Guiltless Soft Cookies

If you are looking for a healthy and filling snack, you can stop looking. These cookies are tasty, healthy, and filling.  After one or two cookies you'll be full and satisfied. There is no need to feel guilty from having a few because they are naturally sweet from dried fruit, 100% whole wheat, and contains a vegetable! Pumpkin! Just don't eat the entire batch in one sitting though ;)

Modification: I made these cookies twice, one batch with dates as the sweetener and the second batch with cane sugar as the sweetener. I adapted this recipe from Joy of Baking. Besides reducing the sugar by almost 50% or replacing it with dried fruit, I use other spices and use 100% whole wheat flour.

Taste: 
Batch 1  (contains no cane or other types of sugar): This cookie is mildly sweet from dates and raisins. The whole wheat flavor is not masked but is complimented by the dates and raisins.

Batch 2 (contains cane sugar): For those who have a sweet tooth, this version is sweeter but has much less sugar compared to commercial cookies and other cookie recipes. The sweetness is not only from cane sugar but from juicy raisins. The wheat flavor is less prominent.

Texture: These cookies are cake like because they are very soft, moist and tender. When stored in an airtight container they are super moist and will melt in your mouth. The walnuts gives the cookie a nice crunch that creates contrast from the plump juicey raisins and soft tender cookie.

 For one tablespoon sized cookies, yield:1 1/2 dozen 
Ingredients 

Organic Whole Wheat Flour (for milder wheat taste, sub half or all for whole wheat pastry flour)	1 cup (130g)
Baking Powder	1½ + ⅛ teaspoon
Baking Soda	½ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Cinnamon	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg	⅛ teaspoon
Cloves	⅛ teaspoon
Eggs (room temperature)	1
Pumpkin Puree	½ cup (120 grams)
Oil	¼ cup
Vanilla Extract	1 teaspoon
Pure Cane Sugar OR Dates	¼ cup + 2 tbs + 1 tsp (70g) sugar OR 90g mashed dates
Raisins	3/4 cup
Chopped Walnuts	3/4 cup

Method
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Mix dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices) in bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla extract, sugar or dates together. If using dates, mash them well and use a blender to mix all the wet ingredients for a smoother consistency.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until just incorporated. Then mix in walnuts and raisins.
5. Use a tablespoon to scoop dough onto cookie sheet. Give at least a  2” space between each cookie.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.