Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Silly me bought a mondo can of pumpkin to make last week’s Pumpkin Praline Pie. So needless to say I had a lot leftover, and who’s to throw out perfectly good pumpkin?

So I found this little gem of a recipe. Let’s just say that I have two more mondo cans of pumpkin waiting in the pantry, destined for more of these cookies.

There is something about the texture of these that is wonderful. They are lighter and fluffier than any cookie I’ve had before. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, not overpowering, and divine when combined with chocolate.

If you’re a pumpkin lover, you HAVE to make these cookies. Even if you’re not a pumpkin lover, after these, you just might become one!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen. Recipe from Food Network.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) chocolate chips
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

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 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.