The Thanksgiving leftovers are finding their places in the fridge. The Christmas lights are starting to twinkle. It’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping. You know what that means, right? It’s COOKIE BAKING TIME. I’m here for the cookies this year. Aside from cake without frosting, cookies are my absolute favorite dessert. My good friend’s Sally has a 3rd cookbook now, and it’s all about cookies. It’s called Sally’s Cookie Addiction. These pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies are like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. They’re big, chunky cookies with lots of delicious add-ins, and the texture is perfection. She uses a generous amount of pumpkin pie spice (plus an extra dose of cinnamon), copious vanilla extract, and a fun mix of cranberry, pepitas, oats and coconut flakes.
The Ingredients
Flour. The best way to measure all-purpose flour is to fluff it in the container, scoop it with the ¾-cup measuring cup, and then use a butter knife to level the surface. This ensures an accurate measurement of about 95 grams (or 3.4 ounces).Baking Soda. A small amount of baking soda (½ teaspoon) helps the cookie rise and spread in the hot oven.Pumpkin Pie Spice. This is a pre-made spice blend from the store that contains cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. Cinnamon. An extra dose of cinnamon brings more warmth to these pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies.Butter. One stick of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.Brown Sugar. We’re mainly using light brown sugar for this recipe, because the molasses makes oatmeal cookies extra chewy. You may use dark brown sugar, if that’s all you have, because both work well here.Granulated Sugar. We do need 2 tablespoons of regular white granulated sugar in addition to the brown sugar, however.Egg. One large egg that has been resting at room temperature with the butter. To quickly bring an egg to room temperature, you can gently lower it into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.Vanilla Extract. One full teaspoon of vanilla extract sounds like a lot for a small batch cookie recipe, but it’s perfect here. Always be sure to use real pure vanilla extract, not artificial.Oats. We need rolled oats, also called Old Fashioned oats. Do not use instant oats, and do not use steel-cut oats.Chocolate Chips. I reach for dark chocolate chips with at least 60% cacao for this recipe, because I think the cookies are sweet enough. You can use bittersweet or even milk chocolate chips, because it’s your choice. You need ¾ cup of chocolate chips.Coconut. I’m calling for shredded, sweetened coconut flakes here, but you can also use a desiccated unsweetened coconut here to keep the sugar down slightly.Dried Cranberries. The tartness of dried cranberries is so delicious in these cookies, but you can also swap in raisins or dried cherries, if you prefer.Pepitas. The difference between pumpkin seeds and pepitas is that pepitas are pumpkin seeds with the shell removed. These are the bright green seeds you see in the store, and you can also see them in the photos. They’re rich in iron and magnesium, so they’re so good for you! Plus, they’re a seed, making these pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies safe for those with nut allergies.
The Directions
Sally has generously allowed me to repost her recipe on my site here, but I think you’re going to want to buy the book for all of her cookie recipes. It’s such a great holiday gift, too! If I were you, I would package it up with a batch of these pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies, too! This is my new go-to Fall cookie that I don’t feel guilty about eating for breakfast because of all of the healthy extras.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies:
Since these cookies contain brown sugar, they stay soft and delicious for up to 7 days on the counter in airtight containers. I don’t recommend freezing this dough ahead of time. However, because the dough has a chill time, you can make it and chill it in the fridge for up to 4 days before baking. Freshly baked cookies can be frozen flat in storage bags for up to 3 months and defrosted at room temperature on the counter before serving.
Questions about Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies:
Storage: Since these cookies contain brown sugar, they stay soft and delicious for up to 7 days on the counter in airtight containers. I don’t recommend freezing this dough ahead of time. However, because the dough has a chill time, you can make it and chill it in the fridge for up to 4 days before baking. Just be sure to let the cookie dough rest for at least 30 minutes on the counter before scooping if its been chilling longer than 3 hours. Freshly baked cookies can be frozen flat in storage bags for up to 3 months and defrosted at room temperature on the counter before serving.
