvel at my beautiful, and photogenic Anners!
Anne and I at Thanksgiving Dinner, 2008
Perhaps what's MOST amazing is that she makes these amazing treats while chasing after two of the most beautiful baby boys you ever did see!
Okay, enough gushing from me, onto the part you came here for...The COOKIES!
One important note, Anne informed me that while you could theoretically use pumpkin pie spice, in place of the ones chosen here, this particular blend of spices produces a MUCH more delicious cookie. I can't attest to the pumpkin pie spice version, though, because I know better than to mess with perfection, or to question Anne when it comes to Chunkin' Cookies!
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
16 oz pumpkin puree
2 cups chocolate chips
-Preheat oven to 375*
-Beat eggs, add sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and melted butter. At this point the batter will be very thin. Much like a boxed cake mix. It will probably also smell like baby food. Never fear, I promise it will be delicious, and not at all reminiscent of baby food in the end!
-In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, all spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Take a deep breath, and inhale the BEAUTIFUL scents filling the air.
-Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, one cup at a time.
-Even after you add your flour, this will still be very thin, compared to most cookie doughs. Much like a from-scratch cake batter. Do not fear, you will still churn out beautiful, fluffy chunkin cookies when it's all said and done.
-Add chocolate chips
-Use large cookie/ice cream scoop to place onto cookie sheets. It's important you make these cookies LARGE. I typically only fit about 6 of these on each cookie tray, instead of the usual 12.
-Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm, and just golden on the bottom.
-Serve, and marvel at your delicious handiwork!
-Congratulations, you've officially joined the cookie craze!
Those look fantastic! You are lucky to have a sister-in-love like that :) I look forward to seeing more of your cookie creations!
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