Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Tis the season for Pumpkin Spice!
Years ago it seems that pumpkin spice was only used in pumpkin pie. Now it’s in everything from a latte to scented candles and beyond. Growing up I loved to have a slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and that was that, not again till the following year. I still enjoy the one slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving but like most Americans pumpkin spice has crept into other dishes in my life this fall.
What is Pumpkin Spice?
Most of us just buy the little jar of pumpkin spice and call it a day, but what really is in the mix? Most mixes include mainly cinnamon, and then smaller amounts of nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. As you know from my other recipes I love Chinese 5 spice. This spice mixture is very similar but has the addition of fennel, star anise and Szechwan peppercorns. The peppercorns give a nice heat and the star anise gives a licorice flavor. I think Chinese 5 spice is much more interesting than normal pumpkin spice.
Over Labor Day weekend Kevin and I went to the Space Needle for dinner, the view is always breath taking and the food has improved. We enjoyed the dinner along with friends while we 
shared a great bottle of Williamson Wines Merlot, always a winner!
For dessert Kevin had the seasonal crisp, which had a snickerdodle crust. I immediately started craving the cinnamon
spiced cookies. The next day my pumpkin spice snickerdoodles were born to ring in the change of seasons!
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1-cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 heaping teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1-teaspoon vanilla
- 1-teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3-cup sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- Sift together flours, baking powder & soda, Chinese 5 spice and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter with the sugars. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- With a 1½-inch scoop, form balls of dough. Roll the dough in the sugar mixture. Line out each ball on the baking sheets, 12 or so per sheet.
- Bake for 14 minutes rotate sheets half way thru. Let cool completely on baking sheet.
