Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies

I have seen these on so many different blogs, like Erin's, and I finally broke down and made them. I am so glad that I decided to make them they are so good. It reminds me of fall and it is something different to use pumpkin in. Even Matt who said he didn't like pumpkin has been eating these every night. I need to work on taking better pictures of food too, but here is my best shot of them.




Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth 5. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Then add in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Cool completely in pan.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Matt's favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin cookies, he gets them anywhere he sees them. I have never tired to make them but since he asked and we are newlyweds I figured I would try it out. Much to my surprise these are awesome they are thick and chewy and stayed nice for the few days they managed to stay around. Now the secret to get a chewy cookie is to chill the dough before you bake them, you can put them on the cookie sheet or I just threw the bowel I mixed them in right in the fridge while I cleaned up some. It only takes a few minutes to really make a difference.

Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
yields: 1-2 dozen cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)(I left out since Matt isn't a fan or nuts)


1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.
4. Chill the dough
5. Scoop them onto the cookie sheet, with 1 or 2 inches between them.
6. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.