Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Iced Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 36 cookies
3 WW PTS

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven 350
1. Sift flour baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a big bowl and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, or another bowl, mix sugar till fluffy and aerated. Then add pumpkin, egg, vanilla and mix well.
3. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients till it is all incorporated. Scoop out with a small ice cream scooper onto a cookie sheet. Wetting your fingertips with water slightly pat down the cookie dough so they bake with a flatter surface (otherwise they will dome out and it will be harder to frost).
4. Bake for 15 minutes, pull out and let sit on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before moving to the cooling racks.
5. Combine ingredients for the glaze to desired consistency, once cookies are cool frost using a bakers flat spatula.

*Original recipe from Relish Click Here to see their service! The original recipe called for 1/2 tsp of each ground nutmeg and ground cloves, I didn't have either on hand because quite frankly they are spices my household doesn't really like so I omitted them, if you like them feel free to add them in with the cinnamon. Also the orignal recipe called for 3 tbsp of milk for the glaze not 2 but I liked the frosting thicker vs. a surface crunch. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I have noticed before on my weekly menu options on Relish that they have offered desserts before but I have never fully been tempted to try them. I am not a fan, believe it or not, of pumpkin pie or anything that has those sort of quintessential "fall" flavors/spices. So I have no idea why I was tempted this time, but darn am I glad that I tried. I have sung this websites praises very vocally with friends and family and I mention it on most of my posts. A couple of years ago I was spending a good day coming up with menu plans by stealing from several "free" menu planning sites and I was just so sick of how much time and effort I wasted to put it all together. I remember just searching for a menu planning site one day when I had had enough and came across this site. Their opening page reminded me of my favorite magazine Real Simple and so I thought why not I will give it a try. That was over a year ago and I haven't regretted it sense. They have grown sense then, changed and I believe only gotten better. Granted there are times when I use their recipes and then change it to suit my tastes, and then there are times when I just think the recipe is asking me to do something totally funky and I question it but I still go with it and every time they have been spot on. So after all that if I was going to try a pumpkin bread from somewhere it might have been here and now! Wow am I glad that I did. It was relatively easy (the only reason I say that is because I made it with my kitchen aide mixer and while I was trying to do too many things at once I flipped the switch the wrong way - sped up the paddle- and slung pumpkin puree and sugar and what not all over my kitchen! I had a bit of clean up, but that was totally my blunder, the recipe was great it was myself that was an idiot!).

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour

NOTE: this makes 3 loaves!

3 cups sugar

1 15-ounce can canned pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water
4 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups miniature chocolate chips (I added more chocolate chips and I think it was too much, still good but a bit much so stick with the original amount here)
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 9 x 5 aluminum loaf pans (I have never gone out and bought these before specifically to use but since this was a large batch I don't have 3 of these in metal bakeware so I went ahead and bought them... the ease of use was very nice)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
[1] Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
[2] In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill each loaf pan 1/2 to 3/4 full.
[3] Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean (mine took an additional 15 minutes on top of the hour). Cool on wire racks before removing from pans. Wrap 2 of them tightly with foil and place in the freezer.

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