Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Say hello to fall with these easy, pumpkin pie spiced oatmeal cookies made with a jar of Trader Joe’s deliciously sweet pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 42

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon cardamom

• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

• ½ cane sugar

• 1 (10-ounce) jar pumpkin butter (I used Trader Joe’s)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups rolled oats

• 5 ounces dark chocolate bars, chopped (or 1 cup dark chocolate chunks)

• ⅓ cup finely chopped candied ginger

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, pie spice, and salt.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin butter and vanilla; beat on low until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 

3. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture until fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate and ginger. Using a 1½ tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24). 

4. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet parchment paper. Place dough balls 2 inches apart. 

5. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes for chewy cookies and 18 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.

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pumpkin pie spice, chocolate chip cookie, pumpkin cookie, oatmeal cookie, chocolate chunk cookie

Cookies, Desserts

Yield: 42

Author: Sarah Ward

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Say hello to fall with these easy, pumpkin pie spiced oatmeal cookies made with a jar of Trader Joe’s deliciously sweet pumpkin butter.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 Mininactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 8 H & 30 M

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cane sugar
• 1 (10-ounce) jar pumpkin butter (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 5 ounces dark chocolate bars, chopped (or 1 cup dark chocolate chunks)
• ⅓ cup finely chopped candied ginger

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, pie spice, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin butter and vanilla; beat on low until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture until fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate and ginger. Using a 1½ tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24).
4. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet parchment paper. Place dough balls 2 inches apart.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes for chewy cookies and 18 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Notes:

If you want to bake the cookies right away, freeze the dough balls for 15 minutes before baking. Dough balls can be frozen until firm and stored in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Add 2 to 4 minutes to bake time if baking from frozen. This recipe would also work great with apple, pear, or fig butter!

Calories

114.37

Fat (grams)

5.88

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.43

Carbs (grams)

14.21

Fiber (grams)

1.03

Net carbs

13.18

Sugar (grams)

6.24

Protein (grams)

1.47

Sodium (milligrams)

58.02

Cholesterol (grams)

11.89

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Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Enjoy this triple berry pie pie before the summer season says so-long! With an easy homemade piecrust and a sweet filling made with strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, it’s sure to be a a crowd pleaser.

I know fall is on the cusp of moving into our meal planning and wardrobe, but I wanted to sneak in one more summer fruit pie before we say farewell to the season. Slab pies deviate from the classic round pies of pie-safes-past, but I find they are well suited for big gatherings as they are bigger than a standard 9- or 10-inch rounds and easier to cut up into smaller servings.

Most pie crusts only use butter and/or shortening in the crust. For this pie, I added cream cheese to mix, creating a tender, flavorful crust that has structure. This helps once the pie is cool and is ready to be removed. If the crust was too tender and flakey, it would be brittle and wouldn’t hold the weight of the filling or be easily moved from the pan. But don’t fret - this crust isn’t dry or hard. When it comes to freezing the assembled pie, this step can be skipped in a pinch, or the pie can be assembled, loosely covered in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for several hours before baking. Freezing or chilling the pie helps to set the crust decoration and crimping as well as get the butter really cold for better texture when baked.

Now, let’s talk about the wild card ingredient - freeze-dried strawberries. Freeze-dried strawberries come with a small packet of silica crystals to keep them dry and crisp. Be sure to remove that before grinding. I wrote the recipe to use one appliance (food processor), but the strawberries can also be ground into a powder in a blade spice or coffee grinder. This can be done well in advance of making the pie. If storing for more than a few hours, add the silica packet to the powder to keep it from clumping. In the filling, the addition of the freeze-dried strawberry powder gives the berry mixture a little extra insurance that it will be stable enough to slice well when cooled and packs it full of sweet berry flavor. Additionally, tapioca flour is added as the main thickener and is preferred over cornstarch. When using particularly juicy fruits like berries, cornstarch can start to weep over time; however, it is a perfectly acceptable substitute if you have it on hand.

