Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and a Baby Shower

I hosted a baby shower last week and it was so much fun!!  My good friend Mary is having her first girl (after 2 boys) in a few weeks and it was fun to put together a party to honor her and her new arrival.  As expected, I went overboard on the food, but it was a blast.

Food on the spread included: (recipes for most of these to come)
-Bruschetta with Whipped Feta and Roasted Red Peppers (soooo good)
-Sweet & Sour Meatballs
-Veggie Tray
-Spinach Artichoke Dip with crackers and baguette for dipping
-Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake Bites
-Glazed Mini Lemon Cakes
-Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

I know, ridiculous.  I had a friend help with some of it, including all the decorations and cute stuff!  As I said though, it was really fun for me and food is something I enjoy making and sharing!

These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles were super tasty.  I had asked Mary what her favorite cookie was a couple weeks before and she responded with "normally snickerdoodles, but since it's Fall maybe pumpkin chocolate chip".  That was just the answer I was hoping for because I'd really been wanting to try out this recipe!  It surely did not disappoint.  They were so fluffy and soft and chewy with just a slight crispness on the outside from the sugar/cinnamon/ginger mix.  They had the perfect amount of fall spice and I could not stop eating the leftovers in the days following the party!  Good thing I sent a lot home with others...

The recipe also says to chill the dough for an hour before forming into balls and baking, so plan ahead!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Yield: About 4 dozen cookies

Cookie:
3 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 sticks butter (1 cup), room temperature
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla

Coating:
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices in a small bowl and mix to combine.  Scoop the dough, about 2 1/2 T. at a time, and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough, to fill the baking sheets, spacing them about 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a heavy-bottomed drinking glass or jar in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the balls slightly.  Recoat the glass as needed. (You can do the same thing with your fingers, just be careful not to remove the sugar-spice mixture as you pat them down).

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: Annie's Eats