White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies that need to be guarded...

Before....

The fridge was way crowded and there was pumpkin puree that had to be used. Hence, I decided to make these DELICIOUS white chocolate pumpkin cookies I made last October. The batch yielded 27 cookies. I decided to give them out to friends since I love to share such GOODNESS with good people :)

Just after I pulled out the cookies from the oven, my roommate came home and immediately without asking just grabbed a cookie and ate it! "Ok," I thought, I would've offered her some anyway so whatever. I left to meet up with a friend and came back a few hours later. I noticed three cookies I set aside on a separate plate all disappeared (along with the plate actually). "Oh man, " I thought, "Better wrap these babies up!" So I wrapped 13 cookies in one foil and 3 more for myself.

Next day, I took them to class and they were a hit! Not a single one left over and many compliments came haha. All day, I dreamed about the cookies I set aside for myself in the aluminum foil.

After a long day, I come home, I open the foil expecting to find 3 cookies. Lo' and behold, there was only one! My roommates mooched my cookies from me! Out of the 27 cookies I had only two cookies while between my two roommates they had seven! A very sad day for me. But they're popular.

After....

• Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ounces white chocolate pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 300 F. Grease cookie sheet

2. Mix brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla and then stir in pumpkin puree. Combine dry ingredients together and then add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spoon cookies onto sheet, leaving 2 in of space in between.

4. Bake for about 20 min and then allow to cool.

There you have it folks! Make sure to hide 'em or eat them before others get to them!

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Pumpkin Saffron Macarons

Having a can of Pumpkin Puree sitting in my cupboard, I decided to make Pumpkin Saffron Macarons. Having not made macarons in awhile, I went through four attempts until my cookies came out just right! The filling was a cinch to make: pumpkin cream cheese. You can probably use the Pumpkin cream cheese that they sell at Trader Joe's. However, since that is seasonal, you can easily make your own.

I've made and had other flavored macarons before. Not a big fan of the pumpkin cream cheese filling (for macarons), but regardless, it still tastes good. If you're a big fan a cheesecake and pumpkin, then this recipe is for you!

Here is the recipe:

Saffron Macaron

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp saffron

5 Tblsp granulated sugar

2/3 cups almond powder

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1) In a food processor combine saffron, almond powder and powder sugar and quickly grind into smooth powder. Set aside.

2) Make sure egg whites are at room temperature (it will help the eggs meringue properly). Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar into eggs. Continue beating eggs until thick and and glossy. Don't over do it or else the cookies won't bake properly!

3) Pour half of the powder made in 1) into 2). Using spatula, mix powder with meringue, scooping from bottom. Try to do it in few stirs possible. Add rest of powder in and mix as before. Try not to do more than a total of twenty stirs.

4) Preheat oven to 300F~345F depending on how hot the oven is. I would go for the lower heat just to be safe.

5) On a parchment lined baking tray, pipe circular cookies about a 1.5in in diameter. Space apart 2in. Wrap tray a few times. This will help the cookies get the prized feet! Leave out to harden for about 15~30min. You can test by touching the cookie lightly. If it does not stick to your finger, it has hardened enough.

6) Place in oven and cook for about 8~15 min. Make sure to check on them because you don't want them to over cook!

7) Once done, remove from oven and let cool for 10min. Remove from tray. Cookies should be crunchy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

2oz Cream Cheese at room temperature

2oz Pumpkin Puree

1/8 Ground Cloves

1/8 Ground Cinnamon

1) Mix all ingredients together into a bowl.

2) Pipe cream cheese between 2 equal sized macaron cookies

There you go! You have successfully made Pumpkin Saffron Macarons! Enjoy!