If you’re a pumpkin pie spice latte drinker in August and just don’t want to wait for summer to end to welcome fall, you can certainly sub apples or pears for the fruit in this recipe! I’d swap the freeze-dried strawberries for freeze-dried apples for more fall taste and color. Hope you enjoy it!

(printable recipe card at the bottom)

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Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Makes 1 (13x9-inch) pie

Ingredients

• 1 (1.2 ounce) bag freeze-dried strawberries

Crust:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 (8-ounce) package cold cream cheese, cubed

• 1 cup cold salted butter, cubed

• 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons tapioca flour

• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 pound)

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces)

• 2 cups fresh blackberries (about 10 ounces)

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

METHOD

1. Place freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process into a fine powder. Transfer to an airtight container and seal. Wipe food processor mostly clean with a dry paper towel.

2. For crust: add flour and sugar to the bowl of the food processor. Process to combine. Add cream cheese, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse grits. Add butter and pulse twice. While continuing to pulse, pour water into flour mixture in a slow steady stream until a dough starts to form and holds together when pinched, about 8 times. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Press into a ball. Cut off one-third and press each piece into a 5-inch square. Cover each square with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. (The dough can be made 3 days ahead. If chilled for more than 6 hours, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.) 

3. Preheat oven to 400°. Lay a 9-inch-wide strip of parchment paper in a 13x9-inch non-stick rimmed baking sheet, letting excess hang over edges of pan.

4. For filling: whisk together granulated sugar, tapioca flour, and 4 tablespoons strawberry powder in a large bowl. Add all berries, and toss to combine. 

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll larger dough piece into an 18x14-inch rectangle. Place in prepared pan. Trim excess dough to leave about 1-inch of overhang. Pour filling into prepared pan, pressing lightly to create an even surface. Roll remaining dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Cut 3 (3-inch) wide strips and arrange diagonally on top of pie filling. Trim strips to fit the inside edge of pan. Fold dough edges over and crimp as desired. Cut shapes out of remaining dough scraps and arrange as desired. Freeze pie for 15 minutes. Lightly brush with egg. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet.

6. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°. Bake an additional 40 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the crust to loosen from pan. Using the parchment as handles, carefully lift pie out of pan, and place on a serving plate. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and remaining strawberry powder (about 2 1/2 tablespoons.). Sift over pie. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

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Mixed Berry Pie

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Sarah Ward

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.2 ounce) bag freeze-dried strawberries

Crust

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) package cold cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup cold salted butter, cubed
• 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces)
• 2 cups fresh blackberries (about 10 ounces)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Place freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process into a fine powder. Transfer to an airtight container and seal. Wipe food processor mostly clean with a dry paper towel.
2. For crust: add flour and sugar to the bowl of the food processor. Process to combine. Add cream cheese, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse grits. Add butter and pulse twice. While continuing to pulse, pour water into flour mixture in a slow steady stream until a dough starts to form and holds together when pinched, about 8 times. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Press into a ball. Cut off one-third and press each piece into a 5-inch square. Cover each square with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. (The dough can be made 3 days ahead. If chilled for more than 6 hours, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.)
3. Preheat oven to 400°. Lay a 9-inch-wide strip of parchment paper in a 13x9-inch non-stick rimmed baking sheet, letting excess hang over edges of pan.
4. For filling: whisk together granulated sugar, tapioca flour, and 4 tablespoons strawberry powder in a large bowl. Add all berries, and toss to combine.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll larger dough piece into an 18x14-inch rectangle. Place in prepared pan. Trim excess dough to leave about 1-inch of overhang. Pour filling into prepared pan, pressing lightly to create an even surface. Roll remaining dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Cut 3 (3-inch) wide strips and arrange diagonally on top of pie filling. Trim strips to fit the inside edge of pan. Fold dough edges over and crimp as desired. Cut shapes out of remaining dough scraps and arrange as desired. Freeze pie for 15 minutes. Lightly brush with egg. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°. Bake an additional 40 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the crust to loosen from pan. Using the parchment as handles, carefully lift pie out of pan, and place on a serving plate. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and remaining strawberry powder (about 2 1/2 tablespoons.). Sift over pie. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Notes:

