FALL IS HERE!!

I thought this day would never come. Once again, I have survived the hell that is summer. Spending the past three summers in the District has made me hate summer more than I ever thought I could. Every morning I was forced to play my least favorite game "how long will it take en route to the metro before I start sweating." I swear, that walk got longer every day and always ended the same, with me covered in sweat and hysterical by the time I threw myself onto the metro! There were times, both this year and last, that I honestly didn't think I'd make it through July.Something about that month doesn't sit well with me. I think it has something to do with the fact that it's smack in between June and August, resulting in me only being able to see summer before and after it, but I can't entirely prove it. Thankfully, September has come and with it the end of summer and the beginning of my favorite time of the year! I love fall, not only for the cooler temperatures, but also for all the wonderful things that come with it. Football is back in my life, the mosquitos will soon die off, pumpkin beer and coffee have returned to store shelves, and most importantly, I can finally start making my way through all those pumpkin laced recipes I have pinned on pinterest! 

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent Labor Day weekend in the Sooner state and ushered in fall with two of my favorite things: pumpkin beer and watchinging my Sooners kick off the college football season. But now I'm back in the District and as per usual, needed a little pick me up to get me over my post-vacation slump. Enter pumpkin. Last year I felt like pumpkin really began to come into its own. I don't know if this was because I loved pumpkin more and thus was looking for it in as many things as possible or if it really was everywhere. It's impossible to know. One thing I do know for certain, I shall be including it in as many things as possible over the next three months! To kick things off, I decided to go with this super simple but extremely yummy cookies. They combine all of my favorites in one bite: pumpkin, oats, and butterscotch chips. There's really nothing else I could ask for. Happy Fall!!

Pumpkin Oat Scotchies

  

Ingredients

[Original found here]

• 1 1/4 cup cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl and set aside
3. Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add egg and vanilla extract. Next, add in pumpkin and mix until combined.
4. Slowly add in flour mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips
5. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are set and golden. Remove cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely