Pumpkin Cookies Recipe - Nutritious and Organic!

Hi Everyone! I hope your fall season has been full of fun and laughter! Here is a little pumpkin cookie recipe I tried out the other day that I would like to share with you.

Me Versus The Recipe - Explaining The Substitution Choices

     As you may have guessed by now, I love to make nutritious and healthier substitutions for certain ingredients like white/wheat flour, sugar, and heavily processed foods. I found a pumpkin cookie recipe on the back of a bag of millet flour by Bob's Red Mill (based out of Oregon and has a wide variety of gluten free, whole grain organic flours Bobs Red Mill 19493 Organic Buckwheat Flour (Google Affiliate Ad)).  I elected to substitute buckwheat flour (check out my blog post on the health benefits of buckwheat flour!) because that's my flour of choice at this time.  I picked up some fresh pumpkin (in season in Alabama) and some Simply Organic nutmeg Simply Organic 28703 Organic Coriander (Google Affiliate Ad) and ginger (Simply Organic 28639 Organic Ginger (Google Affiliate Ad).  I figured those would be items I could use up pretty easily).  I already had everything else required for the most part.  I looked up some other pumpkin cookie recipes and studied those for a minute before I got to work.

     The recipe called for canola but I personally am against this oil.  I used Spectrum Organic coconut oil instead (which I believe added to the sweetness of the cookies!). This is my go-to cooking oil for items where the mild coconut flavor imparted won't affect the overall flavor of this dish.  As a matter of fact, many proponents of coconut oil love the results achieved from using this wonderful oil.  I love the results along with the knowledge that I'm using an oil that is so very nutritious and essential for good health. (Please click the link for an article on the many wonderful uses and benefits of coconut oil that I simply just don't have the means to compile for you! However, be on the lookout for a write up in The Holistic Health Diva's blog!)

Here is a link to a brand that I myself would be interested in and purchasing from Sam's Club (for all those bulk shopping Divas out there!)

     Also, it called for 1.25 c of honey but I substituted about 0.75 c of organic agave nectar and some Stevia. I'd say I used about 1/8 c of Stevia.  Use Stevia sparingly.  Read the directions for baking with Stevia on the package and use your judgement. I don't like really sweet things so I use a little less.

     I used a small pumpkin and I cut it into chunks and steamed it in my rice cooker/steamer using the steaming basket that came with it.  It worked extremely well. The skin just peeled right off. Make sure to rinse the pumpkin well beforehand.  After it cooled, I mashed it up until it reached a smooth consistency (according to the recipe). I mixed the wet ingredients in with the pumpkin. Then I whisked together the dry ingredients and added to the wet little by little stirring them in well before adding more.  This creates a thick, pourable batter.

     I poured the batter on eco-friendly wax paper laid  atop of a cookie sheet, no greasing necessary.  I used a spatula to remove the cookies and was able to remove them rather easily. I didn't break a single cookie!

     All in all, it was pretty easy. I hope my background story helps make it an even easier feat for you aspiring and/or mature green home cook divas out there!

The Recipe

Dry Ingredients:

• 2.5 c buckwheat flour (The recipe itself calls for 2 c of millet flour AND 0.5 c buckwheat, soy, or amaranth flour. I only used buckwheat and I was pleased with results.)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp sea salt
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg
• 0.25 tsp ginger
• Raisins (optional) - I did not include 
• 1 c chopped nuts (optional) - I did not include

Liquid Ingredients:  *see my substitutions above

• 0.5 c canola oil *
• 1.25 cups honey *
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbsp molasses (optional) - I did not include
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract (optional) - I included
• 1-1.5 c cooked mashed pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients.  Pour onto cookie sheet in medium size circles/ovals.  Bake 12-14 minutes.  

     Cookies will be soft and "cake like" Mine turned out very moist and sweet and I could only taste the Stevia slightly! I taste tested with a friend who said it needed more sugar until he found out there was NO sugar! Then he said it was great for a no sugar cookie! So there you go! The evidence concludes healthy can be very tasty too! And NOT taste diet-like!

Happy Fall Season, ya'll!