Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree (measured after blotting with a paper towel)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For the Coating: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Pumpkin: Spread your pumpkin puree onto a few layers of paper towels. Press another paper towel on top to blot out the excess moisture. This step is crucial to ensure the cookies stay chewy rather than cakey. Measure out 3 tablespoons of the concentrated puree.
- Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the blotted pumpkin puree, the egg yolk, and the vanilla extract. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Step 4: Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Ensuring these are well-mixed prevents clumps in your dough.
- Step 5: Combine the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.
- Step 6: Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Step 7: Roll and Coat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- Step 8: Bake and Cool: Place the balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should be set, but the centers should still look slightly soft. Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.