Great Pumpkin Cookies

Okay, so these should really read: Great Sweet Potato Cookies around here, but pumpkin sounds more festive. I love these cookies. Really - they are fantastic. My favorites growing up.

I haven't had these in years... I asked my mom to dig out the recipe and send it to me, so she did. It's on a torn piece of magazine from the 1980s. Complete with the fun cookie photos I remembered.

Seriously, that picture doesn't do them justice -- they are amazing. So amazing, they even taste great with sweet potato, so now Frog Prince {who has a pumpkin allergy} can enjoy these delicious cookies too.  Or, if pumpkin happens to be in shortage in your area, know you can use sweet potato with great success.

The Great Pumpkin Cookies - Adapted from Mom

2 1/4 C flour
1 C oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C applesauce
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 - 3/4 C sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C pureed pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 C dark chocolate chips (or raisins)

Decoration:
-Icing (or peanut butter... PB is fabulous)
-Candy corn, raisins, M&Ms, etc.

Combine together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Meanwhile, cream butter. Then add the applesauce and sugars, mixing well until light and fluffy.

Add in the egg, "pumpkin" and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Then, mix together the wet and dry ingredients.

The batter will be really moist -- but that's okay. These cookies are moist too.

Feel free to shape some cookies before adding in the chocolates :)

Then, decorate away, if desired, before baking. I used dark chocolate chips and raisins.

Stir in those dark chocolate morels to the remaining batter. Yum.

Drop by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet, and spread into the shape of a pumpkin. Add a bit more dough for the stem.

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes until cookies are lightly browned.

Remove from the cookie sheet and allow pumpkin cookies to cool. Then, decorate with peanut butter/frosting and candy corn, etc., as you desire.

mmm.... a perfect decorating cookie!

Makes 19-20 cookies, depending on how large you make them!

Frog Prince loved these! He was a little leery at first (as I've been on a sweet potato for pumpkin kick lately), but he really enjoyed them. Considering he's never had pumpkin... he's really enjoying these "pumpkin" treats :)

Happy Fall!

This recipe is linked to:
Newlywed's Pumpkin Round Up,
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,
Tasty Tuesday,
Save Room for Dessert,
In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes,

Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month,
URS: Fall Favorites
Ingredient Spotlight x2
Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday