Heather Rode enjoys photography, baking, antiques, and hair care.

Easy Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies have been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. They're easy to make and easy to customize. No matter what you put in them, the best oatmeal cookies are the ones still warm from the oven with a glass of milk.

As part of my seasonal fall baking, I decided to toss some limited-edition Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses into my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe. They came out great—each batch looking and tasting festively of fall.

You can add your favorite baking pieces, nuts and dried fruit to make a cookie that compliments any season! What seasonal ingredients would you add to your fall-themed cookies?

Rate this Recipe!

Prepare Your Pumpkin Kisses

This part takes a little time and energy, but it's not as bad as I first thought. Suffice it to say, if you have an extra set of loving hands, this part will go much faster.

You will be using the entire 10-ounce bag of Hershey's Kisses, except for the first one out of the bag. That one needs to be taste-tested. If you have a helper, they'll need to taste-test a pumpkin Kiss also.

1. Keep your Kisses in the fridge until you're ready to use them. This keeps them from melting in your hands or all over your cutting board.
2. Unwrap all of the Kisses. Be sure stray pieces of foil and banners are separated from the Kisses and don't end up in your cookie dough.
3. Chop them about a handful at a time. They don't have to be perfect or even super small; just get a good start on them with a knife, and your electric mixer can finish the job when they're added to the mix.

Pumpkin Kiss Cookie Recipe for Fall

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups uncooked oats
• 1 (10-ounce) bag pumpkin spice Kisses

How to Bake Pumpkin Kiss Oatmeal Cookies

1. Prepare your Pumpkin Spice Kisses as described above.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Add chopped Kisses and beat until chunks become smaller, more uniform pieces.
5. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add to mixture gradually, beating well with each addition. Stir in oats and combine well.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment papered sheet or greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

More Ideas for Easy Fall Cookies

Customize your own fall oatmeal cookies by adding your favorite autumn ingredients. Have fun coming up with creative names for your new recipes and cookies.

You could add:

• Candy Corn
• Halloween-themed M&M's
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Caramel and Apples
• Apple Butter
• Mary Jane Candies
• Dried Cranberries

How to Package Cookies for Gifts

Giving Cookies as Gifts

Since this recipe makes six dozen cookies, I like to share. Dressing up little cookie stacks can be easy, inexpensive, and looks more homey and festive than Tupperware. You also won't have to worry about buying or replacing cookie tins time after time. The items I used below I had on hand and were reasonably priced when I picked them up (see table below for more info).

1. Arrange cookies in stacks of 5 or 6, with larger or thicker cookies at the bottom.
2. Tear a piece of parchment paper long enough to cover cookie stack and cut again down the center, lengthwise. This will yield two strips of parchment and is the perfect width.
3. Wrap in parchment paper and secure with Scotch tape on sides and top.
4. Fasten package with baker's twine and tie into a bow at top.
5. Add a hand-written label or tag.

Cookie Gift Package Supplies

I think the tag really completes this look. Use your imagination and whatever you've got on hand to decorate and customize your label. You can also write a list of ingredients on the back.

The tea-stained tag I used was left-over from a custom order back from my wedding. You can make your own with card-stock, a decorative paper punch, and tea. If you prefer to let a pro do it, I'd suggest ordering from Tia Zoey Tea Stained on Etsy. My post-wedding stash of tags are perfect for last-minute gifts, and I love how each tag is unique. I ordered a bunch, but you can easily order a smaller amount for a fraction of the cost.

© 2013 Heather

Comments

Robilo2 on March 25, 2015:

I like the cookies for a gift idea.

Faythe Payne from USA on March 25, 2015:

Oh they look and sound so yummy..I'll have mine with coffee please

Thelma Alberts from Germany and Philippines on March 25, 2015:

Oh my goodness! These look very delicious. I have not tried baking or eating pumpkin cookies. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Congrats on the HOTD award!

Susan Deppner from Arkansas USA on March 25, 2015:

Awesome recipe! Congrats on HOTD honors!

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on March 25, 2015:

Great recipe, Heather. Congrats on the HOTD! I would love to give it a try this year. Voted up!

peachy from Home Sweet Home on March 25, 2015:

I rather eat the kisses, maybe replace them with snickers. Lovely cookies

mySuccess8 on March 25, 2015:

Nutritious and healthy oatmeal has always been one of my favorites, and this makes the oatmeal cookies recipe one which I would really love. I like how you have added creativity and fun into baking these cookies, especially by including gift packaging ideas and mixing with many different delicious ingredients. Congrats on Hub of the Day!

