Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

OK, back to baking!  Seems like I've kinda been out of the loop with the holidays and with Jim not going into the office (I tend just to bake just or them).  I've been collecting cookies recipes, but with all the rain here lately I didn't feel like going to the grocery store.  So I found a recipe whose ingredients I happened to have on hand.....no shopping required for me!  This is a cakey-type cookie.  Due to the pumpkin puree, there is very little spread to these, so you can place them pretty closely to each other on your baking sheet.

I found this recipe on www.lovintheoven.blogspot.com.  She in turn found the recipe from www.amybites.com, who in turn found it from someone else.  I will tell you, I checked all three recipes and they all said to form dough balls of 2 Tbsp of dough (about 40 grams) and then bake 10-12 minutes.  These were way too big and way too doughy for us, so I cut the amount in half, using just about 1 Tbsp. of dough (20 grams) and still baking for 12 minutes.  Guess it just depends on how you like your cookies to come out.  They will not, however, be thin, crispy cookies.  This recipe will make about 4 dozen cookies, give or take,  if you go with the smaller cookies.

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES

For the cookies:
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the coating:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash (1/8 tsp) allspice

Approximately 48 pecan (one for each cookie)

Cream butter and sugars together.  Blend in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg) to the wet mixture.  Mix until just incorporated.

Cover and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the coating ingredients together and set aside.

Scoop the dough into 1 Tbsp-sized balls (20 grams) and roll in the coating mixture.  Place a pecan on top of the ball dough.  Use the bottom of a flat, heavy glass to gently flatten the dough.  Repeat for all the cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.