Soft, flavorful and not overly sweet, these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are an old fashioned and from scratch recipe straight from my mom’s recipe box. With cream cheese icing, these cookies have been absolute family favorite since the 1970’s.
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I am really going to date myself when I tell you this.
I remember the day when families could pass out homemade baked goods to trick or treaters and no one blinked an eye.
To anyone born in the late 70’s or after, I know this sounds insane but there was a time when life was a little more innocent.
I remember very vividly my parents making popcorn balls and these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies just for Halloween night and our kitchen countertops being full of these treats.
As a little kid I loved sinking my teeth into my parents homemade confections and I loved even more when the tick or treaters got excited about their treats too.
Thinking back on those times kind of even blows my mind to know that it was highly acceptable to bake for the little goblin and ghouls.
Sometimes I long for those more innocent days but all I have to do is whip up a batch of these Iced Pumpkin Cookies and I am six years old again.
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
This cookie recipe is packed with so many more wholesome ingredients than most cookie recipes are. Here are some of the top wholesome ingredients that will make you feel wonderful about baking these for your family.
- Pumpkin– Full of vitamins and antioxidants, pumpkin has some pretty impressive health benefits.
- Walnuts– If the healthy fat content, protein and fiber weren’t enough reasons to consume walnuts, the heart and brain benefits certainly are.
- Oats– Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and soluble fiber makes eating this grain for the health benefits highly attractive.
Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Icing
These cookies, if made without cream cheese icing, are a wonderful breakfast cookie. If made with cream cheese icing they become a perfect Fall treat. To make the best cream cheese icing follow these tips.
- Make sure to leave both the butter and cream cheese icing out on the counter to come to room temperature at least a few hours before making. Having room temperature butter and cream cheese is the first step to creating ultra smooth frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together well before adding the powdered sugar. This will help in avoiding lumps in the frosting.
- Once everything has been added to the frosting, beat on high speed for about 5 minutes for ultra creamy and fluffy frosting.
Secrets To The Best Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Best Spices To Use
The extra addition of spices is just one element that makes these cookies to die for delicious. Not all spices are alike though. Here are my recommendations of the best tasting and quality spices.
- Both cooking and health experts agree that Ceylon Cinnamon is a higher quality cinnamon with impressive health benefits. Click here for one of the best deals on this quality spice.
- Ground cloves brings a rich aromatic flavor to these cookies.
- One additional layer of spice that rounds out the depth of flavor is ground allspice.
Measuring and Sifting Flour
Measuring– The best way to ensure that these Pumpkin Cookies do no turn out dense is to measure the flour properly. To do so, spoon the four into the measuring cup rather than scooping with the actual measuring cup. When the flour has been scooped it tends to pack the flour in. Spooning will help to ensure too much flour does not end up in your recipe.
Sifting– Sifting the flour with the spices and salt helps to break up any clumps and helps to combine the ground ingredients evenly. This is the tool I find easiest to use for sifting. Please note though that sifting is an optional step.
Ingredient Combinations
Here are a few additional ingredient combinations to replace the 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts and 1 cup raisins in equal portions.
- Dried cranberries with white chocolate chips.
- Milk chocolate chips with coarsely chopped cashews or almonds.
- Peanut butter chips with coarsely chopped peanuts.
- Butterscotch chips with dried apricots or golden raisins.
Additional Pumpkin Recipes
Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Donuts
Orange Spiced Pumpkin Cake Donuts
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Green Apple Butterscotch Cookies
Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Key Lime White Chocolate Coconut Cookies
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 3/4 cup oil *I used avocado oil
- 1 lg egg
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups canned pumpkin *16 oz
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 tbsp butter *room temperature
- 6 oz cream cheese *room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tbsp half and half * or milk (only if needed)
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Stir together with oatmeal.
- In a seperate bowl whisk together applesauce and oil until formed into an emulsion. Transfer into a stand mixer and add egg, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin. Blend until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just blended making sure to scrape down sides of bowl. Stir in nuts and raisins.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup measure dough and place onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with bowl scraper.
- Bake for 20-25 mins or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Once baked, immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool compleltey before frosting.
Cream Cheese Icing
- In a stand mixer cream butter and cream cheese until smooth and uniform.
- Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time making sure to scrape down sides of bowl. Halfway though the addittion of sugar add vanilla.
- Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 mins. *Note: Reserve adding half and half or milk and only add if frosting is too thick.
- Frost each cookie with 1-2 tbsp of frosting and sprinkle with cinnaom or favorite Halloween candies.
Notes
Nutrition
