Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every time I bake cookies, I wish I were ambidextrous. I still don’t have an electric beater, but fortunately, I’ve gotten better at hand-creaming butter and sugar. I put this skill to use tonight to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, being celebrated this weekend.

Ingredients

I first saw the recipe on Readymade and was convinced to give it a try after a friend whipped up a similar batch. I’ve built up quite a pantry at our new apartment and so all it took to put these cookies together was picking up a can of pumpkin puree, a carton of eggs (one for the recipe, the rest for breakfasts this week) and a bag of chocolate chips.

The baking began with creaming the butter. Here’s how I do it without electric beaters. First, cut the butter into quarter-inch-by-half-inch chunks and mix with a fork. Pull the tines away from the butter to drag it along the bowl. This makes it more malleable and easier to make fluffy. When you add the sugar, again drag the butter along the bowl with the tines and then stir to mix. It’ll be a bit tiring but it’ll get the job done.

Adding the sugar to the creamed butter

Hand blending the butter and sugar

Once the butter and sugars (white and brown) were creamed together, it was a simple process of stirring in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and baking soda then adding an egg followed by flour and the chocolate chips. A tip of the hat here to OXO’s Snap-Lock Can Opener. I’m a bit fan of OXO products since they’re some of the best universal design out there; the products are made specifically for those with disabilities or weakened abilities to use with ease but are done in a way that they help the entire general population and that the features are integrated into the form, so most users don’t even notice they’re there. This can opener is great because it locks shut, relieving the operator from having to squeeze the handles together while turning the knob. Though it’s designed for those with weakened grip strength, it’s great for everyday folk as well because it makes it easier to use and it then snaps and locks shut when you’re finished using it, making it easier (and safer) to store.

OXO's Snap-Lock Can Opener

Back to the cookies: When I went to spoon the batter onto the baking sheets, I was a bit nervous at its rather liquid consistency so spaced the first batch rather widely apart. Instead of spreading out into thin puddles, the batter turned into round, fluffy bites.

The first half of the batter ready to go into the oven

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

The pumpkin flavor was less intense than I’d hoped for but overall they were quite delicious. Notes for next time: Add the oats recommended in the recipe and perhaps a bit more cinnamon and nutmeg (perhaps even some mace).

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! And enjoy!