Thanksgiving: Marshmallow Pumpkin Puffs

These cookies fluff up almost like muffin tops. The sweet icing drizzle is made simply from marshmallows and butter, making these puffs a quick and simple dessert or treat.


Ingredients


½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups marshmallows
2 tbsp butter (do not use margarine)


Directions


Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl cream together the butter and the brown sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add oil, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Blend well. Add all other ingredients except the marshmallows and remaining butter to the bowl and mix until you have a dough that is sticky and soft.


Drop by tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet, keeping cookies at least 2 inches apart to keep them from baking together. Bake until they are springy to the touch, about 15 minutes. They should resemble muffin tops. Remove cookies from cookie sheet immediately and cool on wire racks.


Melt marshmallows and butter in a small bowl in the microwave (or in a saucepan) and mix well until you have a workable drizzle. Do not overheat marshmallows. You want them melted, but only just. Using a spoon, drizzle or plop the marshmallow icing over the cooled cookies. Let cookies rest until icing is set.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. They'll keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container in a single layer.

Thanksgiving: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin is a traditional Thanksgiving food, especially pumpkin pie. But there are many other way to use pumpkin. Try these soft and delicious cookies as an alternative or addition to pie. The pumpkin in the recipe gives the cookies a soft and velvety texture. They're not too sweet and they're loaded with flavor.


Ingredients


½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1¼ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips


Directions


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl cream together sugars and butter. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Blend well. Add all other ingredients except chocolate chips and mix until you have  a soft cookie dough. Fold in chocolate chips.


Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Make sure the cookies are about 2 inches apart because they will spread as they bake. Bake until cookies are puffy and golden brown, about 12 minutes.


Remove cookies from tray immediately and cool on wire racks. Cookies will keep for up to a week if you store them in an airtight container.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Thanksgiving: Candy Apple Slices

Candy apples are typically for Halloween, but a smaller version can work for Thanksgiving too. These slices on a stick are a quick treat that will be loved by children and adults alike. The chocolate does take a while to set, so be prepared to let them sit overnight.


You can use any apples you like. I like granny smith, but use something sweeter if you don't like the tartness of the granny smith apple.


Ingredients


1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter
2 large apples
caramel sundae topping
crushed pretzels
M&Ms


Preparation


For this recipe, you'll either need a double boiler or a chocolate melter to melt your chocolate. If you don't have either of these, you can create your own double boiler at home. Bring a saucepan of water to simmer. Set a glass bowl over the saucepan, but make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. This is your double boiler.


Melt the chocolate and the butter together in the boiler or melter. Stir until smooth. While you're waiting for the chocolate to melt, slice the apples. Your goal is to remove the core and cut the apple into wedges. You can do this with a knife, but I prefer an apple slicer. It slices and removes the core all at once. But as long as the apples end up in wedges, that's all that matters.


Press a wooden skewer into the apple slices. Line a large tray with wax paper and set near the double boiler. Drizzle the apples with caramel sauce; the chocolate will stick to the apples better this way. Dip the apple slices into the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to fully cover the apple if you can't fully submerge it in the chocolate. Place the apple slices on the wax paper.


Sprinkle apple slices with crushed pretzels and M&Ms. You can add other toppings, if you like. Try sprinkles or even a drizzle of white chocolate for a little variety.


Place apple slices in the refrigerator to set. Ideally, you'll let them sit overnight, but you can serve them as soon as the chocolate is fully set. This will take about 2 hours in the refrigerator.


Store finished slices in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They'll likely not last that long, especially if you have kids around.