After reading Mirielle Guiliano’s two books about French Women [Not] Get[ing] Fat, I came to appreciate more the fruits and vegetables in their true season, and pumpkin was the first thing that entered my mind.  After all, canned pumpkin is available whenever we’d like it, yet I find myself only reaching for it at the grocery store in fall or winter.

Due to this fact about my habits, I only make the following recipe for a few short months, but oh, how I look forward to and enjoy luxuriating in the flavors and comfort of it.  Pumpkin Chip Cookies are something my mother will still make for us when she knows either my brother or myself are coming home.  I think one of the things I love about them is that they don’t have the richness of a chocolate chip cookie, but at the same time, you are able to enjoy the sweet chocolate goodness when you bite into one.  A wonderful balance.

Key Things To Keep In Mind:

*Do not overcook! After 15 minutes they may appear slightly undone.  That is actually good.  Let them rest for 15-20 minutes and then enjoy.

*I prefer to make them without almonds and with milk chocolate chips – gooey deliciousness with all of that pumpkin. Slightly less guilty feeling follows.

*Include with a cold glass of milk and let the trick-o-treaters come a knockin’!

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried roasted almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.  Mix and sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Add almonds and chocolate chips.  Mix thoroughly.

3. Drop by small ice cream scoop (or by Tbs) on parchment paper on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until just barely brown.

Enjoy!