Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

By far the most loved recipe of the fall season. This is a soft and fluffy cookie that is hard to say not too. This is a great treat for Halloween or Thanksgiving. It is also a great way to use up any extra pumpkin from other recipes you make.

Tips for this recipe:

Butter- Let the butter soften at room temperature so it takes less time to mix and is easier to work with.

Eggs- you can also let the eggs out to warm up a bit before adding. This helps the mixture stay creamy, when you add cold eggs they make the nice fluffy butter turn into chunks. This is true whenever you use the creaming mixing method. (see below)

Pumpkin- I always spend the extra money on good quality canned pumpkin. The cheaper brands tend to be more watery and therefore less flavorful.

Chocolate chips- I use the mini chocolate chips, not sure why I just like they way they look.

I also like to put the batter in the refrigerator before scooping on to baking sheet. The batter will come out of the scoop easier and it will not spread too much when baking.

This recipe uses the creaming mixing method. Knowing the mixing method lets you understand the recipe and know why you are doing each action, not just blindly following the steps. Overtime, knowing the methods instead of solely relying on the recipes makes you a better cook. You are able to understand what makes the recipe work better and avoid mistakes. If the recipe turns out wrong you can identify why.

Creaming Mixing Method.

Step 1

Cream the fat and sugar together until fluffy. Ingredients should be room temperature.

Step 2

Add eggs one at a time. Scraping sides of bowl with each addition. Add other liquid ingredients. Be sure to add ingredients slowly so the mixture stays nice and fluffy, not chunky.

step 3

Sift or mix the dry ingredients together.  Sifting has three functions; it removes lumps, helps to blend ingredients and adds air. I only sift if the ingredients are very lumpy. Most of the time I just use a spoon to stir the dry ingredients until blended.

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients. I add about half of the ingredients, mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, scrape down the bowl and then repeat. This step is where you can over mix. Over mixing refers to the over development of gluten for the application or recipe. Developing gluten is not bad for bread, it is actually what allows the rise and texture we like in the final product. However, for cakes and cookie developing the gluten can lead to a tough or undesirable texture.

Step 5

Add additional ingredients that are delicate and you do not wat to be broken into tiny pieces such as, chocolate chips or nuts.

And that is the creaming mixing method. Lots of cakes and cookies use this method. You can usually identify them by looking at the first step. If it involves creaming butter and sugar it will probably be the creaming mixing method.