Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 When I decided to make the Rustic Polenta Lasagne posted below, I knew I would also have to make some sort of desert component to satisfy Kyle’s sweet tooth. I finally caved to my pumpkin cravings and settled on the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies my friend Brianne had posted on her blog, Sweet Cheeks in the Kitchen, a few weeks ago. I swear-that girl could sell her delicious baked goods to a man without taste buds, and her photos are just lovely! I have always admired her talent in baking, and have wanted to test-drive a number of her recipes for some time now, and this was the perfect excuse.

The cookies turned out beautifully- they baked up fluffy and full of flavor without being overly sweet or rich. I tend to like my cookies a bit more on the “cake-y” side, and these fit the bill perfectly. I ended up with about 30 cookies in the end, and they were just the right size for a little sweet satisfaction. In order to get a wider range of opinions, I brought in a tin to work and shared them with my neighbor, and they were well received by all participants, including my darling husband! In fact, they were so good (and simple!) I whipped up another batch on Sunday afternoon to help cope with the stinging loss my Patriots endured at the hands of the Browns (no, I do not want to talk about it, thanks), and they were extremely comforting, leaving the delicious aroma of fall hanging in the apartment for the next little while.

PS- Congratulations to Brianne and her husband on the birth of their beautiful son, Abe last week! There is no doubt in my mind that he will be fiercely loved, widely celebrated and well fed! ;-)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Brianne over on Sweet Cheeks in the Kitchen

- 2 ½ Cups flour

- 1 Tspn baking soda

- 1 Tspn baking powder

- 1 Tspn cinnamon

- 1 Tspn nutmeg

- ½ Tspn salt

- 1 ½ Cups organic sugar

- 1 Stick butter, softened

- 1 Full cup canned pumpkin

- 1 Large egg

- 1 Tspn vanilla

- 1 Cup chocolate chips, semi sweet or dark work well

-3 Tblspns organic sugar combined w/ 1 tspn pumpkin pie spice, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line two baking sheets.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat together the sugar and butter until well blended. Add in pumpkin, egg and vanilla, beat until smooth. Gradually add in the dry mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

 Drop onto prepared baking sheets.  Sprinkle with spiced sugar mixture if using. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges are firm and cool on wire racks.