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Dessert

CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

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A hand holding several bright red cranberries.

Historically, cranberries have not been my thing at Thanksgiving. Am I alone in this? I doubt it. In my earlier childhood, I remember our family having the canned, gelatinous cranberry sauce on the table. The image still doesn’t settle well with me but also, the texture isn’t something I enjoy eating. As I got older, homemade cranberry sauce found its way to the Thanksgiving spread. Certainly more appetizing but still not my thing. I totally get the nostalgia of the canned stuff and I appreciate the effort in the homemade version. However, neither one gets served on my Thanksgiving table.

White casserole dish of bread pudding with cranberries next to a small black plate with a single slice of the bread pudding topped with bourbon sauce and a spoon resting next to it.

It might sound like I have something personal against cranberries but I don’t. I promise. In fact, I very much enjoy cranberries in other dishes. Sauce is the issue. Really, the texture of the sauce is the root of the problem. So, in a year when nostalgia is bringing more joy than ever, I’m making a cranberry dish but with my own twist. Bread pudding. Yes, friends, cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce to be exact. That cranberry flavor is there, its just in a different form. This bread pudding is absolute comfort food. It is rich and sweet but also a little bit tart from those cranberries. A beautiful balance of flavors. Serve it warm with a spoonful of the bourbon sauce and you’ll be in heaven.

A single serving of cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce served on a small black dish with a spoon resting next to it.
A single serving of cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce served on a small black dish with a spoon resting next to it.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

This cranberry orange bread pudding is the perfect dish for a cozy holiday dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

  • 4-5 croissants cut into 1"pieces (this will end up being approximately 7 cups) Croissants that are 1-2days old are ideal for this recipe
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup frozen cranberries

Orange Burboun Sauce

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

For the bread pudding:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, soak croissant pieces in cream and milk for 10 minutes. Gently stir as needed to ensure all pieces become saturated.
  • Leaving any residual cream in the bowl, transfer croissants into an 8×8 baking dish. gently stir cranberries in with croissant pieces.
  • Beat sugar, orange zest, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in with cream. Pour mixture over croissants and cranberries.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While pudding chills, preheat oven to 350F.
  • Remove from refrigerator and bake for 50 minutes.

For the bourbon sauce:

  • In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium heat.
  • Whisk in cream, bourbon, orange juice and salt. Continue to stir until mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
  • Serve sauce over bread pudding.
Keyword Bourbon Sauce, Bread Pudding, Cranberry Orange

Looking for more Thanksgiving dessert ideas?

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Orange Spiced Monkey Bread

Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies

PUMPKIN BARS

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In recent months, I have come to learn that Halloween is my daughter’s favorite holiday. Last year was her first time trick or treating and she was nervous. The idea of talking to strangers and asking them for something was a bit much. We didn’t want her to miss out on all the fun so we practiced with her. We sat down and explained how trick or treating works and then literally pretended to go through the motions with her. She was still hesitant but on the big night but she put a brave foot forward and rocked it out.

Yes, the costumes and the candy are part of the fun at Halloween. BUT, my girl loves everything about this season. She has fun making jack-o-lanterns, checking out neighborhood decorations, and eating all the pumpkin treats. Last year, she asked for my homemade pumpkin bread on a weekly basis. This year, I’m giving her another homemade option with these pumpkin bars. Thick crust, smooth pumpkin filling, crumble topping, maple glaze. I know my daughter is going to love this! I’m also confident you and yours will love it.

