Pumpkin Nut Cookies

A delicious, puffy and cake like pumpkin nut cookie that is packed full of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and walnuts.  A cookie worthy of all your Fall get togethers.   

Do you love pumpkin?  Who doesn’t!  Be sure to try these Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese muffins.

They say third time is a charm, right?!  Well that is the case with these pumpkin nut cookies.

You see, I’ve made them every year.  But every year I decided I need to change the recipe because it’s from 1956 and it might need some updating.  Lesson.  When your grandmother has a recipe for pumpkin nut cookies, DO NOT CHANGE IT.

She knows what she is doing people.

The first year, I decided that I hated shortening, so I used extra butter.  This is never a bad thing but I just didn’t love them.  Not to mention the pictures I tried to take for the blog back in 2015 were atrocious.

Last year, I made them again and decided, ok I’ll use shortening.  Well I think the shortening I purchased was low-grade, because I swear I felt as though I was eating some sort of plastic.  To the trash can they went.

This year.  This year was different.  When you purchase shortening, buy Crisco and go for the butter kind.

I made the recipe EXACTLY how my grandmother had it written and the result.  A delicious cake like pumpkin nut cookie, worthy of all your Fall get togethers.

Let’s back up just a hair.  We go to my grandmother’s house every year in Sheridan, Wyoming.  She passed away 10 years ago but my father lives there now and it’s our annual reunion spot with all of our family.

Every year while we’re out there, I get the thrill of looking through her recipes.  I only wish I had the thrill of people in the kitchen with her when I was little actually cooking these recipes.  But being 1200 miles away, this just wasn’t possible.

So I’ve taken the recipes home, made a few for my family and vow to make more each year.

These pumpkin nut cookies got my attention for a couple of reasons.  1. Pumpkin 2.  It’s from a cookbook that was a collaboration between “the interns and resident’s wives club from the Fresno County General Hospital” from 1956. 3.  you can tell this cookbook was well-loved and used often.

So, this month, for our  Festive Foodies Event Planning Group on Facebook, the event was Community cookbook club.  #CookbookMonth!  I pulled out a few church recipe books I had collected over the years but then it dawned on me that there was no better cookbook than the one that my grandmother contributed to.

So, for today, I bring to you these Pumpkin Nut Cookies.  They are packed with pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, walnuts and one unexpected ingredient, lemon extract.  Do not leave this out.  It makes these cookies.  I was thinking it was strange but it’s simply amazing in here.

These are a cakey cookie, that’s soft, puffy and sweet.  They’re perfect for dunking into some coffee or cuddling up on the couch and watching some Fall tv.

I’m so glad that after 3 years I got my head on straight and made them exactly how they were intended.  Therefore, I am telling you, do not change this recipe.  Grandma knows best!

Print

Pumpkin Nut Cookies

Prep 10 mins

Cook 10 mins

Total 20 mins

Author Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Yield 32 servings

A delicious, puffy and cake like pumpkin nut cookie that is packed full of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and walnuts.  A cookie worthy of all your Fall get togethers. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together brown sugar and shortening.
3. Add in eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and lemon extracts.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour through cinnamon.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients (pumpkin mixture) and mix to combine.
6. Fold in nuts.
7. Drop by 1 1/2 tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Courses Dessert

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving

Amount Per Serving
Calories 105
% Daily Value
Total Fat 6 g		9%
	Saturated Fat 1 g	5%
Cholesterol 12 mg		4%
Sodium 52 mg		2%
Total Carbohydrates 12 g		4%
	Dietary Fiber 1 g	4%
	Sugars 11 g
Protein 1 g		2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

As I said, I have a collection of my Grandmother’s recipe.  She was starting a book for all of us grandchildren, of her favorite recipes, but unfortunately wasn’t able to finish.  She passed away 3 months before I got married.  I hope she’s up there smiling down on me and proud that I’ve taken up a love of cooking, as she had.

I will make it a point to make some of her recipes and share them here with you.  I’ll make a section on the blog and name it something like, “Grandma knows best.”  I know one thing is for sure, I will not be making any substitutions! ?

Don’t miss these awesome community cookbook recipes for #CookbookMonth!

• Apple Cake from Making the Most of Naptime
• Cream of Tomato Soup from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Funeral Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Magic Coconut Bars from Family Around the Table
• Pigs in a Blanket from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Polish Noodles and Cabbage from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Nut Cookies from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

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