Creating Pumpkin Spice Butter Cookies is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Incorporate Pumpkin: Stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
6. Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
7. Add Optional Ingredients: If using, fold in chocolate chips or nuts for added texture and flavor.
8. Scoop Dough: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked; this is perfect for a chewy cookie.
10. Cool: Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.