Oct

09

2012

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies / Desserts  Posted by / 23 comments
spiced-pumpkin-cookies

The leaves are turning, and we’ve had a string of cold, rainy days here in Maryland. Walking in the neighborhood over the weekend, I even got a few whiffs of burning firewood — it finally feels like fall! Something about this season always inspires me to bake, and these little pumpkin cookies are my latest obsession. Imbued with warm autumn spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, they’re cakey on the interior and slightly crisp on the exterior, with a bit of crunch from the raw sugar sprinkled on top. My family flocks to the kitchen as soon as I pull them out of the oven, and the first batch disappears before the second trays are even done.

To begin, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl, and set aside.

Next, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Then mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

Then scoop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. It’s easiest to use a 1-1/2 tablespoon ice cream scoop (and it will make your cookies will be prettier).

Sprinkle the cookie dough with turbinado sugar. This is just a large crystal, natural brown sugar — most grocery stores carry it but you can always use the “Sugar in the Raw” brown packets found at coffee shops.

Then bake until puffed and slightly browned around the edges.

Cool on racks and enjoy warm out of the oven.

For more pumpkin recipes, check out my Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins.

Note: These cookies are best enjoyed warm out of the oven, so it’s not a bad idea to make the dough, then refrigerate and bake as needed. 

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

Print Recipe
Servings: Makes 58 cookies
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin purée (from one 15-ounce can, though you'll have some left over)
  • 2-3 tablespoons turbinado (or demerara) sugar

Instructions

  1. Arrange oven racks in upper and middle thirds and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the white and brown sugars until light and fluffy, a few minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree (don't worry if the mixture looks somewhat broken). Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the flour mixture on low speed. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons (preferably using a 1-1/2 tablespoon ice cream scooper) onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle cookies evenly with turbinado sugar and bake for about 20 minutes, rotating pans midway through, until puffed and slightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes on baking sheets, then transfer with a spatula to a wire rack to cool. These cookies are best enjoyed warm out of the oven, or on the same day.