These fun autumn cookies are super simple and do not require chilling, so they can be baked in a pinch :) We love to sneak in whole wheat flour where ever we can, and I find these cookies are especially easy because of all the warm spices. But feel free to use all-purpose if that's your preference. We dressed these guys up using mini pumpkin spice marshmallows, but if you can't find them you are welcome to omit those steps. If you're using the marshmallows, make sure your cookies are cool before you chomp into them, those marshes can get toasty!
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup vegetable shortening or safe butter of choice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg JELL-O Vanilla flavoured pudding or safe instant pudding of choice
2 tbs flax soaked in 1/4 cup water (or two eggs, if they are safe for you)
Optional: mini pumpkin spice marshmallows for topping
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 F
In a large mixing bowl, use you hand mixer to cream together the shortening and the brown sugar until fluffy. Add flax eggs and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and all the spices.
Add dry ingredients to the wet using the hand mixer and mix until your dough is formed. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop the cookies on a prepared cookie sheet. If using the marshmallows, press your thumb into the top of each cookie, creating a small dent.
Bake for approximately 4 minutes, then (if using marshmallows) remove from the oven and gently press two mini marshmallows into the thumbprints of each cookie. I like to flatten the cookies a bit at this point using my offset spatula, as they don't spread very much on their own. Return to the oven and back until the edges are golden and your marshmallows are puffed and browning (this is a polarizing topic because everyone likes their marshmallows different levels of toasted...you do what's in your heart in this respect), about 4-5 mins.
Remove from the oven and cool on baking racks.
