Pumpkin spice Mandel bread cookies

Pumpkin spice for me signals the end of summer and transition to cooler days ahead. It makes me think of warm sweaters, cozy slippers, crackling fires and the smell of these cookies baking. If you are a fan of pumpkin spice anything I suggest you bake a batch (or two) of these. My gift to you - enjoy!

For the cookies

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups Special K cereal

1 tsp baking powder

For the topping 

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp pumpkin spice mix or make your own below with the following:

2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Combine all cookie ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and let sit in fridge overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F.

Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Divide dough into 3-4 rolls (it will be oily - make rolls inside plastic wrap and turn out onto cookie sheets).

Bake for 30 minutes (check oven as bottoms tend to burn)

Mix topping ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Remove cookies from oven and reduce oven to 200F.  Cut cookie rolls into 1/2" slices. Roll cookie slices in pumpkin spice and sugar mixture. Place cookies back on baking sheet set on their sides.  Put in 200F oven for an additional 2.5 hours.

Let cool on cooling rack and store in air-tight container for a few weeks.