The Pumpkin Pie Spice Snickerdoodle. I’m not a big fan of the pumpkin movement. PSL - no thank you (that’s Pumpkin Spice Latte for our non American friends). Pumpkin muffin, bread, yogurt, chips, or hummus? I’ll pass. Pumpkin pie? Only ever a sliver on Thanksgiving because I’m a sucker for tradition. But I do really like Pumpkin Pie Spice, which has all the goodness sans the pumpkin. It makes me want to brew a big pot of tea, curl up on the sofa, nestle under a blanket and read a good book.
As far as snickerdoodles go, they’re on my ‘meh’ list, but I do love saying “snickerdoodle”. So there was my baking challenge, right there. To make a snickerdoodle I actually enjoyed so that I could say, “would anyone like a snickerdoodle?” (By the way, my kids were a little disappointed that these didn’t actually contain any Snickers chocolate bars, but I comforted them with the fact that if they were indeed to contain Snickers they would be coming from their Halloween stash. Which we’re still working through...how’s that going for you?!)
To make these more interesting, I added Pumpkin Pie Spice to the dough as well as the outside. A double whammy if you will, with a finishing touch of Demerara sugar to add texture and crunch. This may just be my new favorite Fall cookie 🍪 🍁
Ingredients
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
1-1/2 cups (285g) sugar, plus 1/4 cup (50g) sugar for rolling
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups (345g) flour
1-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix, divided*
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (45g) demerara sugar
*Pumpkin Pie Spice is readily available in the US, but if you can’t find it near you, simply combine the following spices:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
With an electric beater, cream the butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mix for another 2 minutes.
Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and salt, and mix until just combined.
Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Roll the dough into small walnut-sized balls until round and smooth. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice mix. Roll the dough balls around in the spice-sugar mixture until they are completely covered. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and flatten gently with the palm of your hand. Sprinkle with demerara sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container. These are bound to make a friend very happy, wrapped in cellophane bags with baker’s twine!
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