It’s pumpkin time again! A few weekends ago CK and I traveled to Connecticut for a joint October Kelly family birthday celebration. CK’s dad requested that I bring something pumpkin flavored to the shindig so my mind instantly turned towards cookies. There was only one problem. Pumpkin cookies are notoriously fluffy, misshapen, and much too cake-like for my taste. In addition, even if they’re delicious I find nothing appealing about a lumpy cookie that actually looks more like an orphaned whoopie pie half. But I was running late and low on time so I pulled out a recipe from the Boston Globe that I’d bookmarked eons ago (thanks for the reminder Sarah).
Of course in true Erin-fashion I immediately messed up the recipe, only realizing after I’d measured all of the wet ingredients into the bowl of my mixer that I had forgotten to cream the butter and sugar together. After uttering a few choice expletives and debating whether or not I should start over I forged ahead simply because if I started over there was no way I’d have time to do my hair. I’m sorry but properly curled hair wins over recipes every time.
For once though a seemingly boneheaded kitchen mistake had a rather happy outcome. What makes cookies fluffy? That’s right: expertly creamed butter and sugar. So what could have been a “disaster” actually yielded batch after batch of perfect pumpkin cookies with a chewy texture, round shape, and not a cake-like quality in sight.
Perfect Pumpkin Cookies
Adapted from the Boston Globe recipe.
Yields 3 dozen cookies
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (preferably mini)
1 cup cinnamon chips (preferably mini)
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; beating just until blended.
Mix in the dry ingredients.
Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate and cinnamon chips.
Using a cookie scoop drop the dough 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for two minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.