Hello, Autumn: Soft Cakey Pumpkin Cookies

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

Autumn is my favorite season, hands down. Crisp leaves, wooly cardigans, cozy tights, and golden sunshine. Especially right now here in the Pacific northwest, things are downright perfect. So why not celebrate all the goodness of fall with something pumpkiny?!

I'm no stranger to pumpkin cookies and I do have a favorite pumpkin cookie recipe (this oatmeal chocolate chip one to be exact) but I wanted to branch out and try something new. Introducing these soft beauties! Instead of sticking with chocolate chips, I halved the batter and threw in some butterscotch chips for variety. Two kinds of cookies in one batch? Yes please!

Be warned, if you love crispy, crunchy, chewy cookies these are not the cookies for you. Look elsewhere (and probably stay away from pumpkin cookies in general). But if you love soft, smooshy cake cookies then this is your dream cookie come true. Not only do they taste spicy from the cinnamon and cardamom, they are also super easy to whip up.

Soft Cakey Pumpkin Cookies

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

pinch of nutmeg

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg together. In another bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, sugar, oil. Beat vigorously until well combined. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla until well incorporated. Pour in the flour mixture and stir until combined. Split the batter into 2 bowls if you want to have 2 separate kinds of cookies - add chocolate chips and half the pecans in one bowl and the butterscotch chips and the rest of the pecans in the other. Stir until combined.

Line 2 baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. Drop batter by the spoonful, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies slightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops feel dry and the cookies feel spongy. Cool on a wire rack & store in a covered tin. Makes about 24 cookies.

Spring Treats!

Inspired by the spring blossoms that are currently everywhere you turn here in Vancouver, Clockwork Lemon has made these springtime sugar cookies as an ode to the trees that line her street. Click here to learn how to make your own.

Yummy Treats: Salty Sweets

I've always loved my sweet with a little extra. Sour. Spicy. Salty. It's all good. These cookies are a perfect example of taming something cloyingly sweet as butterscotch chips with some beautiful flaky smoked sea salt. I wasn't sure just exactly how my cupboard contained butterscotch chips (it's not something I've ever bought before), but I'm glad that I was able to put them to good use. The butterscotch aroma when I opened the package reminded me of old school instant puddings so I was kinda worried about the results. No fear! These are delicious, crispy and a wonderful reminder at how good salt is at bringing out the sweet.

Besides being super tasty, I like that there are no eggs involved in this recipe so if your fridge is a bit skimpy it's not a problem. Also, if you switch in high quality dark chocolate for the butterscotch chips and use a non-dairy milk (or use water instead), they make a perfect vegan snack.

Crispy Salted Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from The Canadian Baker)
1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c oats
1 1/2 c butterscotch chips
1/2 c flaked unsweetened coconut
flaky sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and the 1st salt measurement in a medium bowl.

2. In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in milk and vanilla until combined. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until just blended. Add in oats, butterscotch chips and coconut until incorporated.

3. Spoon up a large tablespoon of dough and drop it onto a cookie sheet leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Slightly press down on each lump to slightly flatten and sprinkle a flake or two of salt on each cookie. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 24 - 30 cookies.