Soft and Cozy Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon and Sugar
These cookies are like a cross between a ginger molasses cookie and a snickerdoodle with some serious pumpkin-y fall flavor! We've been loving them in our house! They're soft and full of warm flavors like cinnamon and pumpkin with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top, making them the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee (or a pumpkin spice latte, because it is PSL season, after all)! Plus, I included one very simple swap to make these suitable for gluten free and low FODMAP diets for those who need it - because pumpkin is low FODMAP (in a 1/3 C serving of canned pumpkin) and I wanted to make sure that my IBS loves had some fall fun in the kitchen this season!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Equipment Needed: Mixer (I used my stand mixer, linked below, but you can also use a hand mixer)
Ingredients (yields ~25 cookies):
1 3/4 C all purpose flour* *see note below to make this gluten free and suitable for a low FODMAP diet
1 tsp baking powder (ensure GF if needed)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature (or you can soften this in the microwave in 10-15 second increments)
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg, raw, scrambled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 C canned pumpkin puree (note: do not use pumpkin pie filling - the only ingredient should be pumpkin)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Nonstick spray (or use parchment paper)
Topping:
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
*To make this gluten free (GF), choose a certified GF flour. In order to make these cookies suitable for a low FODMAP diet, make sure to choose a GF flour made from low FODMAP ingredients (I like King Arthur GF flour or Bob's Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour).
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray (I used a few baking sheets so I could cook these in one batch - you can also omit the spray and use parchment paper, if preferred.)
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Mix together with a spoon and set aside.
Cream together the sugar, brown sugar and butter for about 2 minutes. I used my Kitchen Classic Stand Mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer.
Crack the egg in a separate, small bowl and scramble with a whisk or a fork.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, lemon juice and maple syrup to the bowl with the butter and sugar and mix again until ingredients are well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix again until well combined, but do not overmix. Some of the batter may stick to the mixer, so make sure to use a spatula to get every last drop of batter into the mixing bowl!
In a very small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Set aside.
Form the cookies, making them about 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter. I used a spoon and rolled each spoonful into a ball. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet.
Press down so each cookie forms a hockey puck shape. I made a decorative pattern on top by using a fork to create a criss-cross pattern, first pressing down firmly with a fork in one direction and then pressing down firmly in the other direction. There should be about 25 cookies total. *Note: if you keep this cookies on the thicker side, they will be more cake-like and if you press down to make them thinner, they will be more cookie-like. I made two batches - my hubs liked them thick (almost like pumpkin muffin tops) and I preferred them thin (more like a cookie) - to each his own!
Bake cookies for approximately 10-12 minutes (although individual oven times may vary). I baked mine for 12 minutes. Let them settle and cool a bit before eating them (if you can). Enjoy!
You can store these in an airtight container and they should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
* I recommend choosing certified gluten free items for all ingredients if all possible sources of cross-contact need to avoided, such as in the case of celiac disease.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (1 serving = 1 cookie, analysis based on this recipe yielding 25 cookies):
Calories 101 calories, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Carbohydrates 15 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 51 mg Calcium 11 mg