Pumpkin Bars

Sarah Baade
Thick crust, smooth pumpkin filling, crumble topping, maple glaze. The perfect pumpkin bar.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Filling

  • 15 oz canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Crumble Topping

  • ⅓ cup flour
  • ⅓ cup old fashioned oats
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup raw pecan pieces
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Maple Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together all crust ingredients – mixture will be crumbly. Press mixture into pan and bake 25 minutes. While crust cools, prepare the filling and topping. Keep oven heated to 350° F.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together all pumpkin filling ingredients until smooth. In another medium bowl, stir all crumble topping ingredients together. Spread pumpkin filling over crust. Sprinkle crumble topping over pumpkin filling. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool completely.
  • Once cooled, whisk maple glaze ingredients together in a small mixing bowl then drizzle over pumpkin bars. Use parchment paper to lift bars out of the pan and place on cutting board. Cut bars into 16 squares.
Keyword Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Spice

PERFECT DOZEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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I’ve been on a sweets kick over the past few weeks. Sorry, not sorry about that. In a way, I’m just going back to my roots with this post though. Baking is what first drew me to the kitchen. And chocolate chip cookies? Isn’t that what most of us first learn to bake with? My daughter has known the basic ingredients for chocolate chip cookies since she was two years old. We’re still working on measurements but I love that she can call out the ingredients we need as we grab them from the pantry and fridge.

Even though this is my fourth chocolate chip cookie recipe (you can find links to the others at the bottom of this page), I know I will create more in the future. This has become my favorite cookie to play with and make variations of. Honestly, you guys have also been a driving force behind these recipes. I’ve heard stories about you using my chocolate chip cookie recipes to teach your own kids how to bake. Stories about making my recipes for special occasions. It means so much to me to know that you all are incorporating my cookie creations into your own traditions and communities! Without further adieu, here is the latest version. I really think of this one as a classic chocolate chip cookie. It makes only a dozen because some folks have a need for small batch recipes. That being said, these cookies are larger than I usually make and they are full of flavor.

Perfect Dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sarah Baade
A small batch recipe for a classic chocolate chip cookie – this recipe makes 12 large cookies.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter. Scape down sides of bowl as needed.
  • Add egg and vanilla to butter and mix until combined.
  • Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined.
  • Stir in chocolate chips then chill dough for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Once chilled, scoop 6 heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the baking sheet and bake 17 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Enjoy cookies warm with a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream.
Keyword Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Homemade Cookies, Small Batch Recipe

More chocolate chip cookie recipes:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

LEMON DELIGHT

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When I look back on memories of visiting my grandparents, one thing that stands out to me is simplicity. I recall finding joy in very simple activities such as exploring the vegetable garden, playing dominos, or stomping on the bubble wrap Grandpa had saved for us. While some states are a bit more open, Texas is still a hotbed for this COVID19 so my family and I are still staying home as much as possible. We are relearning to embrace simple activities with our little girl. We love splashing in puddles after the occasional rain we get. We planted our own vegetable garden. We play with building blocks and read books. Yes, we still watch TV on the weekends but we are really making memories through these simple activities.

Our kitchen has also become a place of simplicity and family time lately. This recipe came from my grandmother’s recipe box and is perfect for letting the kids help. Three ingredients and, as suggested by the name, this treat is absolutely delightful. Pull out your blender, pour all the ingredients in, mix it up and enjoy! I made this recipe with pink lemonade but the original version used regular lemonade. Take your pick, change it up based on you mood. Either way, this is a fast and fun recipe to indulge in this summer.

Lemon Delight

Sweet and slightly tart, this frozen treat is perfect for summer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • 12 oz frozen lemonade (regular or pink)

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Keyword Ice Cream, Lemon, Lemonade

Looking for additional frozen treats? I’ve got you covered! Click on the links below to help keep cool this summer.

CHERRY LIMEADE POPSICLES

NO CHURN BOURBON PECAN ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SWIRLS

CREAMY CHAI SPICED POPSICLES

BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE NO CHURN ICE CREAM

NO CHURN CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE ICE CREAM

NO CHURN BOURBON PECAN ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SWIRLS

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The Heat

This seems like the hottest summer we’ve had in my nine years of living in Texas. Maybe I’m just feeling the pain of not being able to cool off in a swimming pool or at a movie theater but this heat is miserable. While doing my best to stay put at home due to COVID19, I’ve been looking for fun ways to stay cool. My family and I primarily stay inside but lets face it, a three year old needs to get outside to burn energy every once in a while. We’ve mostly taken to playing with the hose out on our driveway (fire ants keep us off the lawn). If we are lucky, we hit a day that is below 80 degrees in the morning and go for a walk but that isn’t often. I don’t think I’ve ever wished so badly to have a pool in my own backyard!

