Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Forget pumpkin spice lattes, these pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the real star of the season. Perfect for cozy nights in and impressing your friends.
Confession time. I am a spice snob. No, seriously. I DO NOT buy pre-ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc. I buy them whole and grind them fresh before I use them. Nutmeg, allspice, cardamom. All those spices. I wish I could have fresh herbs, too, but that would require a rather large garden and then a drying room.
This recipe is easy, and I had almost everything in the pantry. I don’t usually keep craisins, but I grabbed a bag while grocery shopping the previous weekend so I could bake a batch. It took no time at all to make the dough. It took me a while to bake them because I was lazy and only using one pan. I wasn’t in a hurry. And since it was doing this outside, I thought it would be the perfect time to whip up a batch of these cookies.
What spices are in these pumpkin oatmeal cookies?
Cinnamon is the bark of trees from the Cinnamomum tree. The outer bark is removed and the inner bark is then peeled and dried. As the bark dries sometimes it curls into the quills we know today. It is a warm and aromatic spice that is a key ingredient in many baking recipes, including these delicious pumpkin oatmeal cookies. In addition to its delicious taste, cinnamon also offers some health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Allspice from the dried berries of the Pimenta dioica plant. Native to Jamaica it is also called the Jamaica pepper and is an integral part of the cuisine and especially jerk seasoning. Allspice is named because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It can be seen in recipes from the Middle East to Polish cuisine and even in some Swedish and Finnish recipes.
Dried ginger is made from dried ginger root. It is commonly used in baking, as well as in savory dishes and beverages. While fresh ginger is sharp and can be a bit spicy to some, dried ginger does not have the same bite to it. It has all the flavor of fresh ginger but in a more subdued and less spicy flavor.
Comparison Between Freshly Ground and Pre-Ground Spices
There are several benefits to grinding spices fresh that make the extra effort well worth it. First and foremost, freshly ground spices retain more of their natural oils and volatile compounds, which are responsible for their distinctive flavors and aromas. These oils give them a more complex and vibrant flavor which ensures that you capture the full spectrum of flavors that elevate the flavor of your dishes.
By grinding them fresh you can grind only the amount you need which keeps the rest fresh for another time. And finally, by grinding your own spices, you’re connected to the food and cooking process you don’t get by buying store bought ground spices.
Pre-ground spices, tend to lose these essential oils over time, resulting in a less intense and less aromatic product. There are expiration dates on those spice bottles for a reason. There’s not really an expiration date on whole spices in your pantry. Over time, the spices lose their flavor and you have to keep increasing the amount you add to your recipes to achieve the same results over time.
It’s best to grind spices fresh. There is a bit of an investment, but for me it’s well worth it. Thankfully one of those investments came in the form of a Christmas present to me from the hubs. He bought me a spice grinder. If you don’t have one or don’t want to purchase one, you can use a coffee grinder. He upgraded me because the coffee grinder I was using wasn’t working as well anymore.
For those more adventurous folks, you can use a mortar and pestle to grind them, too. Besides, there’s nothing to prevent you from grinding a larger batch of spices to keep in the pantry. Just be more mindful of the amount you grind and use it as quickly as you can.
Ingredients for these pumpkin oatmeal cookies
Dry ingredients – flour, old-fashioned oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, brown sugar, sugar, chocolate chips
Wet ingredients – butter, egg, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree
Instructions for making these oatmeal cookies
Preheat your oven to 325 F so it’s ready when you are. Next combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. Set this aside and grab the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Combine the sugars with the butter and cream them together until the mixture is light.
Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. Stir in the pumpkin and then scrape the sides of the bowl down. Stir again before adding in the flour mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until it starts to form a dough, and all the flour is mixed in. Finally, fold in the oatmeal and the chocolate chips.
Once the cookie dough is ready use to soup spoons or 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to drop the cookies onto your baking sheet. I line mine with a silpat mat to make for even cooking and easy clean up. Sometimes I gently flatten each cookie to make sure they’re flat and not stay rounded. Then bake them at 325 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned around the edges. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
This recipe is easy, and I had almost everything in the pantry. Initially I was thinking of adding craisins to these cookies, but I opted for chocolate chips instead. Left the craisins to make some cranberry almond oatmeal cookies. Can you tell that I like oatmeal cookies? It took no time at all to make the dough, but it took me a while to bake the cookies. I didn’t use two pans like I usually do. And I was working on something else. So, when the pan came out I had wait for it to completely cool before I could put another batch in the oven. Don’t do this. It makes the cookies take longer to bake.
It was awfully difficult NOT to devour the whole pan when they came out of the oven. The pumpkin and spices with chocolate chips? YUM! I restrained myself and only ate three. Yes. One for each batch that went into the oven to bake. I had to taste each batch and make sure they weren’t under or over cooked. You’d do the same, right? The pumpkin and spices are earthy and the chips added a sneak of sweet and rich that taste so delicious.
When the hubs came home, he had one, too. And they have made the cut, so they stay they here instead of me taking them in to work. I did take a few in to work to photograph. I had really nice light there. My desk had a huge window with great natural light. The current office, not so much. So, I have to wait until the weekend to photograph everything until winter is over then I can photograph dinner before eating it and not save the leftovers for photo shoots on the weekends.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Craving something sweet and seasonal? These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the solution. Easy to make, delicious to eat, and guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
- 1 cup margarine, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup egg substitute
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Mix dry ingredients first seven ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream margarine and the sugars until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract; stir until combined. Add pumpkin and mix again until combined, making sure to scrape the sides of bowl as necessary.
- Add dry ingredients; stirring until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Drop by tablespoons onto an un-greased baking sheet, or one lined with a silpat baking mat, two inches apart. Bake at 325 for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges.
- Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 207Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 0mgSodium 100mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 1gSugar 18gProtein 2g
So delicious! I'm so making this today.
Wish me luck!
🙂
Keep it Touched,
KG
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