Harvest Pumpkin Cookies

This is a FANTASTIC cookie recipe that is PERFECT for this fall weather. It has a super moist and cakey texture, they're so soft! It's about impossible to just eat one. Which is why I baked up this batch, ate several, decided they were dangerous, and promptly took the rest to my son's soccer practice where they disappeared in about 5 seconds flat (teenage boys have empty arms and legs you know). My son loved these and almost didn't want to share them with his teammates - and to me that says a lot about a pumpkin cookie with nuts and fruit in it! We will definitely be using this one again. The recipe says it makes 48 cookies, but I made about half that to make good sized (manly) cookies. :)

This is a recipe from Splenda, but I used Stevia since that's what I had open. I used regular brown sugar in place of the splenda brown sugar blend suggested by the original recipe, and I used about 1/4 cup of chopped pecans instead of walnuts (using up what I had left) and about 1/2 cup of cranberries instead of raisins. I highly recommend using the cranberries - they work so well with this recipe!! I used Smart Balance margarine and it worked great - so feel free to use margarine in place of butter; it will work fine in this recipe. Enjoy!

Harvest Pumpkin Cookies slightly adapted from Splenda on AllRecipes
Makes 24-48 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar substitute (such as Splenda or Stevia)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 - 3/4 cup cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar substitute and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in walnuts and cranberries. Drop by large rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.