Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was going to wait until next week to share this recipe with you, but I couldn't keep these cookies a secret so I just had to post it tonight. That and I'm procrastinating packing and cleaning my house before people come to see it in a couple days (we're moving to another part of the city).

These were a bit of an experiment to start, taking inspiration from this recipe and making them completely vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free. I wasn't sure right from the get-go how these would turn out, and it didn't help matters that I forgot to set a timer and thought I'd for sure burned them when I realized they'd been in for half an hour. But in the end, these turned out SO well. I'm even going to be bold and say that they might be the best (vegan, gluten free) cookies I've ever made! They're crunchy on the outside, and oh so delicious and chewy on the inside.


Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp hot water)
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional, but delicious)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Start by making the flax egg, by combining freshly ground flax with hot water. Allow this to sit for a few minutes while you combine the dry ingredients. I made the "egg" in the large mixing bowl to avoid dirtying an extra bowl.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the coconut oil and flax egg. My coconut oil wasn't melted so it doesn't matter if yours is or not.
5. Mix in remaining wet ingredients.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, and beat until a smooth texture is reached.
7. Fold in oats and chocolate chips.
8. Spoon dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They won't spread too much, so they only need to be an inch or so apart. 
9. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The longer you leave them the crunchier they will be, so cooking time is up to your personal taste.

Notes

This was my first time baking with brown rice syrup, and I loved how crunchy it turned the cookies on the outside while keeping them moist and chewy on the inside. Brown rice syrup can be found at a health food store near the other sweeteners. If you're not worried about these being vegan, feel free to use honey instead.

My batch probably would have made 13 or 14 cookies, but I ended up eating the remaining batter once I had 12 cookies on my sheet. You could of course do the same (it was delicious, and egg-free so ok to eat raw), or if you have a large baking sheet you might be able to make your cookies a bit bigger.


I hope you are enjoying this pumpkin season as much as I am! Let me know how these turn out for you in the comments below, or over on Facebook!

Pumpkin 101

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year - pumpkin season! I am so in love with pumpkins in all their versatile glory. This wonderful winter squash can be used in so many ways. There's pumpkin pie, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin pie, the list goes on! Even the seeds can be roasted and enjoyed as a delicious crunchy treat.

Did you know that aside from pumpkins being delicious they are also incredibly good for you? High in fibre, vitamins A, C and E, iron, potassium and antioxidant beta-carotene, pumpkins and their seeds boast a variety of health benefits.

How to Roast a Pumpkin

If you're planning on roasting your own pumpkin, you'll need to start with the right kind. Ignore the big field pumpkins you see outside the grocery store - these are great for jack-o'-lanterns but not much else. You'll want to look for a Sugar Pumpkin, which is much smaller, and much tastier. Look for a pumpkin that is heavy for it's size.

When you've picked the perfect pumpkin, the first step is to slice it in half. This can take a bit of upper body strength, so be prepared to use your muscles!

Once halved, scoop out the seeds and stringy core until the inside is free of any stringy flesh.

Preheat your oven to about 400F, and place pumpkin halves cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. I line mine with tinfoil prior to baking to make for easy clean up.

Bake for about 45 mins to an hour or until a fork can easily pierce the pumpkin's skin.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before eating, or using to make homemade pumpkin puree...

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

Although the canned variety of pumpkin puree can be found year round, nothing beats a freshly roasted pumpkin straight out of the oven. Making homemade pumpkin puree is so simple once you've roasted your sugar pumpkin.

Simply scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins, and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Pumpkin puree can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer to enjoy year round! 

How to Roast Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted pumpkin seeds make for a delicious, healthy treat, and they're super easy to make. I usually toss the seeds in olive oil and sprinkle a bit of herbamare or sea salt prior to roasting, but the flavour possibilities are endless!

Once you've halved your pumpkin, you'll need to separate the seeds from the stringy bits of flesh. There's not really anything you can do with the leftover pumpkin flesh, so that can head right for the compost.

Rinse the seeds, and place in a pot filled with salted water - about 1/2 to 1 tsp for a medium pot.

Bring the water and seeds to a boil, and reduce slightly to a simmer for 10 minutes (uncovered).

Drain the seeds and dry slightly with a clean tea towel or paper towel (they might stick a little bit, but just use your fingers to get them off the towel).

Next, place on a baking sheet and massage with a small amount (1/2 tsp or so) of extra virgin olive oil and seasoning of your choice (sprinkling them with a bit of fine grain salt is always simple and delicious).

Lay out the seeds in a single layer, and bake for about 18-20 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.

In the last few minutes of cooking remove a couple seeds, let cool and have a taste. You want your seeds to be crunchy, and the inner seed should be slightly golden but not brown. When done, remove seeds, let cool slightly, and enjoy!

Roasted pumpkin seeds can be eaten whole, or by cracking open to eat the inner seed.

I hope you enjoy this pumpkin season as much as I already am! Please feel free to share your favourite pumpkin recipes in the comments below, and keep your eye out for my Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe coming soon!