You can sub apples or pears for the fruit in this recipe! I’d swap the freeze-dried strawberries for freeze-dried apples for more fall taste and color. Freeze-dried strawberries come with a small packet of silica crystals to keep them dry and crisp. Be sure to remove that before grinding. Freezing or chilling the pie before baking helps to set the crust decoration and crimping as well as get the butter really cold for better texture when baked.

triple berry pie, mixed berry pie recipe, berry pie recipe, strawberry pie, blueberry pie, blackberry pie, slab pie

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Strawberry Sunrise Pie

This fresh strawberry pie is a delightful way to celebrate the season’s sweet berries. Incredible juicy and topped with a buttery crumble, it’s best served with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.

When I was little, I used to fall asleep to cassette tapes of bedtime stories. I don’t remember most of them, but there was one about some kids who took a trip to their grandparents’ house. This was always an exciting place to visit because they had a big old pie safe that was always full of pie; strawberry pie was the flavor of choice “this day.”

I had never eaten strawberry pie nor did I make one until years later, but I remember I’d fall asleep and occasionally dream about eating a slice out of the pie safe. This pie is probably very different from the one the author dreamt up in that story, but my dreams say it was just as juicy and bursting at the seams with flavor as this one.

Two flavors that compliment strawberries very well are oranges and black pepper. The orange brightens the berry’s flavor and the black pepper intensifies their “strawberry-ness” (it’s weird, but trust me). This recipe uses a hint of black pepper in the filling and brings in that bright citrus flavor in the fillings as well as in the Orange Juice Crust. Forget what you know about using water for pie dough - fresh-squeezed cold juice adds so much flavor and creates a tender crust. Very often, I’m all about a double-crust pie, but I find with particularly juicy fruits like strawberries, a crumb topping is more enjoyable. It allows the pie to be baked for a little while without a covering, evaporating off some of the water and intensifying the sugars, while adding a sweet and buttery crunch to the finished pie. After one bite in, I think you’ll understand why I named this pie the Strawberry Sunrise - it will certainly awaken your tastebuds in the most refreshing way. Enjoy!

(Printable recipe at the bottom of the post.)

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STRAWBERRY SUNRISE PIE

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

Ingredients

Orange Juice Pie Dough: 

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

• ⅓ cup cold orange juice

Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup rolled oats

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Strawberry-Black Pepper Filling:

• 5 cups strawberries, hull and halved or quarters (about 3 pounds)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup sugar

• 5 tablespoons tapioca flour

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• Egg wash: lightly beaten egg + 1 tsp water (optional)

METHOD

1. For pie dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Toss in the butter, coating with flour. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or squeeze the pieces between your fingers until the biggest pieces are the size of almonds and small ones are about the size of peas. Add half of the orange juice and fold in using a fork. Continue adding juice a tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Gently knead it together in the bowl until the dough clumps together. Shape it into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour or up to 3 days.

2. For topping: Meanwhile, whisk together flour, oats, and sugars in a small bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers until the mixture is very crumbly and butter is fully combined into the flour mixture. Squeeze in your hands to create clumps. Chill until ready to use.

3. Heat your oven to 425F.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a standard 9-inch pie dish. Trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang, tuck the excess under, and crimp around the edge as desired. Freeze the crust while making the filling (at least 15 minutes).

5. For filling: In a large bowl, stir together strawberries, lemon juice, and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, tapioca, and pepper. Sprinkle over strawberries and toss to combine. Brush the edges of the frozen crust with egg wash, if using. Add the strawberry mixture, gently pressing berries down to even out the top. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. 

