Yesterday I was feeling a little bumed, I know they were some very big midterm wins around the country, but I’m going to miss Claire and having a Senator who wasn’t afraid to explain her votes and discuss the concerns of Missourians face-to-face.  While I always wished she was a little more left-leaning, when she explained her votes I couldn’t help but agree that she was doing what was right.  

Which brings us to baking.  When baking and blue it’s important to make a recipe that you aren’t likely to screw up.  Another key is to not make something off a website that you pulled up on your phone and you keep having to refresh your phone while your fingers are covered in so much flour your phone doesn’t recognize your fingerprint……

Cut to Pumpkin Cherry Cookies.  I’d recently roasted a pie pumpkin and refrigerated the pulp without a real idea of how I would use all of it before it went bad.  First I made a stew.  Specifically this one from the Food Network, except without the poblano pepper, mustard greens, and lime. Also don’t be fooled by the chili title, it’s a stew.  My husband loved it and it made enough to eat for three days, plus we had 5 beers left to share.  So many wins there.

For the Pumpkin Cherry Cookies, I used a tried and true drop cookie recipe (re. when sad baking do something you know will be successful).  I replaced the oil with pumpkin, so they are healthy now, right? (if you ignore all the sugar), added dried cherries instead of chocolate chips, and some spices.  Now I’m not generally the biggest fan of cakey cookies (which is a result of removing almost all of the fat), but they make up for it in fall flavor festiveness.  I’ve also decided to see what it’s like to bake in grams instead of cups, but I’ll keep both measurements for ease of use.

Pumpkin Cherry Cookies

• 15 oz roasted pumpkin or 1 can pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cups or 150 grams brown sugar
• 3/4 cups or 156 grams white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups or 288 grams flour
• 3/4 cups or 68 grams rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup or 120 grams dried cherries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Beat the sugars and pumpkin until fully combined, with a stand mixer or hand mixer.  Add the vanilla and eggs, beat again until fully combined.  Add dry ingredients, mix until just combined.  Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula ensure all of the flour is combined.  Stir in the dried cherries with the spatula.  Using two spoons, drop 12 cookies at a time on a baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Yield:  Approximately 36 cookies