Pumpkin Kiss Cookies

Toldjya it wouldn't be long...

Now I'm definitely a pecan pie over pumpkin pie girl, but when it comes to incorporating pumpkin into other sweet treats I am on board. 

Over the past week or two, I have been making batch after batch of pumpkin chocolate chip bread at work and it got my brain churning...what fun treat can I make involving this same delicious combo?? Then, after a girl I work with mentioned a pumpkin thumbprint cookie she had eaten I knew the answer: I just HAD to create a twist on the tried and true peanut butter kiss cookie (p.s. my brother has one heck of a recipe for the pb version he bakes every Christmas...maybe I can get him to do a little guest post come December.  p.s.s. it only involves four ingredients and they taste pretty much INSANE.  I made him make a double batch last year). 

Anywho, these cookies.  Best described as cake in cookie form. They are seriously the softest cookie I've ever bit into and I make sure to work my way around the center kiss in a perfect circle, sliding a little piece of chocolate off with my teeth with each bite.  Perfection. 

Pumpkin Kiss Cookies

Makes 26 cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

26 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until mixed thoroughly; add pumpkin puree and vanilla then mix again.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger together in a bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a silpat mat on a baking sheet. Scoop out dough into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown*.  Remove from oven and press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie.  Let cool before removing to wire rack. 

*The shape of the cookie ball will remain the same during baking.  The Kiss will cause it to flatten out a little making the end result look more like a cookie, don't worry!

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking.