Pumpkin Pecan Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups pecans, toasted and cooled

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup puréed pumpkin

1 tablespoon orange zest (from 2 small oranges)

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3 small oranges)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put pecans and oats in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a fine meal forms, about 25 times. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves and pulse another 20 times to combine all the ingredients. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add pumpkin, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract and dates to the food processor. Blend until a smooth puree forms, scraping the sides down occasionally, about 1 minute. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Scrape the pumpkin mixture into the well and fold all the ingredients together with a large spatula.

Scoop little heaps (about 2 tablespoons) of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Flatten the batter slightly. Bake 20 minutes, until the bottoms are just browned. Remove to a cooling rack and cool slightly before serving. Store in an airtight container.