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Chewy, thin pumpkin cookies?


cindym

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I made a batch of pumpkin/chocolate chip/oatmeal cookies the other night. They were fine, but the result was an extremely puffy, cakey cookie. It struck me that EVERY pumpkin cookie I've made has always turned out this way, no matter which recipe I use.

Does anyone know whether there something about pumpkin that produces a "cakey" result in cookies? Is it possible to produce a thin, chewy, elegant pumpkin cookie?

By the way, I use canned pumpkin - and this is the recipe I used last time:

http://www.poco-cocoa.com/?postid=188

They were good - just a very cakey result.

www.foodmigration.com

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I can't help you there, but if pumpkiny cookies are something you wish, Martha Stewart has a terrific recipe for pumpkin cookies with browned butter icing that are irresistable. I got it from her Christmas cookie magazine this year, but I think it's repeated in the baking book.

Surely she dreamed of these while she was in jail . . .

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.

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I can't help you there, but if pumpkiny cookies are something you wish, Martha Stewart has a terrific recipe for pumpkin cookies with browned butter icing that are irresistable. I got it from her Christmas cookie magazine this year, but I think it's repeated in the baking book.

So are they chewy and thin, or cakey? You wouldn't be able to share the recipe would you?

I too, would love a chewy thin pumpkin cookie. Similar to a Gingersnap, but pumpkiny. Every

recipe I have also, is for thick, puffy and cakey. Don't like!!!!

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I can't help you there, but if pumpkiny cookies are something you wish, Martha Stewart has a terrific recipe for pumpkin cookies with browned butter icing that are irresistable. I got it from her Christmas cookie magazine this year, but I think it's repeated in the baking book.

So are they chewy and thin, or cakey? You wouldn't be able to share the recipe would you?

I too, would love a chewy thin pumpkin cookie. Similar to a Gingersnap, but pumpkiny. Every

recipe I have also, is for thick, puffy and cakey. Don't like!!!!

Chefpeon - Yes, exactly! I would like a more delicate result - less poof, more chew.

The Martha recipe definitely sounds intriguing...

Chiantiglace - I'll give it a shot and let you know. Do you think the state of the butter (fully melted versus creamed from room temp) could affect the texture as well?

www.foodmigration.com

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As Anthony said, if you increase the sugar/decrease the flour/egg, you'll increase the chewiness.

Pumpkin's fibrous nature always seems to produce somewhat puffy cookies. If you find it getting impalatably sweet without achieving the chewiness you're aiming for, you might want to track down a less sweet form of sugar like regular corn syrup (not karo) or glucose syrup. Both are superb at creating chewy baked goods (great in chewy brownies, btw).

It's tricky, you might get the right consistency by backing off the pumpkin a bit, but at the same time, you may not have the intensity of pumpkin flavor that you're looking for.

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the closer to room temperature the dough is, the farther/thinner they will spread.

Increase in fat will help it spread, but unfortunately an increase in fat will give you a crispier cookie.

Dean Anthony Anderson

"If all you have to eat is an egg, you had better know how to cook it properly" ~ Herve This

Pastry Chef: One If By Land Two If By Sea

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As Anthony said, if you increase the sugar/decrease the flour/egg, you'll increase the chewiness.

Pumpkin's fibrous nature always seems to produce somewhat puffy cookies. If you find it getting impalatably sweet without achieving the chewiness you're aiming for, you might want to track down a less sweet form of sugar like regular corn syrup (not karo) or glucose syrup. Both are superb at creating chewy baked goods (great in chewy brownies, btw).

It's tricky, you might get the right consistency by backing off the pumpkin a bit, but at the same time, you may not have the intensity of pumpkin flavor that you're looking for.

I think it may be due to the high water content in canned pumpkin. If you add significant amounts of water to any short dough it will become cakey. Try dehydrating the pumpkin puree before adding.

He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise. --- Henry David Thoreau
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  • 5 weeks later...

Update!

I tried the recipe again (http://www.poco-cocoa.com/?postid=188) and made these alterations:

-I cooked down the pumpkin for approx 25 mins on medium heat until it was noticeably thicker and more concentrated

-Used room temp. butter

-Increased brown sugar to 1.25 cups

-Decreased flour to 1 3/4 cups

The result was definitely less cakey. Still not close to what I would call thin or particularly chewy, but I think we're getting closer. I'll keep experimenting and updating with the results.

Another thing I've noticed is that these cookies do not store well - they get limp and sticky after about 15 hours. That may be in part due to the high humidity in our area (right near the ocean in SF) but I suspect the pumpkin is playing a role as well.

Thanks for the suggestions.

www.foodmigration.com

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