Nana's Spicy Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

Nana's spicy pumpkin chocolate cookies are soft, chewy, and full of pumpkin flavor, two kinds of gooey chocolate, and rolled in a spicy cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar, divided
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 0.25 cup dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.25 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.25 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 0.5 cup white candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as M&M's®)

Steps

1. Whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, melted butter, and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.
2. Combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
3. Mix flour mixture into the sugar-butter mixture; stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips gently. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat® baking mat.
5. Roll 1 1/2 tablespoons of chilled dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Roll dough balls completely in the spicy cinnamon-sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart, and slightly flatten the tops.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden and cookies appear under-baked, about 9 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place candy-coated chocolate pieces on top. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.