Pumpkin enhances a classic cookie

Pumpkin, to be honest, doesn't taste like much by itself. But it has a wonderful adaptability, enhancing anything it's baked or roasted into -- especially with a good dose of spices.

The cookie presented here is a variation of the classic oatmeal cookie. The pumpkin keeps it moist, the oatmeal lends chewiness and the "pumpkin spices" deliver flavor. If that's not enough for you, add chocolate chips, dried cranberries, toasted nuts or caramel chips.

This is a good recipe to use up the leftovers from a can of pumpkin, or some of the pumpkin you cooked and pureed yourself. (See Debbie's recipe from last week.) The most important task here is to remove some of the liquid in the pumpkin so the dough is not too moist -- it needs to be easily rolled into balls.

This dough freezes well, so bake half and freeze the rest if nearly 5 dozen cookies is too much at once. Or, bake all the cookies and freeze some for later.

Pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies

Makes 55-60 cookies, especially if mix-ins are used

Ingredients: 

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not quick oats)

1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour (or use more unbleached flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons maple syrup or molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Possible mix-ins: 1 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, toasted chopped nuts or caramel chips

Instructions:

First, line a medium bowl with several paper towels. Add the 1 cup pumpkin purée. Allowed to sit for at least 15 minutes. When ready to use, blot the purée on top with more paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the spices. Then whisk in the oats, flours, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugars until fully combined and light. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the egg yolk, syrup or molasses, and vanilla, then add it to the butter mixture.

Retrieve the pumpkin purée, and add to the butter mixture, stirring until fully combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the butter-pumpkin mixture, plus whatever mix-ins you're using, if any. Fold it together until fully combined.

If time allows, put the bowl of cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or more if you want. This allows the glutens to relax and makes the dough a little easier to handle.

When ready to bake, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll it with moistened hands into balls about the size of a golf ball. Place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. If you plan on freezing some of the dough, it can be frozen after it's rolled into balls.

Now,  using moistened fingers or the bottom of a glass, flatten the cookies at least partly. If you like really crispy cookies, flatten them quite a bit.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, until at least the edges are starting to brown.

Allow cookies to cool on the pan on cooling racks for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

(To bake cookies after freezing, place dough balls on prepared pans, allow to soften somewhat and flatten, or bake straight from frozen, flattening the cookies halfway through baking if desired.)