The Cool Down

Given all this heat, you know I’m not spending much time using the oven or even the stovetop right now. Instead, my work from home lunches are consisting of sandwiches and fresh fruit. That sweet tooth still needs attention too though. Bring on the no churn ice cream!!! What I love about no churn is that it is so darn easy to make but also, the flavor options are endless. I often grab whatever looks good from the pantry and just create as the mood strikes. This time around, I had a small bottle of bourbon sitting on my counter and some leftover pecan pieces tucked away in my freezer. I love it when ingredients from other recipes can easily come together for something new. Go ahead and make this incredible no churn bourbon pecan ice cream with chocolate swirls. Tuck in the back of the freezer until the kids have gone to bed and then indulge!

No Churn Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream With Chocolate Swirls

Sarah Baade
Soft serve bourbon ice cream with pecans and chocolate swirls – no churn required.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups heavy cream, cold
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup pecan pieces
  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Instructions
 

  • In a large, chilled bowl, beat heavy cream on high until soft peaks form.
  • Beat sweetened condensed milk, bourbon, brown sugar, vanilla and salt into heavy cream until fully incorporated.
  • Stir pecans into ice cream mixture.
  • Pour half of the ice cream mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan. Drizzle half of the melted chocolate over ice cream in pan. Swirl chocolate into ice cream mixture with a knife. Repeat this process with second half of ice cream and chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Notes

Techniques for melting chocolate:
  • Double boiler – place a heat safe bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir your chocolate chips/pieces in the bowl until it is fully melted.
  • Microwave – heat chocolate chips/pieces in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds then stir. Repeat this until chocolate is fully melted.
Keyword Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Recipe, No Churn, No Churn Ice Cream

More No Churn Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS

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A friend of mine was commenting on my Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookie recipe the other day and said she plans to make those for her kid’s class party this week. First and foremost, I was thrilled that she wanted to use my recipe. However, my second thought was complete shock. I was shocked that any kind of peanut product was allowed in her daughter’s classroom. I was also shocked that homemade treats were allowed. Here in San Antonio, I don’t know of any schools that allow nut products of homemade treats in the classrooms. This is true even at the daycare level. I understand the risks to those with nut allergies, and I’m not necessarily complaining here. I think it just makes me realize how much things have changed since I was a kid. Most people brought homemade cupcakes or cookies to class when we had parties back in the day. There is a part of me that is sad I’ll never be able to bring my daughter’s favorite homemade treat to her class. But you know what? Part of me is also relieved. There will never be that pressure to create some fancy homemade treat at the 11th hour the night before a class party.

When my daughter’s current classroom has parties, they ask us to sign up to bring something off of a premade list of foods. This week, our contribution is Valentine colored m&m’s. Perfect. Easy. Done. But for home, I still wanted my daughter to have a fun treat made by mom. Inspired by pink m&m’s, and my daughter’s love for chocolate chip cookies, I’ve created these chocolate chip cookie bars. Mixing up the dough is easy and adding m&m’s along with sprinkles adds a festive flare. I also love that you end up with two dozen servings all done at once. No scooping. No swapping out baking sheets. It is all in one pan and then you simply cut it as you’re ready to serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Sarah Baade
The all-American classic chocolate chip cookie turned into a bar.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips (whichever you prefer – you just want variety from the semisweet you'll be adding in)
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • Optional toppings: 1/4 cup candy coated chocolates such as m&m's, 1 Tablespoon jimmie sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and granulated sugar with butter.
  • Add eggs and vanilla.
  • Mix in dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, until all ingredients are fully combined.
  • Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Press cookie dough into pan. If adding candies and sprinkles, spread them evenly and press into the top of cookie dough.
  • Bake 35-38 minutes or until a test toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool completely before cutting.
Keyword Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookies, Dessert Recipe, Easy Cookies, Easy Recipe, Homemade Cookies, Valentine’s Treat

OATMEAL CHERRY COOKIES

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We are in full cookie exchange season and I am loving it! This week I participated in an exchange at work and we ended up with seven varieties of cookies (and recipes). SEVEN!!! It had been several years since I last participated in a cookie exchange and I had kind of forgotten how great it is. I love seeing what people bring in and the stories behind the recipes. This is such a great way of using food to create community. With each story that is told about a recipe, we get to know each other a little bit better.

