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Pillowy Pumpkin Snacking Cookies

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 11 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 3 tablespoons 45 mL virgin coconut oil, softened
  • ½ cup 125 mL lightly packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup 75 mL unsweetened pumpkin purée
  • ½ teaspoon 2 mL pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL ground flax
  • ¾ teaspoon 4 mL ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon 2 mL baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon 2 mL freshly grated nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon 0.5 mL ground cloves
  • Dash of ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon 1 mL fine sea salt
  • 1 cup 250 mL whole-grain or white/ light spelt flour

Coconut Whipped Cream

  • 1 14-ounce/400 mL can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons 15 to 30 mL sweetener (maple syrup, powdered sugar, cane sugar, etc.), to taste
  • 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped, or ½ teaspoon (2 mL) pure vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl using electric beaters, beat together the coconut oil, sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add the cinnamon, ground flax, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and salt. Beat until combined. Add the flour and beat again until combined. The dough should be moist and easy to roll into balls.
  4. Shape the dough into large balls, about 2 packed tablespoons (30 mL) each. Place the balls 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten the balls, or the cookies will not be as fluffy.
  5. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies have puffed up. Some might be lightly cracked on the surface.
  6. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  7. Pipe Coconut Whipped Cream onto the cookies, if desired (make sure they are completely cool or the cream will melt). Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or freeze them for up to 2 weeks.

Coconut Whipped Cream

  1. Chill the can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
  2. About 1 hour before making the whipped cream, chill a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer in the freezer.
  3. Open the can and scoop the solid white coconut cream into the chilled bowl. Discard the coconut water or save it for another use (such as coconut water ice cubes).
  4. Using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add the sweetener and vanilla bean seeds (if using), and beat again.
  5. Cover the whipped cream and return it to the fridge until ready to use. It will firm up when chilled and soften at room temperature. The whipped coconut cream will keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze it in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. After chilling in the fridge, let sit at room temperature until it softens slightly and then rewhip it as needed.

Recipe Notes

Note from Angela Liddon, author of Oh She Glows Every Day: “Some brands of canned coconut milk are better than others for making whipped cream, and some cans of the same brand may even vary quite a bit. For whatever reason, the cream and water in some brands or cans does not separate. A few of the most consistent brands for making coconut-whipped cream are: Thai Kitchen full-fat coconut milk, Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream, and Native Forest. I keep a few cans of full-fat coconut milk in my fridge at all times so I have backups in case I get a “dud.” If you happen to get a dud, don’t be discouraged. Try out one of the brands I’ve listed here, and be sure to chill it for at least 24 hours. If all else fails, So Delicious Coco Whip is a handy store-bought alternative to homemade coconut whipped cream. You can find it in the freezer section of some grocers like Whole Foods”.