Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel Icing

When the weather turns cold, my first instinct is to start baking. And today I’m going to share my all-time favorite fall cookie recipe that I got from my friend Leslie. These cookies are melt-in-your-mouth soft with a crunchy caramel icing. I’m telling you, they are the kind of cookies that tempt you to devour a dozen while hiding in the pantry so no one sees you and asks to share. Not that I would know anything about that. Ahem.
2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 package chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin until smooth. Add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together (or if you are lazy like me,skip this step). Add to wet. Stir until smooth. Dough is very thick. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by the spoonful onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are no longer shiny. Do not overbake.

The following icing recipe makes a little too much, but halving it is barely enough, so you decide which way you want to go.

Caramel Icing

6 TBSP butter
1 cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and milk until dissolved. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth and spread over warm cookies. You may need to reheat the icing occasionally to keep it from getting hard in between batches. Just pop it into the microwave for 20 seconds or so.