Have I ever told you about how I hate Pumpkin Pie? I hate it, really I do.
I haven't even tried a piece since I was probably 9 years old, and I won't try it. You probably think you can get me to eat a bite, but you're wrong. I will run away from you and your bite, like a bat out of hell. But the weird thing is... I like pumpkin bread, and pumpkin bars, and pumpkin ravioli, cheesecake, seeds, cookies, etc. Just get away from me, Pumpkin Pie. Get far, far away.
Back to me liking pumpkin other things, like cookies. I decided to make up a recipe on Thursday and I think I did good. All the autumn-y pumpkin flavor that I love, in the consistency of a cookie (not pie). I brown butter all year long, but there's something extra special about the nuttiness the flavor offers in autumn time. I added chocolate chips, because I do that to everything, but white chocolate chips would also be lovely. If you only have all-purpose flour, that will be fine, but I love what the combination of bread flour and cake flour does for cookies. They help to provide a chewy interior with a crackly exterior. Be warned: this dough is sticky, so it's important to refrigerate it for as long as possible, preferably overnight. But it will be worth the wait. Happy Fall Without Pumpkin Pie, everyone!
Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Makes approx. 2 dozen)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or white)
In a small pot, brown butter over medium low heat. This takes some time, but if you turn the heat too high the butter will burn. Once it's foams, turns brown and starts to smell nutty - it's ready. Remove from heat and let cool. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together both flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together with an electric mixer both sugars with browned butter. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix until fully combined. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least an hour). When ready to bake, remove dough from fridge and preheat oven to 350. Place rounded spoonfuls (I use an ice cream scooper) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
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