My my what a crazy busy week it has been! All I can say is that I am utterly relieved that it is Friday. Are you?
Lately it feels as if winter has arrived a little early. Mornings are frigid even with my layers of clothing, and the kids out in the yard squeal in excitement whenever they see a puff of their breath in the air. Oh, the simple pleasures of early childhood where everything in the world is still so new and filled with wonder. I suppose one luxury of being a teacher doing early morning yard duty is getting to witness these newly turned five year olds make discoveries and form conclusions about the world around them.
Yet as much as I enjoy being outside, the biting cold can only be tolerated for so long. With it still being the holiday season and the temperatures having dropped so low, all I really want is a nice sweet treat that’ll keep my tummy happy. Anyone dying for some more pumpkin related treats? Because oh yes, I have one for you.
It’s soft, sweet, fluffy, chocolate-y, pumpkin-y, and oh yeah, it’s totally healthy for you. I combined almond meal and all purpose flour in this cookie to keep the texture from becoming too dense and to keep it staying more cookie-like while still containing many great nutrients.
This cookie is naturally sweetened using my favorite kind of baking sweetener: Date Puree! Note: I baked these cookies on a baking sheet lined with Silicone Baking Mats. They’re much more environmentally friendly and the cookies come off of them very easily.
- 1 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1 cup date puree
- 1½ cup almond meal
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil, date puree, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree together until smooth. (It'll be easier with an electric mixer or kitchen aid)
- In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal, all purpose flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients as you're mixing. Mix the ingredients well and then gently fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Using a spoon, scoop some dough (about 2 Tbsp, not too much), roll it into a ball, and then flattening that ball onto a baking sheet. Do this for the rest of the dough. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven for 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
- Note: Bake for 12 minutes if your cookies are very large (like mine!)
- Cool the cookies at room temperature for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to continue cooling.
The flavor in these homemade cookies is perfect for the season. They were a definite hit with my family and quickly disappeared from their plate. Try them out this weekend! If you’re going to have some cookies, at least have some homemade ones, right?
Have a great weekend and stay happy and healthy y’all!
Leave a Reply