Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Let me get one thing straight.  I LOVE fall.  I LOVE it.  I love it like peanut butter loves jelly, like toast loves butter, like trees love rain.  I love the colors, the smells, and the tastes of fall…and since this past weekend was perfect fall weather (cold, rainy, and damp), I felt it only appropriate to start baking with one of my favorite ingredients:  pumpkin.

I will say that I haven’t ventured into baking and cooking with real pumpkin yet, but I’m not above using the canned stuff.  It works just fine and is less work for me…so it’s A-O-Kay in my book!  As I browsed the Internet looking for the perfect recipe for a rainy day, I came upon these:

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.  My search was complete.

These cookies are so easy to make…and you can make them up to 2 days ahead of when you need to bake them.  Unlike normal snickerdoodles, these cookies are little round puffs of happiness.  They almost taste like a scone rather than a cookie.  I think I might try adding more pumpkin and less flour next time, just to see if that helps lighten the batter up a bit.

For a blistery fall day, or just a rainy day in August, these cookies just hit the spot!

Thanks to Pennies on a Platter for this awesome recipe!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

For Cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Sugar Coating:

• 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until fully incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least an hour, if not overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liner. Mix the coating ingredients in a small bowl. Scoop equal dough balls and roll into the sugar mixture. Set on cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat drinking glass into water, then into the sugar mixture and use to slightly flatten the dough balls. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.
4. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.