Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

On the way to the grocery store last weekend, Scott got an out-of-the-blue urge to make some kind of pumpkin oatmeal raisin treat.

I’m usually the one with the pumpkin sweet tooth around here.  Has anyone noticed the only baking and desserts featured on the blog so far are Pumpkin Spice Muffins, Pumpkin Roll and Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt? It’s a slight addiction of mine, especially in the midst of Fall.

When we got back to the house, I realized the can of “pumpkin” I remember seeing earlier in the pantry was actually a can of sweet potato puree. Oops.

I was saving the sweet potato puree to try out muffin recipe, but figured we could substitute it give it a go anyways.  Give it a go we did, and within less than five days the 3-4 dozen of cookies laying around were nowhere to be found.

*Disclaimer: I try to feature healthy versions of baking on the blog, but I gave Scott full control over this one.  Please note there is more sugar and butter in this recipe than I normally prefer to cook with.

He based our cookies off of the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies recipe from My Baking Addiction, leaving out the cherries and chocolate, substituting in raisins and sweet potato puree for pumpkin.

Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 can sweet potato puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

cook time:

yields: 48 cookies

option to add:

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cherries; roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

Add sweet potato puree, egg and vanilla extract; mix well.

Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are incorporated.

Fold in raisins (and/or white chocolate chips and cherries).

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.

Pictured above is the first batch we made, where the cookies are a little larger.  A little less dough in each spoonful worked better.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!