Pumpkin Oat Bites...

As we get closer and closer to Thanksgiving, I'm getting in all the pumpkin consumption I can.

I mean, when do we usually eat foods that incorporate pumpkin? Around the Thanksgiving season, of course!

That is why I'm a baking fool of all things pumpkin right now. Not to mention it is one of my favorite ingredients of all time. Yes... of all time.

These are a bit similar to my Pumpkin Cookie recipe, just a bit dressed up. They qualify as dressed up because I topped them with chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache = Dressed Up

Well, it's not a traditional ganache, since there isn't any heavy cream, and I didn't use a double boiler to heat the chocolate. I totally mickey moused it, since I only added shortening to the chocolate and used a microwave to heat it. Even though I took a shortcut on the ganache, it still tastes great.

Plus, they have oats all up in there. So, they pretty much qualify as healthy, too.

Oats = Healthy

That is a total and unequivocal fact.

So, are you getting your pumpkin fix this season?



Pumpkin Oat Bites

For the Cookies:

• 2 Cups Cake Four
• 2-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1 Whole Egg, Room Temperature
• 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/4 Cups Quick Oats

For the Ganache and Garnish

• 1 Cup Milk Chocolate Morsels 
• 1 Tablespoon of Shortening
• 1/3 Cup Pecans, Chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

In a small bowl, combine the flour, powder, salt, and ground spices; set aside.

In a medium or large bowl, using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix to combine, then the pumpkin and extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix just until combined.

Add in the flour mixture, in intervals of three, mixing between each addition. Finally, fold in the quick oats. The cookie batter will be thick. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are set.

Allow the cookies to cool a few minutes after pulling them from the oven, then transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely. Once the cookies are cooled, heat the chocolate morsels and shortening in a heat proof bowl in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between. Heat until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Spoon about a teaspoon or so, of the chocolate ganache onto the tops of the cooled cookie bites. Sprinkle a bit of pecans to garnish them. Allow the ganache to dry and set, about 20 minutes. Makes around 30 cookies bites.

Enjoy!