Pumpkin Oatmeal "Dunkers"

 

These are not the usual rusk like Biscotti but are a more hearty, dense version. They are for "Dunking"!! They are fairly rich but hold their shape well even after dunking in coffee or tea. They are not too sweet, (if you like sweet cookies, increase the sugars by 1/4 cup each) but are very filling. This recipe is the third in my "Pumpkin Oatmeal" series (previous were a quick bread and scones). The "drying out" step at the end is very important as the dryer the cookies are, the longer they will keep in an airtight container.

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon Arrowroot flour

1 tablespoon flax meal

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)

1 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

½ cup oat bran

1 egg

½ cup sour cream

1 cup finely grated pumpkin

¼ cup half and half

½ cup dried fruit

Juice of ½ a lemon

 

1.      Mix together flours, baking soda, oat bran, spices, salt, sugars, and oats.

2.      Finely grate the pumpkin. Mix together with the dried fruit, molasses, maple syrup and lemon juice

3.      Rub in the butter with the flour (use hands or food processor). Mixture should look like coarse bread crumbs

4.      Whisk together the half and half, sour cream and egg.

5.      Mix in the pumpkin mixture with a wooden spoon, add to dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Let sit for about 15 minutes then turn out onto a clean surface with a mixture of flour and oats (about an additional ½ cup of each). Knead for a bit until the dough is no longer sticky (the dough will absorb the flour it needs. Discard any excess). Make into two loaves as you would usually do with biscotti.

6.      Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Cutting with a sharp knife, at a slant, slice into ½ inch slices, and arrange slices, cut sides up, on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for another 2-4 hours until the slices are very dry.