In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice blend, and ground cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set this dry mixture aside for later.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, add the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar. Beat them together on low speed until the mixture is well blended and slightly fluffy. This step helps introduce air, which will make your cookies lighter.

Add the pumpkin puree to the creamed shortening and sugar mixture (from Step 2). Continue to mix until well combined. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix just until everything is incorporated. I like to use pure vanilla extract here for a richer flavor.

To the wet mixture (from Step 3), add about one-third of the dry ingredients (from Step 1) and mix just until blended. Repeat with another third, then the final third, making sure not to overmix. Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.

Set your air fryer to 300°F. Line a dehydrator cooking rack with parchment paper that has holes in it. Using a #40 cookie scoop, scoop out four portions of dough onto the rack. Flatten the tops of the dough balls into disc shapes using a wet finger to prevent sticking. Carefully lower the tray into the air fryer basket, securing the parchment with silicone magnets if needed. Air fry the cookies for 12 minutes. Remove the tray to a heat-safe surface to cool. Repeat as needed with the remaining dough until all cookies are baked. For best texture, I let the cookies cool completely before storing—this helps the flavors meld together.