Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Halloween!  Halloween is my husband’s favorite holiday.  He even dresses up in full makeup and costume to hand out candy to the neighborhood kids.  He LOVES it (I think because he’s a big kid himself) and I love him for it.  As our collection of Halloween decor grows each year, so does my love for this fun holiday as well.  And now that Em is getting to the age where she actually understands the idea of costumes and trick-or-treating, it is that much more fun.

With Halloween, though, comes treats, treats and more treats.  It’s not always possible to read the labels on treats Em will receive while trick-or-treating, so I like to have some allergy-friendly treats at home that I know she’ll love and are safe for her to eat.

These super soft egg-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have been stocked regularly in our house lately. I changed up the original recipe from Baked by Rachel by upping the spice factor a bit and using mini chocolate chips.

The minis in these cookies are a must! They disperse much more evenly throughout the cookie so that each bite is equal parts spicy pumpkin flavor and gooey rich chocolate. Plus, anything mini is just cute.

If you’re in the pumpkin-in-everything-until-Christmas camp, these cookies are for you.

Little Hands Can…

• Measure out both wet and dry ingredients
• Older kids can operate the mixer
• Stir in the chocolate chips
• Scoop the cookie dough onto baking sheets
• Gently press down on the dough balls before baking

Recipe adapted from Baked by Rachel

On the Side

Besides being delicious, I love these cookies in particular because of their egg-free ways.  During these holiday times when treats abound, it’s nice to have an allergy-friendly treat ready to go.  We’re always checking labels and unfortunately often saying, “I’m sorry sweetie, you can’t have that, it has egg in it.”  She understands as much as a 2-year-old can and with each situation, she understands a bit more about why she can’t eat certain things.  I know things could certainly be worse and when it comes to food allergies, Em’s is pretty mild, but for a 2-year-old, it’s a big deal and my heart breaks a little each time we have to say no.

That’s why we’re supporting the “Teal Pumpkin Project” this year, and for many years to come, so that ALL children can enjoy holidays like Halloween.  The “Teal Pumpkin Project” is an initiative by FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) to raise awareness about food allergies and promote practices that allow ALL trick-or-treaters to have a fun and safe Halloween.

• Did you know that approximately 1 in 13 children has a food allergy?  On average, that’s two students per classroom, so chances are there are kids with food allergies in your child’s class and in your neighborhood.
• Did you know that eight foods account for nearly 90% of all allergic reactions?  The top eight are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish.
• Did you know that the rate of food allergies among children increased 50% between 1997 and 2011 and continues to rise?  There is no clear answer why.

(Statistics from FARE)

We painted our pumpkin this past weekend and will display it in front of our home this Saturday night as an indication that we have both “treats” (food) and “tricks” (non-food) for trick-or-treaters that come ’round.  Shout out to Target for their great stash of super-fun, non-food items for such an occasion!

How can you participate?  There are many ways!  Sign the pledge at FARE, grab some non-food trick-or-treat items to hand out on Halloween, and paint a pumpkin teal, or print out a free sign from FARE to hang in your window, to show that you have non-food treats to share.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

To learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project, visit FARE.

Disclaimer: As with all of our recipes, my suggestions for how kids can help with a particular recipe are based on what has worked in our kitchen.  Your child may be able to help more or less based on their age and/or ability.