Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Yummy Brownies!!

Sorry I haven't posted lately but I have been snowed in for the last few days and my attention needed to be redirected toward my paintings and handmade toys.

Since i last posted I have tried 4 new recipes, two of which I will share with you in this post. Sadly, i have no photographs of my own to show you, since the cookies and the brownies were such a hit, they disappeared in two days! The customers really liked their treats!

I really enjoy making these treats for the people I love! I will be trying some truffle recipes soon!



PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance Vegan Butter sticks)
1/2 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar and margarine with an electric hand mixer on low speed. (I used a whisk due to lack of owning a mixer). Add pumpkin, vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, then stir in chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. If you are baking more than one sheet at a time, rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in a container with a loose fitting lid, as they are very moist, at room temperature.

Yield: 3 DOZEN COOKIES
Prep time: 25 minutes




YUMMY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/3 baking cocoa
1/2 salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain or vanilla yogurt
(equal to 1 6-ounce container)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease as 8 x 8-inch pan with margarine or oil, or line it with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk sugar, flour, baking cocoa, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, stir together margarine and yogurt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in a pan on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store brownies covered at room temperature.

Yield: 9 brownies
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Happy Baking!!