As much as I love pie in the fall, there’s something about having those flavors in cookie format that brings new dimension to those same spices. For these cookies pumpkin pie spice mix adds a lot of flavor without having to measure a lot of powdery spices out one at a time.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Added to a cookie that has dried fruits and nuts the effect is a wonderful harvest cookie that’s warming and tastes like fall should. Maple and vanilla extracts add to the sweet, autumn flavors as well.

To start this recipe you combine the dry ingredients for the batter. Then in a separate bowl cream together the sugar and butter, adding the eggs in one at a time. You want to make sure the brown sugar is packed when you measure it for maximum flavor.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and then fold in the oats, nuts, and fruit. Dried apricots and apples make this recipe easy, but you can use freshly-chopped apples if you’d like. Just be aware that the batter will contain more water this way. To offset this add 1 tablespoon of extra flour to the batter. You can also use cranberries or dried cherries if you enjoy those more.

These cookies are baked with the wholesome goodness of oatmeal and the come out of the oven with lovely crisp edges and the nutty aroma of walnuts. Serve these with a big glass of cold milk or a piping hot cup of chai tea for the ultimate in fall comfort food.