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375F and bake for another 15 minutes. Top pie with crumb topping. Continue baking until the pie filling is very bubbly and the crumb topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing. 

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strawberry pie, crumb pie, strawberry streusel pie, strawberry crumb pie

Dessert

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Sarah Ward

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Strawberry Pie

Juicy fresh strawberries tucked into an orange juice piecrust and topped with a sweet, buttery streusel. It's the perfect strawberry pie!

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 1 Hourinactive time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 2 H & 45 M

Ingredients:

Orange Juice Pie Dough:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ⅓ cup cold orange juice

Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Strawberry-Black Pepper Filling:

• 5 cups strawberries, hull and halved or quarters (about 3 pounds)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons tapioca flour
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Egg wash: lightly beaten egg + 1 tsp water (optional)

Instructions:

Pie Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Toss in the butter, coating with flour. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or squeeze the pieces between your fingers until the biggest pieces are the size of almonds and small ones are about the size of peas. Add half of the orange juice and fold in using a fork. Continue adding juice a tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Gently knead it together in the bowl until the dough clumps together. Shape it into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Topping

1. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, oats, and sugars in a small bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers until the mixture is very crumbly and butter is fully combined into the flour mixture. Squeeze in your hands to create clumps. Chill until ready to use.

Assembly and Filling

1. Heat your oven to 425F.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a standard 9-inch pie dish. Trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang, tuck the excess under, and crimp around the edge as desired. Freeze the crust while making the filling (at least 15 minutes).
3. In a large bowl, stir together strawberries, lemon juice, and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, tapioca, and pepper. Sprinkle over strawberries and toss to combine. Brush the edges of the frozen crust with egg wash, if using. Add the strawberry mixture, gently pressing berries down to even out the top. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375F and bake for another 15 minutes. Top pie with crumb topping. Continue baking until the pie filling is very bubbly and the crumb topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.

Notes:

Forget what you know about using water for pie dough - fresh-squeezed cold juice adds so much flavor and creates a tender crust. Very often, I’m all about a double-crust pie, but I find with particularly juicy fruits like strawberries, a crumb topping is more enjoyable. It allows the pie to be baked for a little while without a covering, evaporating off some of the water and intensifying the sugars, while adding a sweet and buttery crunch to the finished pie.

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Homemade Hummus

Switching up the Tahini

While traditional hummus recipes call for tahini, some people don’t love it’s taste (aka my husband Christopher) or don’t use it regularly so they don’t justify the purchase. I started making batches with other nut butters, and it’s literally changed my hummus eating world. I love a very traditional spread, but something about the added depth of roasted almond butter really hits the spot. I’ve used peanut butter (natural and no-stir), roasted and raw almond butter, regular tahini, cashew butter, and black tahini (made from black sesame seeds). Use whatever you’ve got or like!

We eat a lot hummus in our house. My husband’s go-to lunch at home is a hummus and PB sandwich. (I thought it was weird at first too, and then I put peanut butter in my hummus and it’s really good. Try it!) While we very often just buy containers from the grocery store, making it at home is really easy and much more cost effective. With a can of chickpeas, a few tablespoons of your preferred nut butter, and some pantry staples, you’re on your way to a tasty snack in about 10 minutes.

There are many things I love about hummus including it’s protein rich nature, but it’s such a great blank canvas to play with. Once you have a base recipe, you can add any type of flavors that you want - roasted red peppers, curry paste, all sorts of fresh herbs, spice mixes, etc. It’s also a great way to use up some little bits of condiments, pickled items, or spices you have floating around your fridge and pantry. I’ve included four of my favorite flavor combinations below, but I’d encourage you to play around with what you like!

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HOMEMADE HUMMUS - 5 WAYS

Makes about 2 cups

IngredieNts

Basic Hummus

• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained

• ¼ cup plain yogurt (optional)

• 2 tablespoons nut butter (tahini, almond, peanut)

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves

• Juice of 1 lime or small lemon

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in the container of a food processor. Blend for 5 minutes, until very smooth and warm to the touch. Transfer to a serving bowl or an airtight container. (For best flavor, cover and let hummus stand for at least an hour before eating.)