RTalloni on March 25, 2015:

Such a nicely done recipe hub! Congrats on your Hub of the Day Award for this neat post and thanks for sharing your recipe with packaging tips. Creative packaging finishes off food gifts in ways that show extra care for the recipient and it's very satisfying to the giver. :)

Leslie Armer from Chambersburg, PA on March 25, 2015:

I just wanted to say a few things...first, this recipe sounds delicious! Also, I think this hub is very well put together. You did a great job with it! It is well organized and totally covers it all from start to finish. Can't wait to try them!

Mary Craig from New York on March 25, 2015:

It is easy to see why this is a HOTD! Not only is the recipe done perfectly but your pictures are outstanding! Any magazine would be proud to have those pictures.

As for the cookies, the look speaks for themselves!

Voted all but funny.

Sally Gulbrandsen from Norfolk on March 25, 2015:

These Cookies look delicious. A few of the ingredients are not readily available in the UK but nevertheless this recipe is beautifully presented and deserves the HOTD. Congratulations.

Best Oatmeal Cookies Shot Recipes from United States on April 02, 2014:

Your hub is very good at describing in a very easy way the preparation of your recipe.

Heather (author) from Arizona on January 24, 2014:

@poetryman6969-- Haha! I'm sorry to hear that... although technically pumpkins are fruits since they have seeds. I can definitely understand where you are coming from though-- there are plenty of foods I downright despise too. Thanks for the great comment and thanks for stopping by :)

poetryman6969 on December 07, 2013:

My prejudice against food with pumpkin in it still stands. Even here the operative phrase is "pumpkin spice". Let no vestige of that orange mutant vegetable mar the oatmeally goodness of a decent cookie.

Heather (author) from Arizona on October 31, 2013:

@Glimmer Twin Fan-- Thanks for stopping by! These cookies are quite yummy! My husband and I love them. I remember hating oatmeal as a little girl myself and then one day, magically, loving it. So maybe there's hope for your daughter ;)

Claudia Mitchell on October 25, 2013:

These look delicious. My husband would love them. Unfortunately my daughter won't eat oatmeal, but hey...more for us. Nice recipe.

Heather (author) from Arizona on October 05, 2013:

@Turtlewoman-- Thanks for stopping by and the kind words :) I use Adobe Photoshop CS6 :)

@zeninjagabby-- Thanks! Let me know how it goes :)

Kim Lam from California on October 04, 2013:

Hi Heather!

Your pumpkin cookies are so beautifully presented...and just in time for the upcoming holidays. What tool or app do you use to create the letters and banners on your photos?

Gabby DC from QC, Philippines on October 01, 2013:

Definitely gonna do this soon!!!

Heather (author) from Arizona on September 30, 2013:

@epbooks-- Thanks! I didn't know about the Pumpkin Kisses until this season, myself. Apparently they were introduced in 2008 for Hershey's 100th anniversary. I dunno how I missed them the last four Halloweens. Thanks for stopping by and commenting :)

@janshares-- Thanks so much! I worked in retail for so long and missed out on my holiday baking for years! I think I'm finally making up for lost time. Thanks for stopping by and all the kind words :)

@Jeannie-- I bought mine at Target. Hope that helps in your quest! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. You'll have to let me know how it goes :)

Elizabeth Parker from Las Vegas, NV on September 30, 2013:

I've never heard of these or the pumpkin spice Hershey kisses but they both look absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting.

Janis Leslie Evans from Washington, DC on September 30, 2013:

Heather Says, you are on a roll. Keep doin' what your doin'. This oatmeal cookie hub is awesome. Voted up, useful, awesome. Love it!

Jeannie on September 30, 2013:

I've not seen the pumpkin spice kisses but will be looking for them today.

Love the wrapping and will be doing that too:) thanks!

Heather (author) from Arizona on September 30, 2013:

@jeffreymaskel-- Thanks for reading and commenting :) I hope you get a chance to make them and let me know how it goes :)

@Lyndsay Gamber-- Thanks for stopping by :) Let me know when you do and how you liked them :)

@rebekahELLE-- Thanks for all of the kinds words; you totally made my day! I only discovered parchment paper recently and I agree with you 100%. It has become my new favorite thing :)

@randomcreative-- Thanks for stopping by and commenting. The kisses are definitely chock-full-o-pumpkin :)

Jeffrey Maskel from Boulder, CO on September 29, 2013:

Oh my goodness! These look so good. I will be bookmarking this page for sure. Very well written too, by the way.

Lyndsay Gamber from California on September 29, 2013:

These look so yummy! I can't wait to try to make these! Awesome Hub!

rebekahELLE from Tampa Bay on September 29, 2013:

Yum, you make everything look delicious! I love oatmeal and pumpkin and who doesn't love chocolate? The parchment wrapped cookies look adorable. Parchment paper is so antique looking, and elegant in a simple way. Perfect hub!

Rose Clearfield from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 29, 2013:

I've never had pumpkin spice Hershey Kisses, but I'm curious to try them now! It's great that you can substitute other candy in this recipe, too. Thanks for sharing!