Walnut Pumpkin Cookies

DESCRIPTION

Soft, moist and spicy, these drop cookies can also be baked in a sheet pan and cut into bars.

Total Time
1 Hr, 5 Mins
Serves
55
Meal
Snack
Course
Desserts

Total Time

Prep Time
20 Mins
Cook Time
45 Mins
Total Time
1 Hr, 5 Mins

Nutrition

Calories
90 cal
Total Fat
5 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2 g
Cholesterol
18 mg
Sodium
50 mg
Carbohydrates
12 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Protein
2 g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin or canned pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon plain salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped California walnuts, toasted
  • 1 cup raisins
  • Extra California walnuts for garnish

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and cover cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of the honey with the butter until smooth. Add the canola oil, and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the pumpkin, olive oil and the remaining 1/2 cup of honey.
  3. Combine and stir together with a fork or whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add to the pumpkin mixture in three parts, stirring until smooth after each addition. Stir in the walnuts and raisins. The cookie dough will be quite soft; chill for 30 minutes before baking.
  4. To make drop cookies, drop blobs of dough, about 2 tablespoons each, onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart (these will not spread much). Top with a walnut quarter, pressing it into place gently.
  5. Bake about 15 minutes, until the cookies are firm and lightly browned around the edges. Cool a minute or two, then transfer to racks to cook completely.
  6. To make bar cookies, grease a 13- x 9-inch baking pan or coat with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the dough evenly in the pan and bake about 40 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed gently with your finger, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then cut into bars.
  7. Store in an airtight container, and freeze any cookies you will not eat within three days.