My Favorite Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

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Naming these cookies was difficult. I know how dumb that sounds, but it seriously took me two days to come up with a name for this recipe. Job hazard, I suppose.

I mean, these pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft-centered and chewy-edged, perfectly spiced and full of pumpkin flavor. And then there are the add-ins: chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts. As someone who’s not much for fruit with their chocolate, I have to say that I love this creamy, tangy, nutty combination. Looooove it.

But what on earth was I going to call them? Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies isn’t exactly a great name. No cookie really needs a six word name after all. That’s ridiculous. But Autumnal Oatmeal Cookies didn’t sound much better–so bland! And so, after spending entirely too long thinking about naming a recipe, I realized it was right in front of me the whole time. These are My Favorite Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. Maybe they’ll be your favorite, too.

My Favorite Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
makes 4 dozen cookies

3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Place dried cranberries and boiling water in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in light brown sugar, followed by egg yolk, pumpkin purée, and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients followed by oats.

Strain cranberries and press out any excess water. Add them to the dough, followed by chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Scoop dough in 2 tablespoon increments* and drop 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10-11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just a tad underbaked. Let cool on the pans for ten minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Note:

I use this medium cookie scoop.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Yellow Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

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I bake for a lot of people. During any given month, I make and deliver upwards of twenty cakes (a lot for one person with one oven and a day job). I love getting texts and emails letting me know how much they were enjoyed–it really makes all of the effort worthwhile and keeps me motivated. But there is one person whose opinion truly means everything to me: my sweet little sister, Eliot (E3).

Before I went up to Boston last weekend to celebrate her birthday, I sent her a series of text messages about her birthday cake. I knew it would involve chocolate, but everything else was up in the air. I’m sure five text messages about how I could make a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting or a peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting weren’t disruptive to her studying *at all.* We went back and forth with ideas until she settled on a chocolate cake with Nutella Buttercream. Obviously, it was a hit with the birthday girl and her friends. I mean, hello! Nutella! Eliot loved it so much that she had some for breakfast on Sunday.

Before I headed back to New York, Eliot asked me to put her cake on my blog. I thought about it all the way home. I already have a great chocolate layer cake on here that is fantastic with this frosting, but being the vanilla person I am (sorry), I decided instead to pair that fluffy, chocolate-hazelnut buttercream with yellow cupcakes.

Y’all, these cupcakes are ridiculous. Yellow Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream take the classic combination of yellow cake and chocolate frosting and turn it on its head. The cake itself is a classic: super moist and buttery. But then there’s the Nutella Buttercream. It’s billowy and beautiful and basically tastes like pure Nutella…but better, because it’s frosting. Full of chocolate-hazelnut flavor and unbelievably rich and fluffy–you won’t be able to resist it!

Seriously, after biting into one of these cupcakes, you may wonder why yellow cake and Nutella Buttercream aren’t a classic yet. I sure am.

Yellow Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream
makes 15-16 cupcakes*

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Nutella Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup Nutella
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

For Topping:
chopped milk chocolate-hazelnut candy bar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Make the cupcakes. In a small-medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until fluffy (about two minutes). Beat in sugar until combined. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing completely after each addition. Mix in vanilla and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients in two installments, combining completely after each addition.

Fill muffin cups 2/3-3/4 full of batter. Tap pan on the counter five times before baking for 19-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Repeat baking process with remaining batter, filling any unused muffin cups part-way with water.

Make the buttercream. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in Nutella. Add confectioner’s sugar and salt in two installments, mixing until completely incorporated. Mix in vanilla and heavy cream until the desired consistency has been reached.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Top with chopped candy bar pieces, if desired. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to five.

Note:

If you don’t have a muffin pan, this recipe will make a one-layer frosted cake. Pour prepared batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan and bake for 32-35 minutes. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Frost as desired.

Pancakes for One

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Updated 09/15/2025 to streamline.

Confession: I’m a late night eater.

I work all day baking cakes, writing this blog, and getting dinner on the table for a family of four, mostly subsisting on granola, green smoothies, and scrambled eggs. It’s really fun, but also really exhausting. When I come home at night, I practice a little self-care: a half hour of yoga, a few episodes of something (lately, I’m into Community), catching up with my roommates. And then, once the apartment is quiet, I make myself a snack–something easy and comforting. Some nights, it’s a little cheese plate or a dish of ice cream, or maybe avocado toast with a drizzle of truffle oil. The past couple of weeks, I’ve been making pancakes.

Now, as someone who cooks only for herself, pancakes are kind of a tall order. Most recipes make enough for 4-6 people. Sure, I could make a ton and freeze the leftovers, but my freezer is packed to the gills as it is–I don’t have space for 18 pancakes. I’ve tried many of the pancakes for one recipes out there, but none have been quite right for me. Too thin, too fluffy, too sweet, too eggy, too greasy, too great a quantity–each has some little reason for me not to make it again. It’s been a multi-year process (yes, really). But two weeks ago, I finally found *my* Pancakes for One, and now I’ve made them more times than I’m willing to admit.

