Fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pass the fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, please. It’s fall, and if your family is anything like mine, you just have to sample pumpkin-flavored goodness this time of year. And you want good pumpkin goodies. Crappy ones won’t do. This recipe is a keeper. The cookies bake up big and fluffy. They melt in your mouth, and they look good on a plate to give away.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

Fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup Crisco butter-flavor shortening

3 cups sugar

2 eggs

Add 1 (29-ounce) can Libby’s pumpkin to creamed ingredients. Beat well in 4-qt mixer.

Sift together:

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp vanilla

Mix everything together:

Add sifted ingredients 2 cups at a time to creamed ingredients and mix until all is blended well.

Add 2 1/2 bags milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips. I use the Guittard brand; they have exceptional flavor and a smooth, creamy texture when melted.

Mix everything just until blended. Scoop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes. Yield: 5 1/2 dozen. I know this makes a ton, but I don’t recommend freezing the dough. We’ve done so in the past, and it just went to waste in the freezer. It freezes rock hard, and no one in our family wants to wait for it to thaw before they can bake. With other cookie recipes, I scoop the dough into balls and freeze; those are perfect for just popping into the oven. But you can’t do that with these fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. The dough is too soft to form and freeze. You could freeze the baked cookies, however.

Cookie-Baking Tools

I have a 4.5-quart Kitchenaid mixer. It works well, though it is pretty full with this recipe. A hand mixer for this recipe would be fine too if that’s what you have on hand.

I use these commerical-grade cookie sheets. My mom was a baker for the school district for several years, and that’s when I discovered them. The lunch ladies would do a bake sale every fall, and my mom hooked me up. They’re heavy duty, and your cookies won’t burn. You can coat them with baking spray, but I use these silicone sheets. You don’t spray them with anything, and they’re a breeze to clean. Simply wipe off and store. Reuse again and again. I love mine! Each cookie shape is outlined so I know how big to make my shapes. Before I had these sheets, I had a tendency to make the cookie balls too small or too big. Now I can see when they’re just the right size.

When your cookies are baked, you’ll need some racks to cool them off. I recommend that you buy at least two or a set. This is a good price for a set. Once you have them, you won’t need to buy new ones again. I’ve had my set forever.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, I transfer them to plastic bags or goodie plates to wrap in plastic wrap. Just make sure you don’t store them in plastic until they are well cooled; otherwise they’ll “sweat” and become mushy.

Now you’re all set to make fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Your house will smell fantastic, and you’ll feel all festive. Enjoy!

Fall Mystery Book Recommendation

Want something fun to read while you eat your cookies? I recommend Pumpkin Roll, by Josi S. Kilpack. It’s a mystery with culinary fall recipes spread throughout. You’ll salivate while trying to figure out what in the world is going on with Mrs. Wapple, a strange modern-day witch, who lives across the street from the Cunninghams. Grandpa and his grandma-girlfriend are babysitting for a few days, and craziness finds them. Who keeps entering their house? What’s going on in this usually quiet New England neighborhood? Follow the mystery as Sadie, the main character and private investigator/cook makes several tantalizing fall dishes, both savory and sweet, and kindly shares the recipes so you can enjoy them too. This is a great, clean read, perfect for fall.

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe? Do tell.