Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

 

The weather is cooling down here. Today was overcast with some drizzling rain.  Finally some beautiful FALL baking weather!  With daytime temperatures in the mid 60's and night-time lows in the low 40's, having the oven on for a bit takes the chill off in here.  Ahhh.

There are so many flavors and scents that celebrate fall.  Today I've had a simmer pot going with apple slices, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Oh! and one clove. A perfect scent to enjoy as I looked out the window at the trees changing color and the fields around in various stages of grain and potato harvest.  I almost baked Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins, but I had one cup of pureed pumpkin in the freezer leftover from last weeks batch of Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (one of our family favorites!), so I decided I'd better use that before I forget it's in there.  Sometimes I just delay throwing food away by putting it in the freezer to age first.  Not particularly thrifty or efficient, but it's life here more often than I'd like to admit!  

 It has been a while since I made Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies.  I had forgotten how soft and flavorful they are! I added chocolate chips but this cookie is good without them as well.  They mix up quick and easy into more of a batter than a dough.  Today I replaced half a cup of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour.  I've been doing this more lately when I'm baking to make food a tad more healthful.  Yes, it has plenty of sugar and butter, but it also has some good for you fiber with the oats and whole wheat flour!  Pumpkin is pretty nutritious too.  I don't know how you feel about that, but I'm counting it as a healthier treat option!

I can't remember where I found this recipe but I remember making it at the first home we lived in after I was married many many years ago!  I'm pretty sure it came out of an old farm magazine.  That would make it about as old as the plate and cup I used for the picture. (I may have a slight dish collecting obsession.  These were thrifted recently but match a set that my mother-in-law had when she was first married.  I think they're circa late 1940's- early '50's.) 

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup white sugar

1 Cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Cup rolled oats (I usually use quick oats but old fashioned works too)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup pureed pumpkin

1 1/2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream the butter and both sugars until smooth.  Add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix until well blended.  Drop on cookie sheets in a golf ball sized blob.  Leave as is, or flatten with the bottom of a glass that is well floured.   Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Best enjoyed with a nice cold glass of milk!

Joy's Notes:   I like to bake just 2 or 3 cookies on the first sheet.  If they spread too much I add a few more tablespoons of flour.   If I flatten them before baking, I bake a minute less than if I just drop that dollop of batter and leave it.   Leave them on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes to cool and then carefully loosen before removing to a cooling rack.