The deep flavors of molasses, pumpkin and spices make these wholesome cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour.

Makes 36 cookies

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree (See Ingredient notes)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar or 1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking (see Ingredient notes)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar (or Splenda), eggs, oil and molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients and raisins into the dry ingredients until no traces of dry ingredients remain. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.
4. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per cookie: 68 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 67 mg sodium; 78 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (15% daily value).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges
1 other carbohydrate
Per cookie with Splenda
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
62 calories, 10 g carbohydrate

TIP: Ingredient Notes: As you might suspect from its orange color, pumpkin puree is an excellent source of beta carotene.

Substituting with Splenda: In the EatingWell Test Kitchen, sucralose is the only alternative sweetener we test with when we feel the option is appropriate. For nonbaking recipes, we use Splenda Granular (boxed, not in a packet). For baking, we use Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, a mix of sugar and sucralose. It can be substituted in recipes (1/2 cup of the blend for each 1 cup of sugar) to reduce sugar calories by half while maintaining some of the baking properties of sugar. If you make a similar blend with half sugar and half Splenda Granular, substitute this homemade mixture cup for cup.

When choosing any low- or no-calorie sweetener, be sure to check the label to make sure it is suitable for your intended use.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store in an airtight container, with wax paper between the layers, for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.

Tasty, but sadly not as good as the non-wholesome variety. The raisins definitely help and shouldn't be left out. Would probably be better with a powdered sugar icing, but then wouldn't be as wholesome.

Anonymous

Is there a substitute for the the eggs for vegans? How do you prepare when using a real pumpkin, not canned?

Anonymous, Wash DC

Sadly, this recipe was a disappointment. For a healthy recipe, I suppose it is ok. More spice would help, I think.

Anonymous, Abilene, Tx

I was looking for a seasonal cookie using pumpkin. My family and I thought they were so yummy that I made a second batch right away!

Anonymous, Madison, WI

These cookies have a good blend of spice and pumpkin flavors. However, their texture is soft and breadlike. If you like your cookies crisp, these are not for you. If you have IBS, the spices may trigger symptoms.

Anonymous, Bellingham, WA

These cookies are great! I added more spices because I love ginger and cinnamon and they were really good. Easy to make and I have made them from the extra I had stored in the freezer and they still came out well.

Jessica, Naples, FL