Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Chip cookies {gluten-free}

Technically fall is upon us.  Trees are putting on a dazzling show of brilliant color changes.  Apple trees are burgeoning with fruit (causing me to apply significant self-restraint not to do some urban foraging in public spaces).  October lays in wait next week.  It’s time to release the pumpkin recipes! I’ll admit I did stick a toe in the autumnal recipe lake this week with Iced Pumpkin Lattes, which seemed a perfect starter for fall but at our current mid 80’s temps.  It’s funny, growing up I really didn’t care for pumpkin.  I think it was reserved almost exclusively for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving which was never my favorite.  However when I look through my recipes now on Boulder Locavore, I have amassed an entire collection of savory, sweet and even a drink (Pumpkin Mexican Hot Chocolate) signaling times have changed…..deliciously I might add! I have been thinking about making these Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Chip cookies since the summer.  My food blogger mind does race ahead to future seasons, thinking up flavor combinations for new recipes when prompted by anything from spotting an intriguing color, ingredient or a change in the light.  Last fall I purchased several bags of seasonal baking chips which tend to only be sold in the fall and around the holidays.  I’ve had them stashed in my freezer awaiting some fun baking. These cookies taste like fall.  Moist, cakey cookies with just the right amount of spice and pumpkin.  Not too sweet but sweet enough that I recommend finding a hiding place so they don’t disappear in the blink of an eye like they did at my house!  I personally love using Oat Flour.  It has a wonderful flavor and rustic feel that works perfectly in fall baking.  As far as gluten-free flours go, it is a flour I’ve found that can be used solo (most gluten-free flours lack the binding capability traditionally provided by gluten, which is why they need to be combined to have good structure).  It added the perfect flavor touch to these cookies.  The oat flour I purchase is marked gluten-free and though I do not know of any oat flour which has gluten, a reader from Australia let me know their regular oat flour is not considered gluten-free so be sure to check for properly marked flour if you require gluten-free oat flour.

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Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Chip cookies {gluten-free}

This is a perfect cool season cookie recipe! The right touch of spice, pumpkin, sweetness and texture thanks to gluten-free oat flour. The cinnamon chips perfect them! Pecan bits may be added too.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated Sugar
• ½ Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs , room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Pumpkin Puree (homemade or store bought)
• 1 ¾ cups Oat Flour (gluten-free)*
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie seasoning
• 1 cup Cinnamon Baking Chips
• Optional: ½ Pecan Bits

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the granulated and dark brown sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in fully before adding the second egg.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree to fully combine.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
6. With the mixer running on low, spoon some of the dry ingredients into the bowl and allow to mix in fully before adding more. Mix to incorporate all the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
7. Scoop batter in heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving two inches between cookies.
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Do not over bake. Remove from oven, allow to sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool fully on a cooling rack.