Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies

I traveled to Pennsylvania this weekend to visit with some family and wanted to bring along a fall treat.  My boyfriend and I have been obsessing over the Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice M&M's (if you haven't tried them yet, I suggest heading over to Target and snagging a bag before they're sold out), and I wanted to incorporate those into a pumpkin cookie.  

After searching two different Target stores for these M&M's, and striking out due to popular demand, I stumbled upon these delicious Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kiss candies and knew instinctively how to adjust my cookies!

Not only did these cookies leave my house smelling wonderful, but they were a huge hit with family and friends!

Chewy Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies

 Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1/4 t cloves
• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar/stevia blend (or 1 cup sugar)
• 1 large egg
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 bag Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves
3. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree and beat until incorporated; about 3 minutes
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing between each addition, until the dough is just combined (the dough will be very sticky)
6.  Drop using a cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheets
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown
8. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a Hershey Kiss into the middle of each cookie
9. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for several minutes
10. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the cookies and kisses to cool completely before transferring to an air tight container