Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles.
My dad loves these cookies.
And actually it must be a "Joe" thing, because
my nephew, Joe, loves snickerdoodles too.
Actually, he, like me, just loves cookies.
He's awesome like that.

So whenever cookies come out of the oven,
I picture little happy faces waiting a moment to dig into the cooling cookies.
It's difficult to wait.
Especially when snickerdoodle cookies aren't made very often.
And it's true.
I don't make them often enough for some people.
Somehow, taking the extra time to roll the dough in cinnamon and sugar
used to seem like a complicated step.
But after making so many complex cookies,
these are actually a piece of cake...I mean cookie.

Of course, I can't just leave the cookie alone...all traditional-like.
I needed to spice them up for the winter.
And nothing says winter to me like pumpkin and spices.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Budget Gourmet Mom

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 2 large eggs (use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer for a vegan substitution)
• 1/2 cup butter (or vegan butter)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 2 1/2 cups flour

For Rolling:

• 2 tbls granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs (or substitute), sugar, and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl stir together the baking soda, cream of tartar, and the flour. Add to the wet ingredients. and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Now in a small bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar.
5. Form the dough into balls that are tablespoon size. Roll in the cinnamon and sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Flatten cookies by using a glass to flatten the cookies.
7. Bake for 8-9 minutes.
8. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

If you can't keep little fingers away, go ahead and just give them a cookie or 3.

These cookies are definitely meant to be shared.

Enjoy!