Thursday Recipe - Sweet Potato Cookies

There's something about winter that makes you want to hunker down and eat spicy cookies. At least it makes me want to. This recipe, the original version, was included with a bag of sweet potatoes I bought at Costco. My husband has accused me of never being able to make the same thing twice because I tinker with recipes. Here's my version of their cookies. Not too sweet with a good bite of spice, these are similar to pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies. They are wonderful with some cream cheese.

You can see how we roll at my house - serve them off the cookie sheet with a block of cream cheese straight out of the box. The recipe makes a lot more than this, that's just what's left of a double batch made last night.

They also work on my diet, as long as I don't eat too many of them. Only a dozen or so...

Sweet Potato Cookies

2 c. cooked sweet potatoes or yams (Don't use the canned version. Buy some fresh ones and roast them. Instructions are in this post.)
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
2/3 c. oatmeal
1 c. flour (use 1/2 c. whole wheat and 1/2 c. white if you want)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Put sweet potatoes, spices, sugar, salt, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use a stick blender to whip it smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, use a potato masher or something similar. You want this to be as smooth and creamy as you can get it. Don't use a regular blender, it will be much too thick.

Stir in soda, baking powder, and oatmeal. Add flour and stir just until blended. Generously grease or spray two baking sheets. Drop batter onto pans, leaving plenty of room for spreading. Each drop should be about 2 T. of batter. Bake for 12-18 minutes, just until set (Mine took 15 minutes). Let cool at least 5 minutes before trying to remove from cookie sheet.

Optional add-ins to stir in with the flour:
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
1 c. dried cranberries or raisins
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
3 T. finely chopped candied ginger or orange peel
1/2 c. shredded carrots for a carrot cake type flavor
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, well drained

Optional fillings or frostings:
Whipped cream cheese, plain or with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Cream cheese spread with pineapple
1/2 c. cream cheese, 1 T. softened butter, 1/3 c. honey or brown sugar - whip all together
Cream cheese frosting
Caramel frosting - Try this to-die-for recipe, just scroll past the goat cheese recipe