Pumpkin Cookies

These taste like warm oatmeal cookies with a creamy pumpkin filling you'd find in a donut. Yes I said the word donut on my blog ;)  The fat content is minimal because we use organic extra-virgin coconut oil, plus they’re gluten-free!  It's always a win if you can stay on target with your goals and please the whole family, while indulging. You don't have to disown sweets to tone and lose weight and these are in line with 21-Day Fix container system.  

SERVES: 9 (1 pie each)

INGREDIENTS - COOKIES:

I served these with creamy peanut butter on top and they were delicious too. I stored in the fridge and we used them in school lunches, breakfast with yogurt, dessert with cream filling or like this (above). You can't go wrong.

  • 1 cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats

  • ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour

  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp. baking powder

  • ¼ tsp. sea salt (I prefer Himalayan salt)

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin organic coconut oil

  • ¼ cup coconut sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

  • ½ cup chopped raw walnuts (opt)

INGREIDENTS - PUMPKIN FILLING:

  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

  • ½ tsp. unflavored gelatin (preferably from grass-fed cows)

  • ½ cup 100% pure pumpkin puree (this is hard to find in Australia)

  • 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar

  • 1 pinch sea salt (I prefer Himalayan salt)

  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp. ground ginger

  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

  • 1 dash ground cloves

  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS - COOKIES:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F or 160º C

  2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with spray (I prefer Olive Oil spray).

  3. Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Set aside.

  4. Combine oil and sugar in a medium bowl. Using electric mixer beat until light and fluffy.

  5. Add egg and extract; beat until well blended.

  6. Gently fold in oat mixture and mix until just blended.

  7. Fold in walnuts (if desired) and mix until just blended.

  8. Spread 18 rounded Tbsp. of dough onto lined baking sheet.

  9. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once halfway through, or until golden brown.

  10. Cool cookies completely before filling (hot cookies will melt the cream filling).

DIRECTIONS - PUMPKIN FILLING:

  1. While cookies are baking, combine cream and gelatin in a large mixing bowl; whisk to blend. Let stand for 5 minutes.

  2. Add pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and extract to cream mixture; whisk to blend.

  3. Add pumpkin mixture to a large skillet. Bring to a gentle boil, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture has thickened slightly.

  4. Place pumpkin mixture in heat-proof bowl, then place bowl in ice bath. Chill for 5 to 10 minutes, or until pumpkin mixture has set to the consistency of pudding.

  5. Transfer pumpkin filling to a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate until it’s time to fill the pies.

DIRECTIONS - WHOOPIE PIES:

  1. Snip off one corner of plastic bag (containing pumpkin filling) with a pair of scissors.

  2. Pipe approx. 1 Tbsp. filling on the flat bottom of a cookie; press another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Continue with remaining cookies and filling until nine pies are complete.

  3. Whoopie pies may be enjoyed immediately or refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

21 Day Fix containers:  1.5 Y, .5 B, 1 tsp
80 Day Obsession containers:  use this for re-feed days only (always before leg day).  

Fixate Whoopie Pies can be found in Autumn Calabrese's Fixate cookbook, along with hundreds of other 21-Day Fix approved recipes.  You can buy it HERE.