Having some leftover cooked pumpkin, I wanted to make something somewhat healthy, but yummy too. So, while under-sweetened compared to store bought cookies and most recipes, these are really nice – I left some without the icing for my hubby who is not a fan of cream cheese.

Recipe:
based on my Betty Crocker pumpkin cookie recipe, but adapted to my available stuff and choices!

1 cup cooked pumpkin
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
¼ cup vegetable oil
Mix these together in a big bowl and add:
1 cup mixed flours { my mix was part whole wheat, part unbleached white, part oat flour}
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon salt

Mix it all together and add:
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup chopped dates

Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets – I get 15 per sheet and bake for 10 minutes or so at 375 degrees.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Glaze { my recipe}
1 tablespoon prepared cranberry sauce* { homemade or store bought – whatever you’ve got}
1 tablespoon cream cheese
½ teaspoon Maple syrup

Mix well and dollop onto the cooled cookies. This will do about half the recipe – so double it if you want to do all of the cookies.

Enjoy!

* my thanks to Larry and Lianne for the jar of their own Giner-Cranberry sauce gifted to us – it’s really nice on it’s own, and lovely for the glaze