Gluten-Free, Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Drop Cookies

So I made this popular little treats for our open house on Saturday and was asked over and over to share the recipe. I even got kid approval on these.

I like this recipe because it is a gluten free option made with real ingredients. If you use coconut oil it makes it vegan as well.

As usual I messed with the recipe a bit the second time around. I liked the result better than the first try. I wanted to both reduce the sugar and choose a higher quality sweetener. As with any cookie, take out the sugar and you take out crispiness but since this is a drop cookie it lends itself to a softer version. You could also add some dried cranberries in here for an extra pop of flavour.

Either recipe is meant as a treat. So this is not license to eat a pan full J

The original recipe from Nourishing Meals http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009/10/gluten-free-vegan-pumpkin-oatmeal.html

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

1 cup softened virgin coconut oil (or unsalted butter)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups coconut sugar, maple sugar, or brown sugar

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups oat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 to 4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a large bowl beat together, using an electric mixer, the coconut oil, pumpkin, sugar, flax seeds, and vanilla extract. Add the remaining ingredients and beat together again. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While your oven is preheating let your cookie dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. The oat flour will absorb some of the liquid during this time which helps the cookies hold their shape. 

Drop by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Remove cookies and place them onto a wire rack to cool. Cookies are best after they have cooled.

This is how I changed it up a bit....

I did not use the nutmeg. I did this for no other reason than I don’t like nutmeg.

I used raw cane sugar the first time I made these. The next time I used raw local honey and reduced the amount to ½ c.

I also increased the amount of straight rolled oats from 1 c to 1 ½ c.