Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never been to a pumpkin patch, but if I ever did, I could guarantee that my family’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookies would taste the same. When I hold one of these cookies, I can just imagine walking through rows of vibrant pumpkins of all different sizes. Big ones, small ones, white ones and even the ones with all those little warts on them.

These cookies originated and are inspired by one of my neighbors who I haven’t seen in years. One year, right at the beginning of fall, my neighbor invited me over to make an assortment of pumpkin treats, such as pumpkin cookies and bread. I fell in love with the pumpkin cookies we made and didn’t have them again until last year when my grandma randomly brought home a can of pumpkin puree. I made a batch of cookies and so my favorite cookie was born.

The pumpkin in these cookies makes them very cakey instead of thin and crisp, almost like biting into the top of a muffin. The cookie is great at absorbing an impressive amount of coffee, as the medley of sweet and bitter flavors is simple, but fabulous.

I really enjoy them with tea or coffee while I am watching “Gilmore Girls” or other fall-like television shows. Many pumpkin dishes like pumpkin bread are great, but the simplicity and taste of this recipe is superior to all other pumpkin recipes out there.

These cookies can be made in under 45 min if you are in a rush and are best served warm. 

The recipe for these cookies is pretty straightforward and similar to most cookies recipes. You beat the butter, pumpkin, an egg and sugar together. Then add all your dry ingredients. Make sure you start with one cup of flour and add another ½ cup if the dough is too sticky. While mixing the chocolate chips into the batter, make sure not to over mix, as over-mixed cookie dough causes them to over spread and become tough.

These cookies always bring back fond memories of my childhood. Every time I mix the pumpkin and flour together, stir in the chocolate chips and pour in the sugar, I am brought back to my old neighborhood and friends.

Ingredients 

½ cup butter (1 stick)

½ cup canned pumpkin

⅓ cup white sugar 

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½  teaspoon cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼  teaspoon cloves

Add however many chocolate chips you want

Instructions

Beat butter and pumpkin together with an electric mixer until barely combined.

Add both sugars and beat until combined.

Mix egg and vanilla until they become lighter in color.

Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.

Pour flour mixture into butter mixture all at once and stop when the flour is not visible.

Fold in chocolate chips and scoop batter onto a parchment lined pan.