Spoon & Shutter

From Susan: Halloween is now a memory, but pumpkin season is just getting underway. After last year’s shortage (due to poor growing conditions, canned pumpkin had nearly disappeared from store shelves by Thanksgiving) this year is supposed to be a banner one for the nutrient-rich vegetable.

These cookies are a family favorite, and I recently turned my office colleagues – some of whom were skeptical – on to them too. Fortunately, the recipe makes a lot, so I could fill the cookie jar at home and smuggle a good-sized container out of the house. Be aware when you store these cookies they are a bit sticky, so don’t pack them too tightly, or, use wax paper in between layers.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin (I use 1-15 0z. can – make sure it is just pumpkin, not “pie filling,” which has other stuff in it)

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. nutmeg

2/3 tsp. salt

1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugar until completely blended. Add eggs, pumpkin and vanilla, mix until well combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, mixing thoroughly. Mix in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased baking sheet (I use Silpats). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges just begin to brown and cookies are just firm. These have a cake-like texture; if you over-bake them they will turn into hockey pucks!