Y’all, these pancakes are awesome. They’re super fluffy (but not too thick) and have just the right amounts of vanilla, sugar, and salt–perfect for layering with butter and drizzling with maple syrup.

This recipe makes exactly three small pancakes—or one large or five silver dollars–just enough for one person. The batter comes together in five minutes and doesn’t take much longer to cook, meaning that if you start now, you can have a single-serve plate of pancakes in minutes. It’s the dream.

Also, these pancakes are completely eggless, although the flavor and texture are such that you’d never notice if I hadn’t told you. This means that this recipe can easily be made vegan (see notes below). I’m currently working on a whole wheat version and a gluten-free variety. Pancakes for One for everyone…?

Pancakes for One
makes 3 small pancakes (or 1 large or 5 silver dollars)

1/2 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
~1/3 cup milk of choice
2 tablespoons butter + more for cooking
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
butter, for serving
maple syrup, for serving

Add vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and then pour milk up to the 1/3 cup mark. Add butter. Microwave in 30 second increments, whisking between, until butter is melted. Whisk in vanilla. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk with a fork until everything is moistened, but some small lumps remain. Batter will be thick–add a tiny splash of milk if you like a thinner consistency/thinner pancakes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Grease lightly with butter. Dole out batter in 1/4 cup increments for 3 small pancakes (use all for 1 large or heaping tablespoons for silver dollars). Batter is thick, so you may need to lightly coax it into circles. Let cook 2-3 minutes, until lightly set on top. Flip pancakes and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Remove pancakes to a plate, top with butter and syrup, and enjoy.

Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes {Vegan}

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Last Friday, I took the day off from work and went on a day-trip upstate with a few girlfriends, including fellow food blogger, Nimai Larson. She and I have known each other for a couple of years now. When she’s not busy making music and touring with her band, Prince Rama, Nimai loves to spend time whipping up vegan recipes. She’s an absolute doll!

Our original plan for our upstate adventure had been to go apple- and pumpkin-picking, but it was raining, so we ended up grabbing a few bushels of sweet Macoun and McIntosh apples at Salinger’s Orchard in Brewster, New York. Then we set up camp in the kitchen of our friend Katrina’s family home and did some serious baking.

Nimai and I had a bit of difficulty coming up with something to bake together–apple pies and crisps often require a combination of sweet and tart apples, but tart apples won’t be available at Salinger’s until later in the season. We racked our brains and tore through our recipe archives before settling on upside-down cake. Nimai had brought along a mini-loaf pan, so we divided the batter into it and these Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes were born!

These sweet little cakes start with a batter similar to the base of my Mango Upside-Down Cake. Here it’s made vegan–a mixture of flaxseed (or chia) and water replaces the eggs and non-dairy milk is used in place of the usual buttermilk. A combination of maple syrup and granulated sugar sweetens the cakes, although you may nix the syrup and use brown sugar in place of the white stuff. The batter is scented with apple pie spices and a bit of fresh-pressed apple cider before being spooned over sliced sweet apples and a subtly-spiced maple caramel.

These Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes bake up super soft and puffy, and they’re just gorgeous. My favorite part about this recipe is that these little cakes may be served warm–Nimai, Katrina, Selena, and I loved snacking on them before taking the rainy drive back to Brooklyn.

Make a little time to bake these Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes this fall! And let Nimai and me know if you try this recipe: @nimailarson and @e2bakesbrooklyn on Instagram 💗

Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes {Vegan}
makes 10-12 mini loaf cakes

For the pan:
1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Apple Layer:
1 sweet apple, 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground allspice
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of Kosher or sea salt

Cake Batter:
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or chia
6 tablespoons water
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh-pressed apple cider
1/2 cup soy or almond milk

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and flour. Use a pastry brush to brush the inside of an 8-loaf mini-loaf pan. Set aside.

Make the apple layer. Combine apple slices and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl, and cover with cold water. Set aside.

Combine Earth Balance, sugar, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until no longer grainy (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Divide caramel among loaf pans (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each), and spread to cover the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Make the cake. In a small bowl, whisk together flaxseed and water. Set aside for at least five minutes, until thickened.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat Earth Balance until light and fluffy. Mix in sugar and maple syrup, followed by flaxseed mixture, vanilla, apple cider, and non-dairy milk. Whisk in dry ingredients until incorporated.

Drain apple slices and blot dry with paper towels. Lay 3-4 slices into each mini loaf (it’s okay if they overlap a bit). Fill 2/3 full with cake batter. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let sit 15 minutes. Run a small, thin knife around the edges of each mini-loaf before inverting onto a large pan. Repeat baking process with any remaining batter.

Enjoy cakes warm or at room temperature.

e2 bakes brooklyn

sweets & sass from a baking brooklynite.

My Favorite Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Chicken Noodle Soup

Yellow Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

Pancakes for One

Mini Apple Upside-Down Cakes {Vegan}