A bite of fall

I have a weakness for crisp air, a little bit of rain, red and orange leaves and shortened days. Fall is by far my favorite season, not least because it seems to just require cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and often a little bit of chocolate. I'm definitely mentally preparing for the Christmas season, but there's a lot to be said for relishing the season in between summer and winter and all the fantastic flavors that beg to be brought to life.
Pumpkin is an interesting ingredient to use, because it adds a lot of moisture and lightness to the texture as well as a certain sweetness. Plus, it is super healthy (it's orange!) and contains lots of fiber and vitamins A and C. What's not to love?
This cookie recipe is a little bit tweaked from the original, and I think it is one of my favorite in my repertoire. It definitely got rave reviews, and I would recommend making enough to share :)

Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The Culinary Couple
Yields about 2 dozen cookies

2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 C old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp chai spice blend (2 parts cardamom, 2 parts ginger, 1 part cinnamon, 1 part nutmeg, 2/3 part cloves, 2/3 part nutmeg, 2/3 part allspice, 1/3 part white pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C dark chocolate chips
raw sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, spices and salt and set aside. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla, mix well. Add flour mixture and combine until all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.

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