Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Oatmeal Cookies

Yields: 15 cookies

These cookies taste just like the classic Starbucks drink! They’re supremely soft and chewy, full of warm pumpkin and cozy spices, with a hint of earthy coffee. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container—if they last that long!

for the cookies
1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
2 ½ tsp homemade pumpkin spice (see Notes)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup (183g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!)
2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
for the drizzle
3 tbsp (36g) confectioners’ style stevia
2 tsp brewed coffee

Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
To prepare the cookies, whisk together the oats, flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut oil and pumpkin. Add in the instant coffee, stirring until it fully dissolves. Stir in the vanilla and maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
While the cookies bake, prepare the drizzle by stirring together the stevia and brewed coffee in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag. Once the cookies have cooled completely and just before serving, cut off a small piece of one corner of the bag, and drizzle the cookies with the icing.

Notes: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey instead of chewy.

Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times.

For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free instant oats and the following gluten-free flour blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will also work, if measured like this.

For the homemade pumpkin spice, use as follows: 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

For the instant coffee, I use this kind (or this decaf version). Do not substitute regular coffee grounds (they don’t dissolve and will make your cookies gritty) or brewed coffee (it isn’t strong enough).

Regular powdered (confectioners) sugar may be substituted for the confectioners’ style stevia. Start with 1 teaspoon of brewed coffee to start because regular powdered sugar is much more absorbent than confectioners’ style stevia.

For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page.

{gluten-free, clean eating, vegan option, low calorie}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2017/09/10/pumpkin-spice-latte-oatmeal-cookies/