Snickerdoodles have a pretty funny name, but they're a classic treat. A cake-like cookie with a cinnamon sugar coating, the name for snickerdoodles is likely of German origin, meaning "snail-like." This version of the confection adds in pureed pumpkin for a perfectly fall tasting treat.
The flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves combine for a delicately spiced yet flavor packed cookie. Canned pumpkin puree is the way to go unless you want to add a few hours of pumpkin-cooking to your afternoon. Make sure to buy pure pumpkin puree – not pie filling – and since this recipe doesn't use the whole can, you can freeze it in ice cube trays for easy use in future recipes – or make pumpkin soup!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles – Makes about 4 dozen cookies
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar (I didn't have any, so I omitted it, and had no problems)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and beat to combine.
Add in the pumpkin and mix until smooth.
Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and stir until just combined.
Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough in to a ball, and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake the cookies – spaced 2 inches apart – on 400 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
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