Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

I know I'm a little late, compared to other food bloggers, to be breaking out the fall recipes.  I wanted to try something different from the usual pumpkin recipes (but don't worry because I'll be getting some pumpkin this weekend). I happened to have all of these ingredients in my pantry so it seemed meant to be.

After the first batch was in the oven I was thinking, yea these are gonna be good.  The smell is so homey and holidayish.  Cinnamon just floods my brain with memories of gramma's house, so comforting.

There is every ingredient but the kitchen sink in these cookies, most of which are healthy.  Don't get me wrong, this isn't health food but if you're going to eat a cookie at least you can feel good about the added healthy ingredients, right?  And don't worry, if you're not a fan of some of the ingredients like coconut, you can't really taste that, it's more of a texture thing. The orange juice is a very faint background taste.  The best way to describe it is warm and comforting.  The spices are perfect and after two days they are still moist and delicious.  Definitely a new holiday favorite in my house.

Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

Recipe from TasteOfHome

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup finely shredded raw sweet potato
• 3 Tbsp orange juice concentrate*
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats*
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350º
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, blend the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. 
3. Add in the egg and shredded sweet potato and blend. 
4. Next add the orange juice concentrate and mix. 
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and then slowly incorporate it into the rest of the mix. 
6. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. 
7. Use a cookie scoop or two Tablespoons to place balls of dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 
8. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set. 
9. Move to a cooling rack. 

*I didn't have orange juice, or orange extract, or a fresh orange.  I used one tangerine and I zested it and juiced it.  Seemed to work out just fine. 

*I didn't have quick cooking oats, I took old fashioned oats and cut them into smaller pieces.