Chewy Cinnamon Spice Cookies

My cupboards are full and happy, Just the way I like them to be! For some neurotic reason I straighten them out a few times during the week. It's good to know what I have purchased during one of my famished trips to the grocery store. All my money seems to go into baking supplies. I try to buy 'real food' but like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to the aisle which is filled with flours, sugars, nuts, chocolate, and interesting flavoured baking chips. So if you were to ever come over, you would think I was a basket case. My refrigerator is empty, save for a few yogurts, about 3 cases of sticks of butter, 2 cartons of eggs, and a ridiculous amount of heavy whipping cream. My cupboards, however, hold enough food supplies that could keep me baking in blissful ignorance for months during a nuclear fall out. I had a bag of Hershey's cinnamon chips in my cupboard since August before I finally decided to do something with them. The only think which kept me from using them was a fear that they would have that waxy, artificial taste that some baking chips contain. On their own the chips did not have much of a cinnamon flavour, But I wanted to give them a fighting chance and hopefully breathe some life into them via a chewy cookie. I think that the baking process really brought out the cinnamon flavour that had been hiding in the cold, hard chips. That and the addition of ground cinnamon. I also threw in a little bit of nutmeg and allspice in honor of the Autumn season. A mild spicey warmth of the throat is a welcome feeling when the weather is chilly.
For the cookie dough, I just used the bones of a chocolate chip cookie recipe. The only difference was the use of cinnamon chips, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. They were pleasently chewy in the middle, with a nice caramely crunch along the edges (thanks to an overnight refrigeration).If I were to make these again, I would like to try adding some dark chocolate and/or chopped walnuts. The cookies needed a little something extra to cut into the sweetness. But everyone liked the taste!If you are in a hurry, you don't have to refrigerate the dough as long as I did. But at least let it chill for an hour. And be sure to keep an eye on it. As with all cookie doughs, people can't seem to keep from sneaking a spoonful or two from the bowl. They think I can't tell. But trying to cover up the tracks of a spoon with more tracks of a spoon just doesn't work.
Chewy Cinnamon Spice Cookies
* printer friendly recipe *

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ( 2 sticks of butter ) at room temp.
• 1 cup of packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pf granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. of salt
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. of baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. of allspice
• 1 10oz package of Hershey's cinnamon chips

Method:
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars together for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed for about 1 minute. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. With a large wooded spoon, stir in the cinnamon chips.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a heaping tablespoon for each cookie and place at least 2 inched apart on cookie sheets. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. The cookies should still be soft in the middle. Let them sit on the sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.