YUM, Cookies! There is nothing like a warm cookie. Cookies in our house are like Lay's Potato Chips, you can never eat just one. We have a serious love for cookies, especially Mr. Woodward! What better way to celebrate fall and Thanksgiving (plus use up the 10 million cans of pumpkin I have) than with pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. A special note on this one; I am including the regular recipe, plus notes for people at higher elevations (above 3500 ft). Let's get to baking!
Ingredients:1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix (you can also use canned pumpkin, but I like a strong pumpkin spice flavor to mine)
3 cups all-purpose flour (High Altitude: add 2 Tbsp)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups (12 oz bag) chocolate chips (you can use either semi-sweet or milk)
Nonstick cooking spray, parchment paper or silicon baking mats
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 F (375 F for higher altitudes). Spray with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time,
then mix in the vanilla
and the pumpkin puree.
In a large bowl, combine the flour baking soda, salt,
cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds.
You can almost smell it, huh? Go ahead take a little sample.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 -20 minutes (11-15 for higher altitudes), or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling ( or to be swiped by little hands, ok not so little hands. Yes, Mr. Woodward that would be you)
Now go enjoy your pumpkin chocolate goodness! I know I am :)
Somethings I love:
I used to have baking stones, which were great, but honestly they were heavy and made a horrible sound when you rub them together (you know like nails on a chalk board kind of sound). So I gave them away and bought regular cookie sheets along with these amazing silicon baking mats! They are so easy to clean and I never have to worry about running out of parchment paper. LOVE THEM SOOOOO MUCH!
Another handy dandy tool I love is my cookie scoop! Yes I could use just a plain old Tbsp, but then I would have to scrap the dough out and it wouldn't make a nice little circle. Work smarter not harder, right? This scoop is great, just scoop up the batter, squeeze the handle and bam, perfect little lumps of dough. You can usually find these items at places like Walmart or Bed, Bath & Beyond.
