Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies...

Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin soup, risotto with pumpkin and sage. You could say we are in full Pumpkin mode over here.

The only thing more fun than carving a pumpkin is getting to blow it up.

Here are a few quick recipes for Halloween weekend.  


Our day began with pumpkin pancakes and sliced Asian pears. There was no time to fry bacon or sausage, since my little skeleton's mask needed stitches,  but that would be so good alongside the pancakes. 

This recipe is a great way to utilize some extra pumpkin puree you may have stashed in your refrigerator.  

If there are pancakes leftover, just freeze them for popping in the toaster later as an after school snack, smeared with apple butter. 

Pumpkin pancakes with pears.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, formerly known as Great Pumpkin Cookies,  are possibly the very first cookies I ever made, at the age of 8 from my "Peanuts Cookbook", circa 1969.  They are still on my top ten list of all-time favorite cookies, and the most requested cookie recipe I have.  In fact, a doctor I worked with 15 years ago recently tracked me down to get my pumpkin cookie recipe!

Pumpkin Pancakes

This recipe has been in my files for many years.  It appears to have been clipped from a vintage Martha Stewart Living magazine.

If it is just too much trouble to measure out all these spices early in the morning, simplify your life and substitute 1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice instead.  My breakfast shift starts at 6:00 am, so if I know I'll be making these pancakes, I measure the dry ingredients the night before. 

You will need 2 mixing bowls.  Melt the butter first, so it can cool while you prepare the rest of the batter.  


If you must, sprinkle the pancakes with mini chocolate chips.

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Spices:  1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves.  OR  substitute 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice.
• 1 egg
• 6 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1.  Melt the butter on low power in the microwave and set aside to cool.
   
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt with the spices.
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg, pumpkin, butter, and milk.
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients.
5. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add a pat of butter until it sizzles.
6. Using a 1/4 cup scoop, drop the pancake batter onto the skillet.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips if you must.  Fry until toasty brown on each side.
7. Serve with maple syrup, sliced apples or pears, sausage or bacon.  A dusting of confectioner's sugar is always a nice touch. 

Don't be tempted to make the pancakes too big; they may not cook all the way through. The two on top are just the right size.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield:  5 dozen cookies.  The dough keeps well in the refrigerator for about one week, or in the freezer for up to three months.  Baked cookies freeze well, too.


This recipe and many others, such as Red Baron Root Beer, can be found in the "Peanuts Cookbook".

• 2 1/4 cups flour (if you are below 5000 ft., reduce by 1/4 cup)
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 1 scant cup granulated sugar (one cup and a little less)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup mini or regular semisweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
2. Using a standing mixer, or by hand, cream the butter with the sugar.
3. Add the egg and the pumpkin puree and mix well.
4. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.
5. Add the chocolate chips.
6. If you have time, chill the dough for about 1 hour.  
7. Scoop up a teaspoon of dough, and roll it into a ball.  Place on lined or greased cookie sheets.  OR, if you did not have time to chill the dough, just drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-12 minutes.  Watch carefully after 8 minutes.  Cookies are done when they are lightly browned on the bottom, and no longer soft on top.

Chilled, rolled dough makes a better looking cookie.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Happy Halloween!

Dear Great Pumpkin.  I am looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night.  I hope you will bring me lots of presents. Everyone tells me you are a fake, but I believe in you.  P.S.  If you are a fake, please don't tell me. I don't want to know.   Love Linus                         Charles M. Schulz