Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

So I know I declared Autumn officially here like a week ago... but today it really is official!  Happy first day of Autumn, everyone!

Also, hoo-freaking-ray for the weekend being here!  Sean and I are heading back to PA this evening to stay with our friends, Adrienne and Matt.   They're our best friends, so it goes without saying that we always have a blast when with them.  I love visiting them/having them come visit us, but after everything that's been going on lately, I could really use a weekend to just chill out and have fun.  


To top it off, it's Matt's birthday today!  I know you don't read my blog, but happy birthday, Matt!  In honor of his birthday, I did a little baking.  When we get there this evening he'll be presented with a cookie brownie:

The cookie brownie is sort of a birthday tradition among our group.  It was from a boxed mix, so it isn't all that exciting... but it's still good!

and some Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal Pecan Cookies.


Whew!  Now that's a mouthful!  I found the recipe for these little beauties over at the blog SkinnyTaste.  


You'll need:


1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
2 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, unpacked
1 large egg
6 tbs canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans, chopped


*if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, check out this home made recipe here at Smells-Like-Home.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or a Silpat, if you have one).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed.

Add the egg, followd by the pumpkin and vanilla extract.  Stir in the flour and oat mixture until just combined.  Stir in the pecans.

Look at that whole grain goodness

Drop 1 tbs of dough at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies become lightly browned at the edges.  Cool on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to complete cooling.

This recipe should make ~32 1 tbs-sized cookies.

When first looking at the dough in my mixing bowl, I thought "now there is no way I'm getting 32 cookies out of this...".  Sure enough, I got 31! 

These cookies are nice and chewy, and not too sweet.  They're a nice healthy-ish alternative to the other pumpkin cookies that I baked recently (although those aren't terrible for you, either!).