I firmly believe a holiday dessert table should be accompanied by “pick up” treats. While you should definitely have a showpiece dessert like a pie or cake, I enjoy eating a cookie or two throughout the day while cooking, or at the end of the night and technically too full to eat another bite. As promised last month, I have a lot of Thanksgiving enthusiasm so that means TWO recipes! These recipes are seasonal, easy to whip up, and will stay fresh if you make them a few days in advance. They are perfect for munching on all Thanksgiving day.
First, we’re making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I’ve promised to talk about chocolate chip cookies in this newsletter and we’re finally dipping our toes in. Unlike many pumpkin cookies that turn out too cakey, these are chewy and packed with spices.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: about 18, 2oz cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
1 ¾ cups (247g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1g) ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5g) cream of tartar
½ teaspoon (1.5g) kosher salt
10 tablespoons (147g) butter, room temperature
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (130g) sugar
¼ cup (65g) dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk
(78g) pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
1 cup (about 4-5 ounces) dark chocolate disks or chopped dark chocolate bars
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture (optional)
3 (45g) tablespoons sugar
½ (1g) teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ap flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Set aside.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk followed by the pumpkin purée and vanilla, scraping down the sides with a spatula in between adding each ingredient. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Once incorporated, stir in the chocolate pieces.
Step 3
In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the cookie dough in balls then roll in your hands to smooth. Roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Once all cookies have been portioned and coated, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Step 4
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies on a baking tray with parchment paper on the bottom. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies start to spread out and crack across the top. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days for optimal freshness.
Secondly, we’re making White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Bars. The first step is making a cranberry compote that will cool as we make the cookie dough. When it is time to add the compote to the dough, we will imperfectly (the dough is thick!) swirl in the cranberry compote. Save this recipe for December because it is perfect throughout the entire holiday season.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Bars
Yield: 9x13” pan
Ingredients
Cranberry Compote
¾ cup (85g) whole cranberries
¼ cup (57g) water
⅛ cup (25g) sugar
Cookie Dough
2 ½ cups (350g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon (2g) salt
½ teaspoon (2g) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1 cup (226g) butter, room temperature
1 cup (190g) sugar
1 cup (150g) dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons (6g) vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
Cranberry compote
Flaky salt, for topping
Step 1
In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the cranberry compote. Cook on medium heat until the cranberries start to burst, stir occasionally with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. As the cranberries burst and soften, press the mixture with your spatula to help break it up. Once it thickens to a jam like consistency, remove from the sauce into a bowl. Top with a piece of plastic wrap to cover the top then refrigerate until needed.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13” pan with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ap flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Set aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients. When the dough comes together, add the white chocolate chunks. While the dough is still in the bowl, add about half the cranberry compote. Try not to overmix at this stage or the cranberry streaks will disappear and just make the dough pink.
Step 4
Dollop the cookie dough into the baking dish. With a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth the dough. Add little bits of compote on top of the dough and swirl in using a small knife or cake tester. Top with flaky salt. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the top of the blondie looks golden and no longer has a wet look. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days for optimal freshness.
I can’t stop talking about… More Thanksgiving desserts! Here are some of my favorite recipes from around the web.
I recently made these buckeyes for a birthday cake and I think they would be delicious at Thanksgiving.
I love pumpkin tarts! They’re superior to pie (I said it). This Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Walnut Streusel is wonderful. You can definitely sub pecans for walnuts.
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake feels like a good compromise if people don’t like pumpkin pie but want a pumpkin dessert.
Arguably one of the best pumpkin bread recipes on the web.
Finally, Erin McDowell is the queen of pies. Her Book on Pie is the holy grail of baking books about pie. A great Christmas gift for an aspiring baker!