Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

No one ever called me a baker. Really, its not my thing. But lately - mostly ever since I saw these cookies on this sweet cooking blog - Everybody Likes Sandwiches - I have been having the urge to bake. I had big plans for baking, and I am sure I will still make some of the yummy cakes and pies and cookies I have been dreaming about. But now I remember why I don't really bake - cause I ain't so good at it and it makes a massively huge mess. Well, throw in the fact that I don't know what any of the ingredients are called here, and can't seem to find most of them, and you have these cookies.

Don't get me wrong, taste wise, these were everything I ever dreamed of. But they don't look pretty. Also, chocolate chips are nowhere to be found in Berlin so I got some yummy looking baking chocolate and cut it up. I had little chunks and big chunks and flakes - and so these ended up being more chocolate-swirly-chunky with a bit of pumpkin and oatmeal. The chocolate was really creamy and milky and rich, and I never thought I would say this, but it may have been too much chocolate. Shocking, I know.

Don't worry, I am making these again. Oh yes, I will conquer. And in the meantime, like I said, they still taste absolutely deliciously wonderful.


2 c flour
1 c quick or old-fashioned oats
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla (I used something called vanilla sugar cause I could not find vanilla extract here. It has to exist somewhere though...)
1 c cooked and pureed pumpkin
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used probably almost 2 cups of milk chocolate chunks)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Set aside.
3. Cream butter. Gradually add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. (Can I just say right here that when you don't have a nifty stand mixer this part SUCKS)(I would like a Kitchen aid mixer for christmas. That is all.)
4. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving room for cookies to spread (and BOY do they spread). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops of cookies are dry and spring back when touched lightly. Remove from baking sheet and cool on racks.