Pumkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Are the Best Cookies Ever!

I don’t know what it is about pumpkin and chocolate. The combination is possibly one of my favorites in all of cookie-dom, that imaginary kingdom that reigns over the holidays. And pumpkin and chocolate are the Romeo and Juliet of ingredients...they love each other irrevocably and after you taste these, you'll understand that they just can't survive without each other.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use applesauce; see my notes)
1 egg
2 cups flour (freshly milled works fine!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (see notes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (see notes)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm (see notes). Makes two dozen.

Notes:
1.I've always used applesauce in this recipe to cut down on fat content, and it works beautifully.  My friend, Jenn, tried making them both ways, and said that when made with oil, they're a bit more crispy, and when made with applesauce, they're more cake-like.
2. I love chocolate, but have never used two cups' worth.  I usually use about a cup.
3. I had more success baking these for 10-12 minutes at 365 degrees.  Odd number, I know, but so far it's worked in two stoves. 
4.  I like to add a pinch of nutmeg and cloves
5.  Since this recipe only makes a measely two dozen, I recommend doubling it.  Or tripling it.  Two dozen last about twenty-four hours around here.
6. You can store these in the fridge, if you wish.