Spiced Pumpkin Cookies with Raisins and Oatmeal

Mmmm.... how I love fall food. Like pumpkins. And cookies.

The following is an adaptation of a Food Network recipe found here.

A few tips

• These cookies do not really change shape much during the baking (e.g., they don't flatten out very much), so I recommend shaping them into a ball and then flattening them the way you would a burger patty. This will make them much more "cookie" like in terms of shape.
• I used a medium-grade molasses, but having tried them I think a light grade would be better.
  
• I prefer Red Flame raisins for this recipe, which are larger and more moist than your standard Thompson raisins. (This is the same variety favored by Zingermans Deli in their famous and amazingly delicious cinnamon raisin bread).
• Do not mistake pumpkin pie filling for pure pumpkin puree. They are not the same, and are not interchangeable in recipes. Pumpkin pie filling has all manner of things in it besides pumpkin like sugars and spices. Pure pumpkin puree is just pumpkin.
  
• The raisins could easily be substituted for other things like crystallized ginger, dried cranberries, currants, chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or just about anything else you'd like : - )
• I haven't tried it yet, but I bet that maple syrup (grade B preferably) would be an excellent substitute for the molasses.
  

1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour (approx. 6 oz)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (or whatever is approx. 4 oz)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup light molasses
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a
large bowl.

Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, butter and molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients and raisins into the dry ingredients until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

Grease the cookie sheets or use parchment paper. Roll the batter into little balls (about 1 inch in diameter), and then flatten each one on the cookie sheets. Bake the cookies for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.