Name: Pumpkin Hermits
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour or half all-purpose, half whole wheat; 1 tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ cup butter or non-hydrogenated margarine, softened; 1 cup packed brown sugar; ¾ cup canned pure pumpkin; 1 large egg; ¼ cup dark molasses; 1 tsp vanilla; ½ cup dried fruit: raisins, dried cranberries and/or chopped dried apricots, or a combination; ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Pumpkin Hermits

AuthorJulie

2 cups all-purpose flour or half all-purpose, half whole wheat

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup butter or non-hydrogenated margarine, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup canned pure pumpkin

1 large egg

¼ cup dark molasses

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup dried fruit: raisins, dried cranberries and/or chopped dried apricots, or a combination

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, pumpkin, egg, molasses and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and stir by hand until almost combined; add raisins or other dried fruit and stir just until blended.

Drop large, rounded spoonfuls of dough 2” apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until just set — springy to the touch around the edges, but you still leave a slight dent if you touch them in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Categorycookies & squares, preserves, snacks