Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (and Walnuts too)

I did it.  I finally got them pumpkiny enough.  Took me a few batches, the first were too spicy and not pumpkiny.  Another batch I used pecans and toasted the oats.  And one other batch I used whole-wheat flour.  The last batch was perfect.  I went back to great grandma Giles recipe book, used her Pumpkin pie-filling recipe and incorporated good basic cookie ingredient measurements and presto perfect plump pumpkiny cookies.  They are soft, moist and chewy with good color (not too orange).  They tasted even better the next day.

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1-teaspoon baking soda

1-teaspoon salt

1-teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2-teaspoon ginger

¾ cups butter (1 ½ sticks) softened

1-cup light brown sugar

1 15oz can packed pumpkin (drained in a sieve)

1 extra large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup chopped walnuts

1-cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together in small bowl.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until creamy.  Add egg and vanilla; beat until incorporated.  Add the drained pumpkin and mix until uniform in color.  On low, add flour and mix until combined.  Stir in oats, walnuts and chocolate chips. 

Using a 1 ½ ice cream scoop or tablespoon.  Drop dough on to cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Press cookies down slightly with the back of a fork.  Bake until set and still soft about 12-13 minutes; do not over bake.  Transfer to wire racks to cool.  Store in an airtight container for a 2 days.