Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts & Sea Salt

It's funny, it doesn't even feel like Fall here right now. We have been in the 70s and 80s for the past week or so, and even though it's hot, all I want is pumpkin. I've been trying to stick to a diet of four main food groups -  pumpkin soup, pumpkin soda, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cookies! I made these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies a couple weeks ago and enjoyed them thoroughly. I brought a plate of 8 cookies over to a friend and she said she and her father-in-law finished the plate in less than 30 minutes. She has been asking for the recipe, and I'm finally getting around to posting it! This week I also made a delicious pumpkin bread with chocolate chips for a staff breakfast. I liked it so much and didn't save any to keep at home for myself, so I think I'll have to make another loaf today. It will be my first time baking in my new General Electric oven, which was just delivered to my home and installed within the last 45 minutes! So exciting. Our fridge went out three weeks ago, and we ended up buying the new GE one, and we added the oven and microwave to the purchase. They are cute appliances. I never thought that appliances were cute before, but these really are. And I'm just really happy to have a fridge again - the mini fridge just doesn't cut it in my kitchen! So, hopefully I will be able to post the pumpkin bread recipe very soon, but for now, enjoy these cookies!

*These cookies are not as cakey as most pumpkin cookies, but they kind of have the consistency of a muffin, but crispier....if that makes any sense at all. But they are delicious, and that is all that matters*

Recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts and Sea Salt 

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 egg (optional)*

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of baking powder
1 Tbsp. of ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. of ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tsp. of baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. of milk or cream
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips (semisweet or milk chocolate)
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts
Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Extra cinnamon, for sprinkling (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the canned pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg (if using). Whisk together until ingredients are well incorporated. In a smallish bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a very small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the milk or cream and then add to the flour mixture and stir. Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir well. Add in the vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and walnuts and fold in.

Use a cookie dough scoop to drop 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp. of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Press down each one with your hands a little to flatten.

Sprinkle each with a little bit of coarse sea salt and a little ground cinnamon (optional). Put baking sheet in the oven for 12 - 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to carefully transfer cookies to a cooling wrack.

You can store the cookies on a plate covered with foil at room temperature for several days, if they last that long.

*You don't need to use an egg for these cookies. The cookies will be a little less moist without the egg. I prefer the recipe with the egg, Greg prefers it without the egg!

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe Adapted from: All Recipes

Perfect Pumpkin Ice Cream

I love pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin truffles, and perfect pumpkin ice cream. I crave pumpkin even more during the autumn season, as I'm sure you do too (if you're a pumpkin fan...)! If you live in the Annapolis area, and you haven't been able to find canned pumpkin in the grocery store lately, it may be my fault. I'm sorry. I just have to prepare in case there is a pumpkin shortage this year - so every time I go to the store, I stock up on pumpkin. But it is not my fault that Starbucks is running out of pumpkin syrup, so don't blame me for that one!

Last week I made pumpkin ice cream for the first time. It was so incredibly delicious. The ice cream was the perfect texture, the perfect flavor, and the perfect autumn treat - it's perfect pumpkin ice cream. My husband and my parents agree with me on this one - and I hope that you will too. For perfect pumpkin ice cream, all you need is an automatic ice cream maker, canned pumpkin, sugar, milk, cream, and spices. Serve with a few gingersnaps, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe for Perfect Pumpkin Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. of dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
1/8 tsp. of ground ginger
1/8 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
a pinch of kosher salt
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
Gingersnaps (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Put the whole milk and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer set on medium-low to beat the milk and sugar together until well incorporated, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add in the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat the mixture on medium-low for about a minute. Add in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Beat on low for about 5 - 10 seconds. Stir in canned pumpkin and mix well. Cover the mixture with a lid, and put in the refrigerator for 25 - 35 minutes.

Pour the chilled mixture into the freezer bowl of an automatic ice cream maker. Make the ice cream according to ice cream manufacturer directions. Store the ice cream in the freezer in an airtight container until ready to eat! Serve with gingersnaps, if desired.

Perfect Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe Inspired by: Cook Like A Champion

NOTE: Love pumpkin? I'll be posting more delicious pumpkin recipes soon, such as a recipe for pumpkin-apple soup and a recipe for pumpkin truffles! Here is a tasty recipe for baked pumpkin oatmeal. What is your favorite pumpkin treat? Let me know by leaving a comment on this post!