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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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If you are a lover of pumpkin and pumpkin spice and love cookies, then these pumpkin snickerdoodles are for you!

Now these aren’t just any snickerdoodles, these are pumpkin snickerdoodles that have lots of pumpkin spice.

When temperatures start to drop, my baking instinct kicks in. And since I don’t have a recipe for snickerdoodles on TIHIC, I thought it was high time to remedy this.

I also added in some salted caramel chips, but if you don’t want them, that’s OK, too.

However white chocolate chips would taste great, also! But honestly, these glistening  pumpkin snickerdoodles hold up well plain.

Snickerdoodles were never at the top of my cookie list and I don’t think I had one until I became an adult.

Our family was a chocolate chip cookie family and that’s all I ever remember my mother making.

Well those and magic cookie bars!

Now I’m not complaining, but there were lots of varieties of cookies that I didn’t discover for a long time!

Pumpkin snickerdoodles dough

Love Cinnamon Sugar?

As a child I loved cinnamon sugar toast. It was quite a common item for breakfast when I was a child.

My mom would spread butter on a piece of toasted Pepperidge Farm bread and then sprinkle it with her own mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

If we were lucky the butter would make little pools on top of the toast and those were the best spots because they absorbed lots of cinnamon and sugar. 

So I guess cinnamon sugar is something I’ve always loved and these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, rolled in lots of cinnamon sugar, sure aren’t toast, but they sure are good!

Any leftover cinnamon sugar from these cookies can be sprinkled on the cookies after baking or save it and use it on toast!

These perfect puffy pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, are placed in balls on the cookie sheet. No need to flatten.

If you prefer them to stay puffy, just let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to completely cool.

Don’t like puffy cookies? Feel free to give the cookie sheet a few good whacks on the counter when you remove it from the oven.

This gives the cookies ripples around the edges and the insides settle in a bit making for a soft cookie on the outside and a chewy cookie on the inside.

Snickerdoodles are a sugar cookie though they differ in the fact that they are covered with cinnamon sugar rather than just white sugar.

They can be cakey and soft or crisp and chewy and often have cracked tops.

Pumpkin snickerdoodles

Cream of tartar is a common ingredient in snickerdoodles.

Cream of tartar, a by-product of winemaking, is what gives snickerdoodles their tanginess. This is another subtle difference from a standard sugar cookie which don’t contain cream of tartar.

Cream of tartar also helps activate the baking soda in the cookie which gives the cookie a more chewy texture.

No cream of tartar?

No worries! There are several things you can do!

1. Substitute 1/2 t  lemon juice for each teaspoon of cream of tartar.

2. Substitute 3 t of baking powder for 2 t cream of tartar.

3. Add a pinch of buttermilk powder.

If you are out of baking powder, did you know that 1 part baking soda and two parts cream of tartar  essentially become baking powder?

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

How to Check if Cream of Tartar is still Active:

If you are like me, you’ve had a tin of cream of tartar on your shelf for awhile. Double check it to see if it’s viable by combining 1/2 c of water with 1/2 t of cream of tartar and a pinch of baking soda.

If it’s foamy and bubbly, it is still good to use.

So many details for such a simple cookie! This pumpkin cookie recipe was a hit in our house.

They won’t last long, I know, but do try to keep them overnight before serving. I think it really allows the pumpkin flavor to explode a bit more.

And in case you feel the need to freeze these, they will last for a few months in the freezer-as long as you hide them in the depths of the freezer.

Believe it or not, I know people that steal frozen cookies!

Today seems like a perfect cookie day here in Denver. But honestly, every day is a perfect cookie day to me!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Need a Few More Cookies?

Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

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Easy Pumpkin Puff Pastry Kringle

Pumpkin Kringle

I’d Love it if You’d Follow Me and Pin and Share!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle

 

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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  • Author: Abbe Odenwalder
  • Prep Time: 25 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 to 12 Minutes
  • Total Time: 45 Minutes
  • Yield: About 36 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies/Bars
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Snickerdoodles are essentially sugar cookies, rolled in cinnamon sugar. This version contains pumpkin and lots of pumpkin spices, which makes this one of my favorite Fall cookies.


Ingredients

Units Scale

3 c all purpose flour

2 t cream of tartar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 t pumpkin pie spice OR 1 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t ground ginger, 1/2 t fresh ground nutmeg, 1/4 t allspice

1 c unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c packed dark or light brown sugar

1/2 c pumpkin

1 large egg

2 t vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/3 c sugar

1 T ground cinnamon


Instructions

In a large bowl or a 4 c measuring cup, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice or the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspce.

Using a stand mixer, cream together the butters and sugars until smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary.

Add the pumpkin and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix-but don’t overmix.

If you want to add in salted caramel or white chocolate chips, now is the time. Stir well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes but I let mine go 24 hours.

When you remove the bowl from the fridge, the dough will still be soft and easy to roll.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.

Line baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat pad. Combine cinnamon and sugar for coating the cookie dough.

Shape the cookie dough into 1 T dough balls and roll each one in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place sugared dough balls on prepared baking sheets about 2″ apart. No need to flatten.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center.  I did 12  but each oven is different.

If you don’t want puffy cookies, rap the cookie sheets on the counter a few times to help create ripples around the edge.

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.


Notes

These cookies do not need to be adjusted for high altitude.

 

 

 

 


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sherry

Sunday 17th of October 2021

what an interesting idea. i do love me a snickerdoodle!

Chef Mimi

Friday 15th of October 2021

I don’t make many cookies. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I made them. But I do love me some pumpkin! Great recipe! I could surprise my grandkids with these!

angiesrecipes

Thursday 14th of October 2021

These pumpkin cookies look soft, puffy and chewy! I guess I have to order some cream of tartar soon :-)

John / Kitchen Riffs

Thursday 14th of October 2021

(Looks in mirror.) Yup, I've known a few frozen cookie stealers. :-) These look great -- we haven't made snickerdoodles in forever, and you're reminding me how great they are. Your pumpkin version looks terrific! And so seasonally appropriate, too. Thanks!