I am a huge fan of any category of dessert – cakes, pastries, tarts, etc. But let’s be real here, cookies are awesome for several reasons. They are typically easy to make. Most recipes make at least a couple dozen cookies which means you have more to share. If you aren’t needing a few dozen cookies to share, you can always freeze them for later. Actually, you can freeze the dough into individual cookie dough balls and then bake them when the craving strikes. OR, you can bake them all from the get go and just thaw them out when you’re ready for a treat. Cookies really do have a flexibility that most other desserts just don’t have.

For this year’s cookie exchange, I reached into my grandmother’s recipe box. To be fair, I chose this Oatmeal Cherry Cookie recipe partly because I already had all but one ingredient in the house and partly because it sounded like a fun twist on the more traditional oatmeal cookie. The maraschino cherries add a different sweetness than the raisins you would typically find in an oatmeal cookie but they also give a festive pop of color. These cookies are a bit smaller than what most recipes seem to make but I actually really love the size. It gives you that sweet treat that you’re looking for without over indulging. This recipe is also perfect for a cookie exchange because it makes FIVE dozen cookies. That’s right, no need to double the recipe. You’ll get five dozen little cookies out of the recipe as it is. You’re welcome.

OATMEAL CHERRY COOKIES

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup red maraschino cherries, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla extract.
  • Stir dry ingredients into sugar mixture.
  • Stir in oats and cherries.
  • Drop dough by the teaspoonfuls, two inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Notes

Tip: Wear food safe gloves when chopping the cherries so the food dye doesn’t stain your hands.
Keyword Oatmeal Cherry Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies
Original recipe source unknown. Recipe has been modified from this version for the purpose of this blog.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Potato Chip Cookies

Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies

Vegan Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Stir-N-Drop Sugar Cookies

ORANGE SPICED MONKEY BREAD

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Before we ever met, my husband and I each had a family tradition of making Monkey Bread during the holidays. One year we even had a bake off with the two family recipes. I can’t recall who the judges were but I sadly didn’t win that competition. We had a lot of fun but, if I’m honest, we also had way too much monkey bread for two people to finish off.

A couple of weeks ago we lost my oldest brother in a car accident. There is a void in the family. I loved baking with my brother, Ron. We didn’t see each other often but when we did, activities often revolved around food. He was the bread master of the family and would make delicious loaf breads and bagels. My absolute favorite of his? Orange rolls. Nothing can compare to his orange rolls.

Let me just admit right here that breads are not my specialty. As much as I love baking, I can screw up bread with the best of them. In other words, replicating those orange rolls on my own is not a very realistic goal. To honor Ron’s baking legacy, and still keep things really easy, I’ve mashed up the family tradition of monkey bread with the flavors of his orange rolls. This orange spiced monkey bread is much lighter in flavor than the traditional version. It is bright and sweet and a perfect dish for sharing with family as a dessert or a breakfast option.

ORANGE SPICED MONKEY BREAD

Sarah Baade
Citrus and spices give this monkey bread a bright twist to the classic monkey bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 12 cup Bundt Pan

Ingredients
  

For the Monkey Bread

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 2 Tablespoons orange zest
  • 2 packages 8-count canned flaky biscuits
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12cup sized bundt pan.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and orange zest. Set aside. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Dip each piece of biscuit into melted butter then coat with the sugar mixture. Arrange coated biscuit pieces evenly in the bundt pan.
  • If you have any remaining melted butter and sugar mixture, stir them together and pour over arranged biscuit pieces. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Let cool 5-10 minutes then turn over onto a serving plate.
  • For the glaze, stir together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and orange zest. Drizzle over monkey bread and serve warm.
Keyword Monkey Bread, Orange Monkey Bread, Orange Spiced Monkey Bread
Love and miss you, big brother.

