AYESHA'S CHEWY PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

 AYESHA'S CHEWY PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

Ayesha Pittendreigh found these online and posted them on Facebook.  They were served the following week at our Family Night Dinner.  These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are super chewy and gooey! They are packed with fall flavors like brown butter, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon sugar. This recipe requires no chill time, no mixer, and turns out perfect every time!

 

• 1 cup unsalted butter cubed
• ⅔ cup Pumpkin Puree room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp dark brown sugar packed
• 2 large egg yolks room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar for rolling
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon for rolling

Give yourself about an hour of prep time and 9 minutes of cooking time.

 

Instructions

1.                  Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.

2.                  Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.

3.                  Brown the butter.  Brown butter (beurre noisette) is a French staple in kitchens around the world.  Simply put it in a pan, gently cook it, stirring while heating it, until the butter sizzles and foams, producing a nutty and caramelized flavor.  This should take a little less than 10 minutes.  Use 1 cup of unsalted butter.

4.                  When the bottom is covered in brown bits of butter and it smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat. You should have just slightly under 1 cup of browned butter.

5.                  Pour this butter into a bowl and set it aside to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.

6.                  Then chill the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Do not let it solidify. The butter must be cool but still liquid!

7.                  Place the 2/3 cup of pumpkin puree on a plate. Use a few paper towels to press into it and soak up the extra liquid. You should do this 3-4 times (with a new paper towel each time) or until the pumpkin feels pretty dry like soft playdough, and now measures roughly 1/3 cup.

8.                  Set the pumpkin puree aside.

9.                  When the butter is cool BUT NOT SOLIDIFIED, whisk in the brown sugar (2 tablespoons) and granulated sugar (1/2 cup) until well combined. It should look like wet sand.

10.              Whisk in the egg yolks from 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, and the dried pumpkin puree you have prepared.

11.              Fold in the following until just combined.:
      a.  flour (1 and 2/3 cups of all purpose flour),

b.      1 and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice,

c.       ½ teaspoon of kosher salt,

d.      1 ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar, and

e.       1 teaspoon of baking soda
Remember, to fold means ingredients are combined by passing a spatula down through the mixture, across the bottom, and up over the top. This process continues until the mixtures are combined. This traps air into bubbles in the product, allowing baked goods to rise.

12.              Set the bowl of dough in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up.

13.              In a small bowl, combine the ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅓ cup sugar.

14.              Then use a large (roughly 3 tbsp) cookie scoop to scoop the dough.

15.              Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar and place it back on the tray spaced 2 inches apart.

16.              Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the middle is puffy and slightly underbaked. Do not overbake or the cookies will be puffy and cakier.

17.              Let the tray cool completely on a wire rack then enjoy!

Storage & freezing

• Room temperature: Store the baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 days.