Pumpkin Cookies

Let this cookie help you welcome in everything wonderful about fall.  What is it about pumpkin flavored anything that makes us so happy to have cold weather and runny noses all the sudden?  I don't know, but it works.  This recipe makes me think of every single fall/Halloween party I've ever had because my mom made them for every get-together, or just when we were home and both in the kitchen and WANTED THEM.  Sorry.  Okay we just really love pumpkin!

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 stick (1 cup) Crisco shortening

--1/2 cup granulated sugar

--1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

--2 tbsp. maple syrup

--2 tbsp. vanilla

--2 large eggs

--1 can (15 oz???) canned pumpkin

--2 1/2 cups flour

--1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (heaping)

--1/2 tsp. all spice (heaping)

--1/4 tsp. nutmeg (heaping)

--pinch cloves

--2 tsp. baking powder

--pinch of salt

--8 oz. white chocolate chips (more or less, to taste)

--Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Okay now in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, combine sugars...

--and Crisco and mix until combined and fluffy.

--Next, add 2 tbsp. each of maple syrup and vanilla.  

--Maple syrup makes them special.

--I could take a nice spoonful and spread this over some toast.  Or forget the toast.

--Next add eggs, one at a time...

--And mixing well between each add.

--Now, for the star of the show.  Add in the whole can of pumpkin and mix until incorporated.

--Beautiful!

--Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine flour with the following ingredients:  cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder, and salt.

--Make sure the "heaping" ingredients really do get measured heaping-ly (<--is that a word??).

--Mix together until combined, and then in small amounts (like a 1/2 cup or so) add the flour mixture into the pumpkin batter.

--Oohhhh!

--Aahhhhh!

--Okay, now for the fun part.  For this recipe I wanted to add not only white chocolate chips, but some actual white chocolate.  This really melts into the cookie while baking and makes it utterly divine!

--And I also added in some semi-sweet chips, because they look like Halloween!

--With a small ice cream scoop, place cookies on a sheet over some parchment paper (I always get nervous *noivous* when I put cookies without spray on a tray without parchment!).

--Bake for about 13-16 minutes, or until the tops have set.  These cookies are better than any *insert fall saying here* candle ever.

--I think it's the pumpkin, but these cookies puff up when they come out of the oven.  Don't be alarmed! They are fiiiiine (name that movie).

--Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to continue setting.  

--I find these cookies to taste best when they've completely set and the chocolate chips become solid again and provide some crunch.  This is the next day.

--They also make for amazing models for Halloween pics.