Thursday, September 29, 2011

Devil’s Food Cake Mix Cookies and Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies (Low Fat)—12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies AND Cookie Carnival

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies

You might not be ready to hear this, heck, I’m not ready either, but today begins the Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies!  Bahhh!  Ready or not, this group is here to help you.  Every Thursday from now until December 15, we’ll share with you another holiday goodie you can make and share with your friends and family during the season—just to make your life that much easier.  Wish we could be there to actually do the baking for you! ;)  This first post just happens to coincide with my post for Cookie Carnival as well.

This year, the group for Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies is being lead by Brenda from Meal Planning Magic.  Thanks, Brenda!

For Cookie Carnival this month, we were challenged to make any cookie we wanted that uses a boxed cake mix.  I have had cookies before that just have a cake mix and pumpkin puree and have been aching to break open a can or two of pumpkin puree now that it’s officially fall.   A friend told me that you just use one boxed cake mix and 15 ounces of canned pumpkin, and bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Most often, these cookies are made with spice cake mix---so I did that.

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For the Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies, I added some chocolate chips and toasted chopped walnuts.  These cookies are good.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies (Low Fat), by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1 box spice cake mix

15 ounces canned pumpkin puree

1 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Put the pumpkin in the bowl of an electric mixer, add half the dry cake mix and let it beat on low speed.  When it starts to combine together, continue adding the rest of the mix and beat until all is combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Scoop onto baking sheets with a cookie scoop or spoon.  Sprinkle each cookie with turbinado sugar.   Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies 9-28-11

Since I’d opened a large can (29 oz.) of pumpkin, I decided the only thing to do was use it up making more cookies with another cake mix.  You’re probably wondering how a 29 oz. can of pumpkin can yield two 15 ounce portions for each of these recipes.  Me, too.  All I know is that I weighed them on my kitchen scale both times as I was making the cookies and it was 15 ounces each time.  Go figure.

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I can’t ever seem to just leave well enough alone when it comes to chocolate, so the other cookies I chose to make had a devil’s food cake mix, and more added chocolate chips.  And darn it all, THESE are good cookies.  While I just don’t use boxed cake mixes, I like that these cookies are pretty low in fat, instead of adding lots of oil and eggs, it’s just pumpkin, which is quite healthy with the added benefit of fiber.  I sprinkled these with some fall colored sprinkles, but these would definitely be perfect with Christmas colors, or for any occasion you’d like.

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Devil’s Food Cake Mix Cookies, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1 box devil’s food cake mix

15 ounces canned pumpkin puree

1  1/2 cups (9 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips

Colorful Sprinkles for decorating

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put the pumpkin puree in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Add about half the dry cake mix and start beating together on low until it begins to combine.  Add the rest of the cake mix and beat until all combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl as well.  Scoop on to baking sheets with cookie scoop or spoon.   Lightly flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with decorations.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  

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Yes, both these cookies are soft and cakey.  I couldn’t help but think about another certain cakey cookie—whoopie pies.  So while I took most of these cookies to a church activity, I had to give the whoopie pies a fair try.  I melted some marshmallow in the microwave and spooned up a couple scoops of it to fill the whoopie pies.

Devil's Food Cake Mix Whoopie Pies 9-28-11

Guess which cookie I liked better—devil’s food or pumpkin spice?   Hmmm.

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Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Whoopie Pies 9-28-11 Any other cake mix flavors you think would be good with the pumpkin puree?  Gingerbread would be.  Probably not strawberry. ;)  You’ll want to try these!  And check out all the other bakers for this first installment of Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies AND Cookie Carnival.  Thanks!  Get your holiday baking on!

Cookie Carnival

 

12 weeks of christmas graphic



14 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right! I'm so not ready for the 12 weeks b/4 Christmas!!!! I especially like the way these look filled.

Barbara Bakes said...

Adding the marshmallow filling to these cookies is a fabulous idea. They all look deliious.

Lisa Ernst said...

As I was eying your chocolate pumpkin cookies, the first thought that came to my mind was, "I'd have to add chocolate chips to these." Of course, then I discovered that you did! Why would I even doubt that?

Angie - Big Bears Wife said...

I love that you turned those into cookie sandwiches!!!

Suzanne said...

You're gonna get me to baking yet!

Mari Nuñez said...

Delicious cookies .... Love the Idea!! Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

I did a Cookie Carnival Cake Mix for the 12 Weeks of Christmas today too! The idea of pumpkin/cake mix cookies may actually be from Weight Watcher's... at least that's what I heard from my college roommate's mom who made them for us. She used to do the pumpkin with chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips too!! Tasty!

Unknown said...

Christmas is arriving!!

Those cookies look delicious, especially with the marshmallow filling :)

Anonymous said...

I have to say no to Christmas in September, but the cookies look great! I've made cake mix cookies from a Cake Mix Doctor recipe and they are good. Adding pumpkin sounds really good!

Marilyn said...

oh yes--Yummy!! These look amazing..Great photo's as well.. love it.. I would LOVE for you to link it up to my fall crawl blog party.. I'm officially following ya with smiles - I found ya on linky..GREAT blog with Lots of inspirations here :)) - the link to link up is http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com/2011/09/fall-crawl-day-12-blog-party.html

Tracy said...

Love the cookies! I'm glad to be baking along with you again this year! :-)

Vivian Thiele said...

What a great use of pumpkin!

Unknown said...

Love that you used pumpkin-makes them less sinful! :)

Holiday Baker Man said...

Starting Christmas Baking preparation now!