Fall is here, and what better way to celebrate the season than by baking some mouthwatering pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with your students? These cookies are the epitome of fall comfort food, blending the warm spices of pumpkin pie with the rich sweetness of chocolate chips. A perfect blend of flavors for the season! Take an opportunity while preparing these scrumptious cookies to emphasize the importance of safe food preparation practices while you’re at it!

Baking Food Safety

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential in preventing foodborne illness. You can’t see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. While baking these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, you’ll have an opportunity to educate your students about food safety. Here are some key points to discuss:

–Handwashing: Reinforce the importance of thorough handwashing before and after handling food.

–Sanitizing Surfaces: Explain the need to clean and sanitize cooking surfaces and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.

–Proper Baking Temperatures: Emphasize the significance of baking at the correct temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

–Safe Ingredient Handling: Discuss how to handle ingredients safely, such as not using expired products and avoiding cracked eggs.

–Hand Hygiene While Cooking: Remind your students to avoid touching their face or hair while cooking and to use clean utensils.

By following proper sanitation practices and emphasizing the importance of clean hands, you can ensure that your baking experience is not only fun but also safe. For more baking food safety resources, visit HomeBaking.org and continue your journey toward becoming a baking safety pro. Happy baking!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoons hot water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together baking soda and HOT water. Pour into butter/pumpkin mixture and beat to combine. Add flour, salt, and spices mixing until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop 1” balls onto lined cookie sheet 2” apart from one another. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
6. Don’t eat raw dough or batter.
7. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing with a spatula and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Store cookies in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.