I am always on the look out for a good cookie recipe to add to my collection. Pumpkin Cookies are my latest addition. It seems that cookies can be classified as either everyday, holiday, or seasonal, and I would put Pumpkin Cookies in the seasonal category as they have the look, smell, and taste of Fall. Pumpkin Cookies are a wonderfully soft and spongy textured cookie with the earthy flavor of pumpkin and its complementary spices (ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves). They go very well with a tangy cream cheese frosting, although if you are putting these cookies in your child’s lunchbox you may want to leave off the frosting and instead add, to the batter, either one cup of chopped pecans or walnuts or else one cup of chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk).
When you read through the recipe you may be surprised to find canola oil listed as one of the ingredients. Most Pumpkin Cookies recipes use butter, but while canola oil may be tasteless and odorless, it makes up for this by being a “healthy” fat (not a saturated fat) and by giving these cookies a lovely soft and spongy texture similar to a cake. I adapted this recipe from Elinor Klivans’ Big Fat Cookies which is a perfect name for these these cookies as they are just that. The batter is simple to make and you can use canned pumpkin puree instead of making your own from fresh pumpkin. Just make sure you do not buy the pumpkin puree which has the spices already added to it. I love to frost these cookies with a cream cheese icing which has a nice tangy flavor and a smooth and creamy texture which goes so well with these cookies.
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