Goof Proof Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mmmm......

We had a recipe swap the other day for an enrichment activity and I thought why not share the recipe with my other friends that aren't in Chicago.


Now this is a recipe pasted down generations from a wise baker who spent years perfecting the perfect Pumpkin Chocolate cookie recipe. No not really! This recipe originates from the many visits to the Smith's bakery in West Jordan, Utah. Every fall my family would make frequent trips to the Smith's bakery for their seasonal pumpkin chocolate cookies. It never seemed like fall was here until we had those pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. It was not until we moved from Utah to Wisconsin that we began to venture into the idea of making our own pumpkin cookies. We looked in vain in Wisconsin for pumpkin cookies but we never were successful in finding the cookies that made it officially autumn.  On one fall visit back to Utah my father mentioned to one of the bakers at Smith's how much we loved the pumpkin cookies and they gave us the recipe. 

The amazing thing is that the recipe is so simple that I can give it to you in picture....

Got it?! ok done.

Just kidding. But it really is that simple. All you need is a spice cake mix, a can (about 15 oz) of pumpkin, an egg and chocolate chips-about 3/4 of a 12 oz bag(I like it best with semi sweet but different strokes for different folks). Set the oven to 350 and bake for about 12-15 min or how ever long it take for the middle of the cookie to spring back after you touch it gently in the middle. The size of the cookie will dictate how long it needs to stay in the oven. But I have found if the cookies are about the size of a golf ball it takes about 15 min. 

For most church functions I make a double batch, mostly because Chaz usually eats a half of a batch  before the cookies make it to church. Which is fine because there are usually none at the end of the potluck. 

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Some experimentation I have done with this recipe includes:

• Using a chocolate cake mix instead of spice cake. You don't get a very pumpkiny (yeah its a word) cookie but its still a great cookie in my book
• Added another egg= gives the cookies a lighter cake like consistency but I still like the dense cookies you get with one egg. The consistency is closer to what you get when you buy the Smith's bakery cookies

Some experimentation I would like to do with this recipe:

• Nix the chocolate chips, make the cookies a little smaller and use cream cheese frosting to make pumpkin whoopie pies. If you don't know what whoopie pies are you haven't lived.
• Making the cookies in June. Chaz is convinced that the cookies would be great any day of the year. I just think it would be so weird eating them in the summer. You don't eat pumpkin pie on the 4th of July do you? It just doesn't seem right like a Kardashian on Jeopardy. But prove me wrong.

Baby Shower!

So incase any of you didn't know, I have the most amazing creative sisters ever. While planing the shower we had talked about a couple of ideas that I thought would be fun and they took those ideas and ran. First off, I am not a huge fan of baby shower entertainment, you know the ones, guess the celebrity by the baby picture or eating chocolate ice cream and candy bars from diapers....mmm no thanks. One of the ideas that I had that I thought would be fun is to decorate onesies. We did didn't have the budget for that so my sisters had people sign and leave messages on one set of onesies that will be framed and put in the nursery. So cute.


My sisters even managed to have the shower catered by our favorite Madison mexican restaurant, Pasquales. It was a taco bar that was pretty much like eating at the restaurant, needless to say we had no left overs.


Instead of a cake my sisters arranged for cupcakes, adorable! They got them from Gigi's cupcakes and yes that is at least one inches of frosting. mmmm.....

The biggest surprise were the party favors. All the guests got a baby measuring tape and these...

yes thats Chaz and I on M&M. How cool it that! The others say "its a boy" and "Milo Charles" But come on how awesome it this? 

For entertainment there was only one game and it was more of a challenge for Chaz and I. The game was based on the Newlywed game but we were asked baby questions. It was the perfect opportunity for Chaz to ham it up. The best question that got the best Chazien answer was, "At what age will Chaz teach baby Milo how to tie a tie?" I said...

Eight years

Chaz said....

Ten for regular, fourteen for bow

Aww Chaz, ya cheese ball. 


Next was opening presents which was so great. Thank you to everyone for all the great gifts that we got we are so greatful for your generosity. We love you guys.

It was such a great baby shower and I am just amazed that my sisters did this for me. They are so fantastic and I don't think I could ever thank them enough. They are just so wonderful and I am so thankful that I am a part of a family with the most amazing women for sisters. Milo will have the best aunties ever!






P.s. Thanks to Kata, Victoria and Kristina for all the pictures, this post would not be without you.