by Gabrielle Alli
Hailing in the autumn season is what many consider to be an exciting time. The temperature starts to cool a little, fairs and festivals start up, and the greenery outside transforms into a mirage of beautiful colors.
Another hallmark of fall’s advent is the food. There’s plenty of seasonal recipes every year that perfectly exemplify what this time is all about.
This year, I’m here to share with you a recipe for a sweet treat: pumpkin cinnamon cookies. These are a little step up from your typical chocolate chip, but remain a simple classic. Follow the steps here to try them for yourself!
Ingredients (yields 24 cookies)
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg, room temp
2 tablespoons prepared black coffee
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 cup pumpkin puree
for optional coating: ¼ cup brown sugar & ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Steps to Make
prep time: 20 minutes (+ 30 minutes with chilling)
cook time: 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown
total time: 33 to 65 minutes
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
2. Use a mixer to combine the softened butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl, until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg, prepared coffee, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and grated ginger to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until completely combined.
4. Incorporate pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients mix.
5. Gradually add dry ingredients mixture to wet ingredients mixture. Stir between adding.
6. Ensure that all dry and wet ingredients are fully incorporated to form a thick and sticky dough.
7. To control spread and improve cookie texture, it is highly recommended to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 10 minutes prior to putting them in the oven.
9. Pull pieces off of the large dough chunk and roll into 1-in balls.
a. If your dough is on the runnier side, use two spoons to create a sphere-like shape and place balls directly on parchment paper.
10. If desired, roll dough balls through a cinnamon-brown sugar mix in a separate plate.
a. If your dough is on the runnier side, sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar mix on top.
11. Place dough balls 1 in. apart from each other on baking pans lined with parchment paper.
12. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies appear golden-brown.
13. Move cookies to cooling racks to cool.
What Do the Critics Say?
Introducing the very professional taste-testers… my parents.
My mom: Maybe there should be more coffee. I do taste a lot of ginger though, and some pumpkin. I like the texture; it’s very soft and airy.
My dad: I like, I like, I like. It’s very soft. I think, it’s like, an explosion!
This recipe is delicious, and perfect for everything from sharing with friends to a self-care treat. If you decide to try these out, I hope you enjoy them!