pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Why does pumpkin have to be a fall flavor?  I love pumpkin and I am pretty sure I make these cookies year round.  They are super moist and are even better the next day after spending a night in a sealed plastic bag.  They are the perfect cookie for a fall night...or if you're like me, a winter/spring/summer night as well!

 

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour (plus or minus)
• chocolate chips (optional)

Cream together the shortening, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.  Then add and cream the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Add the flour a little at a time until the dough is thick but still sticky.  Sometimes it will be almost a whole cup more but other times it will barely take the 2 cups.  It all depends on the air pressure and humidity with these cookies.  Add chocolate chips to taste.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes.  After you get the dough finished, cook just one cookie and then add more flour if needed before you cook the rest.  You want the cookie to stay fluffy instead of falling.

I always hear to cook one cookie before you cook the rest.  And I NEVER do it!  However, I always do it with these cookies.  I always think I have enough flour and I almost always never do.  So please please cook one cookie first!  Usually these cookies only take me about 8 minutes to cook so it doesn't take forever to test the one cookie to get the rest of them perfect :)
 

-Megan