Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I started out planning to make these Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies for the varsity cross county pre-meet dinner at our house.  So I made the cookie dough.  Then decided that I didn’t want to go to the store just to buy Oreos.  I was going to turn it into Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars, until I remembered that it was the first day of fall.  So I added one cup of pumpkin puree and some spices and the result was an amazing cookie.  My teenage daughter is a fellow cookie fan and lover of fall, and she proclaimed these the best pumpkin choc. chip cookies she’s tasted, because they weren’t as soft and cakey as usual.  They disappeared fast and I’m craving more.  I’m posting this recipe before I forget how I made them!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks softened butter (1 cup)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 cups white whole wheat flour (for low altitude you may only need 3-1/2 cups.)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and pumpkin until well combined.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips until just combined.  Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, place cookies onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.