Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It’s finally getting colder in Hong Kong, and it’s almost Halloween! These super moist pumpkin muffins make the perfect fall season snack. They taste like pumpkin pie spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the chocolate chips add extra sweetness. Instead of using traditional muffin tins, I used a silicone tray to bake bite-size muffin squares. They puffed up during the bake and ended up looking like tiny loaves of bread. Adorable!

Mini pumpkin loaves!

 

Use leftover batter to make regular sized muffins.

 

Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.



Add chocolate chips for sweetness and extra richness.

 

 

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 14 muffins, or 28 mini muffins

Ingredients

1 and 3/4 (220g) cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (80ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C.
2. In a large bowl, toss the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar with the eggs until combined. Add the pumpkin, oil, milk and vanilla until combined.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry one. Using a spatula, stir until just combined (until you don't see anymore white flour bits). Do not overmix.
5. Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips into the batter, if using.
6. Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin tin.
7. Bake for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Soft Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've never been a big fan of just peanut butter cookies. They seem so one-dimensional, just mouthfuls of peanut butter in cookie form. Might as well just have PB straight from the jar. However, the cookies are elevated to a different level when you add in chocolate chips. It transforms the cookie: it first tastes like an extra buttery chocolate chip cookie, and then you are left with a lingering nutty aftertaste of peanut butter. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies stick to the roof of your mouth, like when you eat peanut butter by the spoonful. The semi-sweet chocolate chips add a little bit (but not overpowering) of sweetness, which cuts through the richness of the peanut butter. I couldn't wait for them to cool before munching on one so I kind of burnt the roof of my mouth a bit. Always have a glass of cold milk handy!

Cream the butter and sugars together in a big bowl until fluffy. I recommend using an electric mixer, but you can do it by hand. 

Beat in the peanut butter, egg and vanilla. 

Time to work those arm muscles if you aren't using an electric mixer. I felt like I was churning butter thanks to the thick peanut butter!

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate small bowl. 

Mix the flour mixture with the peanut butter mixture and add lots of chocolate chips. Chill the dough for at least an hour.

Roll the chilled dough into small balls of similar size. Place them 2 inches apart from each other on a non-stick cookie sheet/baking tray. Alternatively, line your sheet with parchment paper.

Flatten them with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the cookies have set. The middle will seem underdone, but that's okay because the cookies will continue to cook on the metal sheet after you remove them from the oven.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cook completely.

Enjoy these babies with a glass of cold milk!

Soft Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 24 small cookies

Ingredients

½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ cups flour
Pinch of salt
1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
2. Add the peanut butter, egg and vanilla and beat until well-combined.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 175 C / 350 F. Line a cookie sheet or baking tray with parchment paper if not using non-stick.
6. Roll the chilled dough into small balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand onto the sheet. Keep the balls at least 2 inches apart. 
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the cookies have set. The middle will appear underdone. 
8. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cook completely.

Recipe adapted from here