Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (vegan)

tried these on 5/18/08. COMPLETELY DELICIOUS.

prep time: 15 minutes | cooking time: 32 minutes | makes 4 dozen cookies

These are soft out of the oven, but as they cool they are nice and chewy. They are a serious crowd pleaser, for crowds with taste buds.

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/3 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, or cooked pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• optional: 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (for a chewier texture)

• 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350. Have ready 2 greased baking sheets.
2. Mix together flour, oats, baking soda, salt and spices.

1. In a seperate bowl, mix together sugar, oil, molasses, pumpkin and vanilla (and flax seeds if using) until very well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet in 3 batches, folding to combine. Fold in walnuts and raisins.

1. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. They don't spread very much so they can be placed only an inch apart. Flatten the tops of the cookies with a fork or with your fingers, to press into cookie shape. Bake for 16 minutes at 350. If you are using two sheets of cookies on 2 levels of your oven, rotate the sheets halfway through for even baking. You'll have enough batter for 4 trays.

1. Remove from oven and get cookies onto a wire rack to cool. These taste best when they've had some time to cool and set. They taste even better the next day!

• source: http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=187
• the “pumpkin” i used was squash that i'd frozen after thanksgiving
• mixed wet ingredients in blender since i had whole flaxseeds, not ground.
• made in two batches, since i only had one cookie sheet. i made them slightly larger and got 12 cookies per sheet for a total of 24.
• next time possibly cut the sugar a bit and/or sub raw sugar or honey for part of it. would also like to try with whole wheat flour.