EVERYBODY EATS: Pumpkin, cranberry, white chocolate chip celebrate cookie day

My daughter came home from school the other day and immediately asked what was wrong. Apparently seeing me sitting on the kitchen floor surrounded by cookbooks was a reason to panic.

'I'm trying to find a cookie recipe.'

'But you don't use a recipe for chocolate chip cookies.'

'A different cookie recipe,' I told her.

'You aren't going to try and make sugar cookies again?' she groaned.

I'm that bad at it. Really.

I was searching for a different cookie recipe is because today (Nov. 4) is National Cookie Day, and it deserves to be celebrated. Normally, I would use this holiday to celebrate the classic cookie — chocolate chip. Since I recently shared a recipe for salted chocolate chip cookies, I felt should change things up.

Sorting through my kitchen cupboards, I came across pumpkin puree, dried cranberries and several bags of chocolate chips. I have no idea why I happened to have pumpkin puree on hand rather than regular canned pumpkin, but I was not going to question it. Instead, I plugged the ingredients into Google and found several variations of pumpkin cranberry cookies. Not all incorporated chocolate chips, and some called for nuts (I refuse to add nuts to cookies, but that's a column for another time).

I ended up selecting the following recipe because it called for white chocolate chips, too. I love white chocolate.

This recipe is how I'll commemorate National Cookie Day 2014. Who's ready to celebrate?

Pumpkin Cranberry Chocolate Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups oats

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer), beat the butter until creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in the white and brown sugars until the batter is light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. Stir in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Gradually stir in the flour/oats mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the cranberries and chocolate chips until distributed evenly throughout the batter.

Drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets using rounded teaspoons. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.

Cool the cookies on the pans for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Source: Thehobokitchen.com