These pumpkin cookies stand out with their interesting flavor, vibrant color, and crispy bits of brittle on top. Their light sweetness and pleasant caramel-y bitterness make them one of the best cookies to make any time of year! Who wouldn't love to treat themselves to a few cookies with their hot tea?
Even though Christmas cookies are mainly associated with nuts or coconut, this pumpkin seed alternative is right on their heels! Pumpkin seeds have a rather distinct flavor that surprisingly goes very well with Christmas flavors. I couldn't resist and added lemon zest and cinnamon to the "regular" pumpkin shortcrust pastry!
Why bake cookies with spelt flour?
You can clearly see in the recipes here on the blog that I love to use spelt flour for the simple reason, BECAUSE I LOVE THE TASTE! In this case, I'm using pure white spelt flour, but feel free to swap it out for white wheat flour. White flour is almost devoid of the nutritionally valuable parts of the grain (the hull, the germ) and so these flours are almost identical.
The bigger difference may be the absorption of spelt flour, which is less than that of wheat flour (it contains a little more fat and protein). Therefore, if you substitute SPELT flour for wheat flour, add a little more butter or syrup to keep the dough from being too crumbly.
...As for Christmas cookies, we have it split in my family. My mom bakes the traditional kinds, while I can explore new combinations and new flavors of Christmas cookies! Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, I have a back up in my mom!
But in the few years that we've had this nice little split, I've managed to discover a few favorites! In my last post, I shared with you the fragrant and delicate star anise cookies, which are also naturally gluten-free, and an absolute hit of last Christmas - Healthy peanut butter and chocolate cookies . What all my Christmas cookies recipes have in common is that I add different syrups to them, mainly because they moisten the dough. Plus, the syrup incorporates easily into the dough and adds an interesting and unique flavor! And so in this recipe for pumpkin cookies, I add maple syrup instead of some of the sugar!
Are pumpkin seeds healthy?
Pumpkin seeds are considered a very healthy food! However, they contain the most valuable substances when raw - that is, not roasted. When eaten regularly, they are claimed to have a positive effect on the prevention of certain diseases (atherosclerosis, certain types of cancer). Pumpkin seeds are also an important source of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and a large variety of antioxidants.
What's a brittle?
Brittle is a confection made of nuts and caramel. The preparation is quite simple. First, the nuts are toasted (hazelnuts, peanuts or almonds are classic versions). In our case, we use pumpkin seeds, which are mixed with caramel and the mass is left to harden. They are then either chopped into pieces and used for decorating or ground into a praline paste that can be used to flavor various creams and desserts. Brittle has an addictive bittersweet taste and is always good to have in stock. It lasts quite a long time in the box in the pantry and can decorate any dessert to perfection in no time!
How to bake pumpkin cookies with chocolate and brittle?
First, we need to make cookies, ideally the day before baking to allow it to set overnight. For the dough, we need to prepare the seeds first. Put the pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend them finely.
Sift the spelt flour, salt, baking powder, powdered sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the blended seeds and mix with a whisk.
Add the lemon zest, maple syrup, egg yolk and butter chunks to the flour mixture and begin to work into a dough with a knife or spoon. When the dough resembles a crumb, work it with your hands. If the dough is too thick, add a little more softened butter, egg yolk or just a little maple syrup.
Wrap the dough in cling film or a bag and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but ideally overnight.
If you have chilled the dough overnight, it is a good idea to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before rolling it out so that it can soften up a bit.
Roll out the chilled dough into about 3 mm thick, cut out rounds (I use a diameter of 4 cm) or other shapes and place on a baking sheet with baking paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for approximately 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
After baking, let the cookies cool completely and make the pumpkin brittle. Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan until they start to smell intensely. Then add the sugar and let it melt, stirring occasionally, to make caramel. Transfer the pumpkin seeds and caramel mixture to a baking sheet lined with a piece of baking paper and let cool. I always let the brittle cool on the baking paper because it peels off well when it cools. Once completely cooled, cut the brittle into small pieces or blend coarsely in a blender.
Finally, prepare the chocolate topping . In a water bath, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil. My favorite way is to not stir the chocolate at all and when about 3/4 of the chocolate is melted, I take the bowl out of the water bath and stir with a whisk. This cools the chocolate topping down a bit and makes it easier to work with. I put coconut oil in the chocolate because it thins it but also solidifies at room temperature. If you have cocoa butter, you can use that instead of coconut oil.
Immediately after decorating the cookies with chocolate, sprinkle on them a few pieces of the pumpkin brittle and leave to set.
How to store pumpkin cookies with chocolate and brittle?
Once the chocolate has set, place the pumpkin cookies in an airtight box and store in a cool place. They will soften up nicely in a few days. This should keep the cookies good for up to two weeks. You can also freeze the cookies without the chocolate and brittle for about 2 months.
TIPS:
- coconut syrup or dark agave syrup can be used instead of maple syrup
- if you don't like baking with pumpkin seeds, try adding different types of nuts or seeds in equal quantities - my favorites are walnuts and almonds
- the cookies can also be made into a delicious linzer cookies, just spread the cookies with redcurrant marmalade and lightly dust them with icing sugar on top
Recipe
Recipe for 60 pcs
Pumpkin seed cookies with chocolate and brittle
Ingredients:
for cookies:
- 100 g pumpkin seeds
- 230 g spelt flour
- 0,5 tsp cinnamon
- 50 g powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 80 g butter, cut in small cubes
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
for garnish:
- 50 g hořké čokolády
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions:
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend them finely.
- Sift the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the blended seeds and mix with a whisk.
- Add the lemon zest, maple syrup, egg yolk and butter chunks to the flour mixture and work into a dough. Start with a knife or spoon and when the dough resembles a crumb, work it with your hands.
- Wrap the dough in cling film or a bag and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but ideally overnight.
- Roll out the chilled dough into a sheet about 3 mm thick, cut out rounds or other shapes and place on a baking sheet with baking paper. I use a 4 cm diameter cookie cutter.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for approximately 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
- After baking, let the cookies cool completely and make the pumpkin brittle.
- Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan until they begin to smell intensely. Then add the sugar.
- Let the sugar melt, stirring occasionally, to make caramel.
- Transfer the pumpkin seeds caramel mixture to a baking tray lined with a piece of baking paper and leave to cool.
- Once completely cooled, cut the brittle into small pieces or roughly grind in a food processor.
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a water bath and decorate the cookies.
- Immediately sprinkle the cookies with a few pieces of brittle and leave to set.
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