Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and Pecans

This recipe and photo was generously shared with us by Lisa Balcom of The Unlisted Table. Lisa writes: 

When fall rolls around, my kitchen becomes a cookie factory, and these cookies are always at the top of the list. They have everything I want in a fall cookie: hearty oats, crunchy toasted pecans, sweet-tart cranberries, pumpkin, and just enough warm spice to tie everything together. The pumpkin isn’t meant to dominate here. Instead, it adds moisture and softness, giving the cookies a wonderfully chewy center with lightly golden edges.

Together with her husband, Patrick, Lisa Balcom develops recipes and curates private dining experiences as the Unlisted Table in the Lexington, KY area. Lisa uses her background in pastry and bread baking to create a seasonal menu with thoughtfully sourced ingredients. 

Yield: 30 cookies

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (85 g) Janie's Mill All-Purpose Flour
• 3⁄4 cup (71 g) Janie's Mill Oat Flour
• 2 1/3 cups (213 g) Janie's Mill Oat Flakes (rolled oats)
• 1 cup (142 g) pecan pieces, toasted
• 1 cup (170 g) dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (1 g) pumpkin spice mix (see recipe below)
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup (142 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (about 50 g out of the shell)
• 1⁄4 cup (61 g) pumpkin purée

Pumpkin Spice Mix

• 2 tablespoons (12 g) ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons (12 g) ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon (6 g) ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon (7 g) ground turmeric

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool completely before adding them to the cookie dough.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, oat flour, rolled oats, cooled
4. toasted pecans, dried cranberries, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
   
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Mix on low at first until everything is moistened, then increase the speed to medium and cream until light and fluffy.
6. Add the egg and beat well until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
7. Add the pumpkin purée and mix until smooth and evenly incorporated. Scrape the bowl once more as needed.
8. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix just until the flour disappears and the oats, pecans, and cranberries are evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.
9. Scoop the dough into 1-ounce (28 g) portions and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press each portion into a disc about 1⁄2 inch thick. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and lightly golden around the edges but still pale and soft in the centers. Don’t wait for the centers to look completely baked; the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
10. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
11. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The portioned raw cookie dough also freezes beautifully. Freeze the portions on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for longer storage.