Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

One of my favorite things about the holidays is baking! (Duh!) I absolutely love baking anytime of the year so It's safe to say that this time of the year, I bake on over-drive. 

Tonight, I had to whip up a treat for my boyfriend to bring to a work party. Since fall is winding down and winter will soon be upon us, I went with a spin on a traditional favorite: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cookies. 

This cookie has the perfect mix of sugar and spice and everything nice. (Yes, so corny, but true!) Each bite has a little hint of pumpkin that takes the flavor of the cookie to a totally different level. I was told it was a hit amongst his co-workers, too. ;)

Recipe:
For cookie dough:

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup graulated sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

For cookie coating:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon


Directions:
1) Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl; whisk and set aside. 
2) In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together sugars and egg on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Blend in pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Turn the mixer down to low speed, add in dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Combine spices for cookie coating, blending until fulling mixed. 
4) Scoop the dough and roll into a ball. (I used a 3 tablespoon ice cream scooper to get the perfect size ball.) Roll dough ball in the cookie coating and place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. 
5) These need to flattened a bit. To do so, dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mix, and use the bottom of the glass to flatten the cookies slightly. Recoat the glass and repeat. 
6) Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack. 

Want to kick this recipe up a notch? Make little ice cream sandwiches with 2 cookies and your favorite ice cream flavor. I did - it was great!