Place rack in the upper third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Clean and scrub sweet potato, pierce all over with a fork, then roast directly on the oven rack for 40 minutes, until fork tender in the thickest part of the potato. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, mash, and measure out 1 cup of puree for baking the cookies. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar until thick and smooth. Slowly mix in the oil, applesauce, and vanilla.
Carefully fold the sweet potato puree into the wet ingredients.
Add sweet potato mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Fold in by hand, just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart (they will look fairly small). Bake for 9-11 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to let cool completely.
Notes
TO STORE: Sweet potato cookies make be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.
TO FREEZE: Freeze baked cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy as desired.
TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH: You can store the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then give it a good stir before serving.
TO BAKE FROM FROZEN: You may freeze individual balls of cookie dough then bake as directed from frozen. Note that the baking time may need to increase slightly so keep an eye on them and adjust accordingly.