Halloween Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Impera_Magna's Note:

My sister Carol has made these for her boys since they were little and both they and their friends loved them. Now the boys are in college, they just "have to have" them every Halloween.... so Carol sends them care packages. (Number of cookies is estimate)

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 40

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups oats
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups margarine (or Crisco)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
2. Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating til fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
4. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well between additions.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. For each cookie, drop upto 1/4 c cookie dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet; shape into "pumpkin-shape" with spatula.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
8. Decorate with icing and assorted candies, raisins, and/or nuts.

Reviews

[Chef #1409759]

I made these with Crisco (as noted as an option) to make them dairy-free. Unfortunately, I think that made them rather tasteless. I made some with choc chips, some plain, and some with craisins. The craisin ones are my favorites. The plain ones are just bland, so I wouldn't suggest that! Even with butter or margarine I don't think these would be a favorite here, not without some tweaking of seasoning at least.

[SusannaGail]

My substitutions were: unsalted butter instead of margarine, 2 small eggs instead of 1 egg and butterscotch chips instead of chocolate chips. I also cooked and mashed half a small pumpkin (about 16 oz. raw) instead of using canned pumpkin. I didn't shape or decorate the cookies. I cooked them for 15 minutes at 180C which resulted in very soft cookies (the way I like them!). The butterscotch chips were a bit too sweet so I think the chocolate chips called for would be better. I think I will try these again with a greater proportion of oatmeal and with some additional spices - maybe cloves or allspice?

[Mrs. Tingley]

These are soooooooo good. I've always loved pumpkin bread and I was looking for an oatmeal and pumking recipe. I did'nt have enough flour so I made a half batch which was plenty for just me and my husband. I even made half w/ chocolate chips and half w/o. I actually like the ones w/o better!