PUMPKIN BREAD

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There are days when I want to challenge myself in the kitchen. Then, there are days when I just want something easy to make. I’ve been spending a lot of time baking challenging desserts lately. It gives me a great sense of pride to accomplish a recipe from my baking bucket list but it can also take a great deal of time and energy. Life is about balance though and I am thankful for easy recipes! These are my go-to when I want something homemade with limited effort. These are also the recipes that are great for passing along to friends.

When I create recipes, I want them to be achievable, not stressful. My goal is for even a beginner baker to be able to have a successful outcome. Something easy to make that is beautiful on its own and tastes amazing. Quick breads are exactly that. Now that we’re in November, I’m hitting up this pumpkin bread recipe on the regular. It is such a hit with friends and a perfect addition to any get together. Flavorful, moist and easy to make. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this beautiful pumpkin bread.

PUMPKIN BREAD

Flavorful, moist and easy to make – I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this beautiful pumpkin bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted pepitas (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together. Mix in pumpkin puree then add in eggs and vanilla.
  • Stir in half of the dry ingredients. Add milk and stir to combine. Stir in remaining dry ingredients.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with pepitas. Bake 55-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Notes

  • In a pinch, you can sub the brown sugar for white sugar. The brown sugar brings out the flavors of the spices a bit more but you’ll get a taller rise from the bread with white sugar.
  • You can butter and flour your loaf pans if you don’t have parchment paper.
Keyword Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Loaf, Pumpkin Spice

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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I promise I’ve been trying to focus on healthy recipes. In fact, I have a few waiting in the wings for the blog. However, sometimes I get distracted by sweets. Let me be honest here, chocolate chip cookies are typically not my jam. I mean, I’ll still eat one if that’s what’s available – let’s be reasonable, there’s still chocolate involved. But if I have other options, I will pick almost any other cookie on any given day. Maybe I’ve just had too many super plain tasting chocolate chip cookies in my day? I know you know what I’m talking about. Something mass produced for a cafeteria. Something lacking flavor and or quality chocolate.

Given my history with this all-American cookie, it is a wonder I was craving them the other night. I saw a friend post some chocolate chip cookies in her Instagram stories and I just couldn’t get them out of my head. So, I did it. I made some cookies from scratch and THANKFULLY wrote the recipe down as I created it. My cookie loving world has been forever changed! I’m going to make a big statement here and people will might try to argue with me (I’ll be respectful of your opinions if you’ll respect mine). These cookies turned out to be the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. I know you love your grandma’s recipe but I feel like that is only because you haven’t tried these yet. Bonus? They are still simple to make!!! Be sure to eat one (or four) while they’re still warm from the oven. You can thank me later.

Tips

  • The toffee bits add a beautiful sweetness that is different from the chocolate chips. However, if you’re serving these to friends who have a nut allergy, please leave them out.
  • Quality ingredients do make a difference in the cookie, especially when it comes to the chocolate. This recipe is the perfect reason to splurge a little and get the more expensive chocolate chips.
Chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slightly crisp outside, slightly chewy inside. A perfectly balanced chocolate chip cookie.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup toffee bits

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.
  • In a separate large bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar.
  • Mix eggs and vanilla into butter mixture.
  • Gradually stir in flour mixture until all ingredients are fully combined.
  • Stir in chocolate chips and toffee.
  • Scoop cookie dough into golf ball sized balls and place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Leave 2 ½ inches between cookies. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove cookie sheet from oven and transfer the cookies from the parchment to cooling racks.

While these are certainly my favorite chocolate chip cookie, I understand that people have strong preferences when it comes to such a classic cookie. If you prefer soft batch, I’ve got you covered. You can check out my soft batch chocolate chip cookies here.