Monday, September 22, 2014

No guilt pumpkin oat chocolate cookies

Over the weekend I decided to try to make some pumpkin cookies. My son loves sweets so I wanted to make these a little healthier so he could enjoy them and I wouldn't feel so guilty for giving him something like a cookie. I found this wonderful recipe on Pinterest and adapted it. The original recipe can be found on Cooking Classy http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/08/pumpkin-oat-chocolate-chip-cookies/.

I substituted (1/2cup) agave nectar for the white sugar and (1 cup) applesauce for the butter. The cookies came out very spongy and delicious!!

Pumpkin-Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Yield: About 4 dozen

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups quick oats
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (substituted 1 cup unsweetened applesauce)
  • 1 1/3 cups packed light-brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar (substituted 1/2 cup Agave nectar)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for 30 seconds, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy (occasionally stop and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl throughout entire mixing process). Blend in egg then blend in vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and pecans (if you want some chocolate to show through set some aside to press into tops before baking). Let batter rest 5 - 10 minutes (this just gives the oats some time to absorb the liquids so batter isn't so sticky and cookies don't spread so much).
  • Scoop dough out 2 Tbsp at a time (I used a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, which I recommend using for evenly shaped cookies and fill it heaping), and drop onto Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 12 - 14 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
  • Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we are enjoying them!!