Moosewood Mondays : Sweet Pumpkin Cookies

Quite some years ago I found a copy of 'Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant' in an english bookshop that sadly doesn't exist anymore and I fell in love with the Moosewood collective, now I own almost all their books and Mollie Katzen's too of course.

I really enjoy reading through them and was surprised when 'Volcano' Natashya started to cook Moosewood's Mondays so I'm finally joining her with one cookie recipe that manages to please all.

RECIPE

(from Moosewood Restaurant New Classic)

Yields about 42 cookies

1 cup butter, room temp (I used rice oil)

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin purée

1 egg lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped toasted peanuts (I used almonds)

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinamon, allspice, and salt, and add to the mixing bowl. Stir well to form a soft batter. Stir in the chopped nuts, raisins and, if you like, the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonsfuls onto a large, unoiled baking sheet (or two smaller ones), allowing a little space for the cookies to spread as they bake. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cookies just begin to brown slightly on the bottom.