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Tootsie Roll Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Use Up That Leftover Halloween Candy!
I Had a Ton of Tootsie Rolls Leftover This Year.
As I gazed at the overflowing bowl of candy I had leftover after receiving far fewer Trick-or-Treaters than expected this past Halloween, I decided to get creative instead of letting the candy go to waste...or to my hips..
Since it's autumn, and I'm always obsessed with pumpkin this time of year, I decided that it would be very fitting to add some leftover Halloween candy to some Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. I found the original recipe at Budget Bytes and made my own modifications.
I attempted 3 different variations, using 3 different kinds of candy: the thick, fat Tootsie Rolls, the long, skinny Tootsie Rolls, and Peanut Butter Taffy. I cut the skinny Tootsie Rolls and Peanut Butter Taffy into chocolate chip sized pieces and mixed them in two separate batches of batter. These two candies did not fare well in the oven and mostly melted out of the cookies completely by the time the baking was finished.
Success!
Just when I thought my bright idea had failed, I discovered success with the large Tootsie Rolls. I found that letting the cookies bake for half the time, removing them from the oven, pressing a section of the Tootsie Roll in the middle on each cookie, and then allowing them to bake for the remainder of the time, was the best technique. I did try adding the Tootsie Roll at the beginning and baking it the whole time with the cookies, but it turned into a big puddle in the middle of the cookie. Still tasty, just not as pretty!
I thought these Tootsie Roll Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies were super tasty, light and fluffy, and had that great fall pumpkin spicy flavor. Of course, with a yummy Tootsie Roll treat in the middle. These cookies are definitely the best combination of Halloween Fun and great Fall Pumpkin Spice. The oatmeal adds a wonderful texture and heartiness to the cookies as well.
Recipe for Tootsie Roll Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
I hope I've inspired you to get creative with your leftover Halloween Candy too. If so, I'd love to hear your ideas in my guestbook below!
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Margarine or Butter
- 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree
- 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
- 5 Fat Tootsie Rolls, Each Cut Into 3 Squares
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 Degrees (F). You will need two mixing bowls to begin; one medium size and one large size.
- In the medium size bowl, add the following ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well. Set this bowl aside for later.
- Now, in the large bowl, add the following ingredients: margarine or butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat these ingredients together until well mixed. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture and beat again.
- Back to the flour mixture in the medium size bowl. Pour this mixture into the large bowl's pumpkin mixture slowly and beat until well combined and the batter becomes smooth. Add the old fashioned oats and stir in by hand.
- Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto the cookie sheet. Remember you will create 16 cookies, so you can place the cookies fairly close together; they don't spread much while baking.
- Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and gently press one Tootsie Roll section in the middle of each cookie. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are slightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool, then serve!
