Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip

Searching for a fall flavored cookie, I thought pumpkin would be a good way to go. I think these would make a great addition to a Thanksgiving dessert buffet.  The whole kitchen smelled like pumpkin pie when these were baking, but the consistency was like a soft pumpkin bread, dotted with white chocolate.  Dave disagreed with the white chocolate addition, saying the flavors didn't meld together; it was just like tasting pumpkin, and then a little white chocolate here and there.  I though the white chocolate added a different level of sweetness, but agreed that the flavors weren't married.

I found this recipe on Mixingbowl.com as well, posted by chefnina, who sourced it to Cook'n recipe archives.  Her recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I wanted thought the white chocolate would feature against the pumpkin a little stronger.  It also called for nuts, which I omitted to keep the focus more on the pumpkin. 

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 12-ounce bag white chocolate chips

Beat butter, then add sugars and cream together, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Add the eggs, pumpkin and vanilla, mixing until thoroughly incorporated, continuing to scrape sides of bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger.  Add to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly.  Stir in white chocolate chips.  The dough will be very moist, almost like a thick pudding.

On a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, drop by spoonfuls (I use a small cookie scoop) about 2 inches apart.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to complete cooling on rack.

Makes 7 1/2 dozen.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess