These cookies are super soft, mini cakes really. They’re like that tender, fluffy top of a cupcake that’s the best, first bite. If you’re a fan of soft cookies, try these for your pumpkin-spice season!
Truth be told, my favorite is a crisp cookie. One that snaps and can withstand a brief dunk in a hot cuppa or cold glass of milk. But I also enjoy variety and there are a few soft cookies I enjoy – molasses, applesauce, persimmon, and these!
The chocolate chips add some texture, but they also melt readily with each bite. I resisted the urge to add chopped nuts to this recipe and embrace the cloud-soft texture with the flavors of autumn.
While this is not tagged as a “Genius Recipe” in the Food52 catalog, it should be. You mix everything by hand in just a few minutes. And you likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry. (If you don’t stock up on canned pumpkin, I highly recommend having a few on hand as they are hard to find in the “off” season.)
I am partial to letting cookie dough rest in the ‘fridge for up to overnight before baking. The flour has time to absorb the moist ingredients, and in this case the rest gives time for the spices to develop fuller flavor. It also firms up the dough, making for easier scooping.
Autumn is often the start of “baking season” for many, although I bake year-round. If you only bake occasionally, this is a good time to annually update your baking powder, baking soda, and baking spices. Baking powder does lose it’s effectiveness once the can is opened, and similarly spices lose their pungency over time. Annual replacements will ensure the best results in lift and flavor.
A note about the canned pumpkin: This recipe uses one cup of canned pumpkin, leaving a bit more than one-half cup from the can. Do not discard it! I transfer it to a glass container and store it covered in the ‘fridge for another use. Examples are to add to a marinara sauce, vegetable soup broth, even using for pumpkin pancakes or waffles.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Saigon or a "baker's blend"
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated is best
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar only gently packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil neutral flavor
- 1 cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1
- 1 extra-large egg room temperature
- 1 cup chocolate chips bittersweet or semi-sweet
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and egg until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate chips. Do not over mix.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid, then refrigerate the dough for several hours until chilled thoroughly, up to overnight is fine.
- When ready to bake, position two racks at the lower and upper thirds levels in the oven. Preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop by one tablespoonfuls onto the parchment paper leaving about one inch between the cookies. Bake for about 12 - 14 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheets front to back and/or rack to rack if needed for even baking. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cookie. It should come out clean, so long as you avoided going through a chocolate chip.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on a wire rack for a few minutes. Remove the cookies with a thin spatula and finish cooling directly on a wire rack. They are delicate! So take care when handling.
- These will keep in an air-tight container for several days. Separate any layering of cookies with a sheet of waxed paper to prevent sticking to one another.
- They also freeze well. Place a single layer of baked cookies on a waxed paper lined sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them into an airtight container for longer storage, up to about one month. (I haven’t managed to store any for longer. We tend to gobble them up pretty quickly!)
