Chewy Pumpkin Chip Cookies

My love for pumpkin continues.  These cookies are chewy, soft and even a bit crunchy on the edges.  Pretty much all three of the best qualities a cookie can have.

I'm sitting here in wonderful peace and silence.  I feel like the heavens open up and the angels rejoice 'hallelujah' when all four members of my family are sleeping at the same time. Five family members if you count the dog.

I heart nap time on the weekend.

I probably should be napping myself considering I woke up at 5 a.m. ON A SATURDAY unable to fall back asleep.  And tonight/tomorrow is daylight savings time so I'm sure my sleeping in will be screwed again come tomorrow morning.  But alas, if I was napping then you wouldn't be hearing about these cookies!

My ideal, perfect cookie has a soft center, is chewy, yet has a slight crunch around the edges. And these cookies fit all of those categories.

After many, many, many batches of cookies in my life, I'm pretty sure I've figured out how to make these soft, yet chewy, yet slight crunchy cookies.

The trick is to use butter AND shortening.

Yes, I said shortening.

The stuff that clogs the heck out of our arteries and is only bought by grandmothers and food bloggers.

Some might even refer to it as oleo.  Talk about dating yourself there!  I remember my mom having the big blue round can of Crisco in the cupboard growing up.  I'm guessing she used it for pie crusts and other baked goods as we didn't fry too many things in our house.  

Who knows....Mom, what did you use that economy size jug of fat for?

I made these cookies pretty big, probably twice the size of my normal cookie scoop, but feel free to make them a normal size to get double the amount of cookies.  I was feeling adventurous.  And I wanted to eat one cookie thinking it was just ONE, knowing fully well that it was actually TWO cookies.

Whatever.

I found my pumpkin chips at Aldi, but they are everywhere this time of year in any grocery baking aisle, so trust me you won't have any problems there.  The problem you will have is just eating one. And secondly, if you do not have any melted ice cream around {seriously, why not?}, then substitute plain or vanilla yogurt.

I know, both of these ingredients sound odd, and they kind of are, but they make the cookie!

Chewy Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Print this Recipe!

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

1/4 c. shortening

1/2 c. melted Blue Bunny Spiced Pumpkin Pie ice cream {or plain vanilla}

2 t. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 bag pumpkin spice baking chips

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a large cookie baking sheet.

2.  In a stand mixer combine the sugars, butter and shortening until combined.

3.  Add in the vanilla and melted ice cream.

4.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the dough mixture.

5.  Fold in pumpkin spice baking chips.

6.  The cookie dough can be refrigerated overnight or baked right away.

7.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop out a 'heaping' amount for double the sized cookies and place on the greased baking sheet.

8.  Bake for 10-11 minutes or until just golden around the edges.

9.  Allow to cool and place on a baking rack.  Keep in an airtight container for best storage.