1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree, blotted with a paper towel
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup white chocolate chips or cinnamon chips (optional)
Instructions
The most important part of this recipe is removing excess moisture from the pumpkin puree. Place the half cup of puree on a plate and press it firmly with several layers of paper towels until the towel comes away damp but the pumpkin is thick and paste-like. This ensures your cookies are chewy rather than watery and cake-like.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium speed for about three minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and light. This step creates the necessary air pockets for a thick cookie structure.
Incorporate the blotted pumpkin puree, the egg yolk, and the alcohol-free vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage due to the moisture in the pumpkin, but it will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing by hand or on the lowest setting of your mixer until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in your white chocolate chips or optional mix-ins at this point.
For the best results, cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, keeping them thick and big. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use a large cookie scoop to form balls of dough, roughly three tablespoons each. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about three inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden. Let them cool on the pan for ten minutes before moving them to a wire rack, as they will be very soft when they first come out of the oven.