2. Serve with pita and garden fresh vegetables. Refrigerate in an airtight container a good swirl of olive oil to coat the top for up to 5 days.

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Kalamata Olive and Black Pepper

To Basic Hummus, add 1/4 cup kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons almond butter, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Top with olives and olive oil.

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Dill and Mint Hummus

To Basic Hummus, add a handful of fresh dill sprigs and fresh mint leaves. Top with olive oil and fresh herbs.

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Harissa Hummus

To Basic Hummus, add 2 to 3 tablespoons harissa paste and 2 tablespoons peanut butter. Top with peanuts and chili oil.

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Black Sesame Hummus

To Basic Hummus, use black sesame tahini instead of regular tahini. Top with addition tahini and black salt.

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Garlic-Lemon Roasted Chicken

Grandma Trigg used to make large dishes of what she called Lemon Chicken for us when my brothers and I were growing. Sometimes she’d make it in the oven, sometimes in her countertop electric skillet. Either way, it was packed full of caramelized onions, garlic powder, lemon juice, olive oil, and a heavy dose of Cavender’s Greek Seasoning. She always made it using bone-in chicken pieces, and it was never served without rice so you had something to sop up all of those flavor-packed pan drippings. It’s definitely near the top of my comfort food list.

These days, we’re eating less meat, but when we do we’re trying to buy from local farms. I’ve taken to purchasing whole chickens because it’s much more affordable, allowing us to be able to support these farms and their practices without breaking the budget. Whole chickens do take longer to cook than pieces, so to make it cook faster, I spatchcocked this one. (Spatchcock is just a fancy word for removing the backbone and flattening it. Serious Eats has a great tutorial if you haven’t done this before!) And, as much as I love a convenient spice like garlic powder, I love roasted garlic cloves and swapped out my grandmother’s go-to with lots of fresh cloves (about 5 heads to be exact!). This roasted chicken is loaded with flavor and will certainly satisfy any comfort food needs.

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GARLIC-LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken (let rest at room temperature
  for 30 minutes for more even cooking)

• 1½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 30 cloves garlic, peeled

• 2 heads garlic, tops cut off

• 1 small sweet onion cut into wedges

• 1 large lemon, half thinly sliced, half reserved

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425F. 

2. Place chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Find the backbone and remove, cutting on either side with kitchen shears. Flip bird over, slightly opening the cut side like a book. Press the heels of your palms in the center of the breasts until the bone snaps. Press until the chicken lies flat. Place chicken, breast side up, in a 13x9-inch baking pan, and tuck wing tips under breasts.

3. In a small bowl, stir together salt, lemon zest, and pepper. Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with lemon-pepper mixture. Toss peeled garlic cloves and onion with remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange garlic cloves and onion, heads of garlic, and lemon slices around chicken. Squeeze reserved lemon half over onions and garlic.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400F and continue cooking until skin is golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 165 when inserted in the thickest portion (between breast and thigh). Remove from oven. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

We enjoyed this sliced and served over couscous mixed with fresh herbs and topped with the roasted garlic and onions and a drizzle of pan drippings.

Save the Bones and Make Stock

The benefits of cooking a whole chicken go beyond enjoyment of the initial roast. The bones offer so much flavor and goodness that they absolutely shouldn’t be wasted! Pick all of the meat off the bones and combine them with a quartered onion, roasted garlic skins or a new head of garlic, celery or parsley if you have any, any remaining roasted lemon slices, a teaspoon of black peppercorns and a few bay eaves. Cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and let cook partially covered for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and discard solids. Stock can be frozen for several months or refrigerated and used within a week.

Don’t have time to make stock right away? Freeze the bones along with any vegetable scraps from cooking and make stock when you’re ready. Just respect the animal and don’t waste those bones.