Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
When fall rolls around, my kitchen becomes a cookie factory, and these Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Oat Cookies are always at the top of the list.
They have everything I want in a fall cookie: hearty oats, crunchy toasted pecans, sweet-tart cranberries, pumpkin, and just enough warm spice to tie everything together. The pumpkin isn't meant to dominate here. Instead, it adds moisture and softness, giving the cookies a wonderfully chewy center with lightly golden edges.
They're also easy to adapt for gluten-free baking, making this a great cookie to have in your fall rotation. Pair one with a cup of coffee or tea and you've got autumn coziness in every bite.
Ingredients
⅔ cup (85 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (71 g) oat flour
2⅓ cups (213 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (142 g) pecan pieces, toasted
1 cup (170 g) dried cranberries
2 teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon (1 g) pumpkin spice mix
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (142 g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
1 large egg (about 50 g out of the shell)
¼ cup (61 g) pumpkin purée
For baking at altitude: Reduce the baking soda to ½ teaspoon (2 g).
Gluten-Free Option
Replace the all-purpose flour with ½ cup (56 g) tapioca flour and ½ cup (56 g) coconut flour. Be sure your oat flour and rolled oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool completely before adding them to the cookie dough.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, oat flour, rolled oats, cooled toasted pecans, dried cranberries, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Mix on low at first until everything is moistened, then increase the speed to medium and cream until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and beat well until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the pumpkin purée and mix until smooth and evenly incorporated. Scrape the bowl once more as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix just until the flour disappears and the oats, pecans, and cranberries are evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.
Scoop the dough into 1-ounce (28 g) portions and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press each portion into a disc about ½ inch thick.
Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and lightly golden around the edges but still pale and soft in the centers. Don't wait for the centers to look completely baked; the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Storage
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
The portioned raw cookie dough also freezes beautifully. Freeze the portions on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for longer storage.
Baker's Note
These aren't meant to be pumpkin cookies with a few extras thrown in. The small amount of pumpkin works with the brown sugar to give the cookies their soft, chewy texture, while the oats, toasted pecans, cranberries, and warm spices remain the stars.
And toast those pecans. It's a small extra step, but it brings out their nuttiness and makes a noticeable difference against the tart cranberries and warm pumpkin spice.
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