This month's notes: September 2016: Blueberries have a very brief season usually just 3 or 4 weeks (June in the South, July in the North and August in the far north). Similarly for peaches (July South or August in the North); so, don't miss them: See your state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. And see our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals, such as tomato, corn, peach or blueberry festivals. Organic farms are identified in green!  Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Have fun, eat healthier and better tasting, and save money by picking your own locally grown fruit and vegetables, and then using our easy canning and freezing directions

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Cookies!

Pumpkin cookies are a great change from chocolate chips and other cookies, as they are much more nutritious, as well as tasty! The taste is reminiscent of pumpkin pie and they're great warm from the oven or warmed later in the microwave!  They have a light, soft, almost bread-like texture! and of course, you can add orange food coloring to the icing and use frosting to make jack-o-lantern faces or other designs on them, too! Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas and holiday parties.

Click here for a PDF print version

Directions for Making Pumpkin cookies

Ingredients and Equipment

Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 375 F  (190 C).
2. Lightly grease two cookies sheets (whatever size you have) with vegetable shortening (like Crisco.  If you are the UK, there is something called Trex vegetable fat in the refrigerated section of the supermarket near the butter. I'm told it a good substitute for Crisco. )
   
   Prepare the icing:
3. Carefully, lightly brown the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Be careful not to burn it. If you have trouble getting it to brown, down worry about it, it is mostly to add the color!
    
4. Remove the browned butter from heat.
   
   
   
    
5. Blend in the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract. It will start off think and lumpy, until you add the milk in the next step.
   
   
    
6. Mix in just enough milk to make the mixture smooth and spreadable.  It probably will only take a small amount, like 1/8 to 1/4 cup.
    
7. Set aside
   
    
8. Prepare the Cookie dough
   
   In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar together until light and smooth.
   
   
   
   
    
9. Mix in the eggs, pumpkin and vanilla extract.
   
   
   
   
    
10. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices (cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg).
    
    
    
     
11. Combine the two bowls (just pour the smaller bowl into the larger) and
     
12. Stir until blended.
    
     
13. Stir in the chopped nuts (optional).
14. Use a ordinary spoon (table, soup) or small ice cream scoop to drop the cookie dough onto the greased cookie sheet (you can also use the silicon cookie sheet cloths on a regular cookies sheet, the cookies will come off more easily).
15. Bake pumpkin cookies in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
     
16. Cool the cookies on racks and while they are still warm (but not hot)
     
17. Spread the butter icing on them!

They're great warm, or later when cool!
 

Complete Water Bath Canner Kit This is the same type of  standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, six pint jars with lids and rings, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. You'll never need anything else except more jars and lids! Price: $49.99  Average Customer Review: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Deluxe Food Strainer & Sauce Maker D220-DLXRetail: $89.95Our price: $69.00 Availability: Usually ships the next business day. Click here for more information, other strainers and supplies or to order! With the Deluxe Food Strainer/Sauce Maker, you can make creamy apple sauce and smooth tomato sauce without having to peel and core! This muli-use strainer forces food through a stainless steel screen, automatically separating the juice and pulp from the seeds, shins, and stems. Perfect for purees, creamed soups, baby foods, pie filling, juices, jams, and more. Save time, effort, and money by preparing your own tasty sauces to be used immediately or boiled for future use. Do bushels with ease and in a fraction of the time. Includes the tomato/apple sceen with easy twist on design and instruction/recipe booklet. The Deluxe model comes with the standard Tomato/Apple Screen; as well as the Berry Screen, Pumpkin Screen, and Grape Spiral. Note

Can't find the equipment?  We ship to all 50 states! Just email us!

This page was updated on 15-Apr-2016