Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with 'C'!

As promised, here I am posting a week later, my invisible internet friends! This week has certainly had its ups and downs, but so long as at the end of a long day I can find time to spend in the kitchen I can collect my cool and brace myself for the next day just fine.

Today's post has been inspired by finally getting my hands on pumpkin! Alright, yes, it is from a can this time, but my CSA did just provide me with a rather adorable little pumpkin of my own, so I just might try my hand at making that into soup later this week! If not, I have another can of organic pumpkin puree in my cabinet.

Now while I wanted to make some pumpkin-infused molasses cookies, molasses was not something in my cupboard nor was it something I thought to purchase earlier this week. Instead, I bring to you what I can only think to call Autumn's Cookies. I realize now that they have a very similar flavor profile to the muffins I posted about last time, but I hope you can appreciate them nonetheless!

Autumn's Cookies

(based on Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies)

Yields: 35-40 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups oats (I used quick cooking oats)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 - 2 cups finely chopped apple

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare cookie sheet by coating with favorite cooking spray or lining with a silicone mat.
2. Beat butter and sugars together fluffy.
3. Add flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt to butter and sugar mixture.
4. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
5. Fold in dried fruits, nuts, and chopped apple.
6. Drop tablespoon-sized globs of cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets in your desired size. These cookies do not spread out a ton, so if you want them bigger or smaller this is really up to you, but be sure to watch them carefully as their cooking time is bound to change. Also, if you want them flatter, be sure to press them down before you send them into the oven. Otherwise, you will have a fuller, puffy cookie. Either way- delicious and deceptively light and healthy tasting!
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. This may be hard to discern, so feel free to take out the sheet after 13 minutes and insert a toothpick in one and see if it comes out clean. You can also test whether they are done by seeing if the top of the cookie still moist. You do not want this, because it means your cookie is going to stay uncomfortably similar to the texture of the original pumpkin puree.
8. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes or until they can be transferred safely to a cooling rack without the chance of them crumbling apart during the move.
9. Enjoy once they're cool enough to consume!