Pumpkin Dandies are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. They are not overly sweet and go especially well with a coffee or tea. 
Makes 2 dozen large cookies.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp margarine or butter
- 1/4 c vegetable shortening
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 c dark brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 c pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 c raw peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 c unsweetened dry shredded coconut
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand mixer, beat the margarine, shortening, sugar and brown sugar for one minute on medium. Add the pumpkin puree, egg and lemon zest; beat another minute.
- In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt; add these dry ingredients gradually to the sugar mixture and beat briefly until well blended.
- Remove the mixer bowl from the stand mixer, and fold in the nuts and coconut until evenly dispersed. Lightly butter a cookie sheet. Drop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons, forming 8 large cookies per sheet. This recipe will make 3 sheets of 8 cookies each, but the dough may be refrigerated or frozen for later use. Bake each sheet of cookies in the center of the oven for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom and beginning to brown on top. (Bake one sheet at a time for best results.) Cool on a rack before serving. These cookies will firm up and solidify inside when cooled.