Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies

Last week I saw several blogs posting about a Christmas Cookie Blog Hop.  For 12 weeks bloggers are going to post cookie and candy recipes in hopes of having a full freezer of goodies for the holiday season.

I LOVED the idea.  If you have read my blog in the past you know that Christmas cookies are my thing.  I love to make cookies for my family.  The problem I have is there are so many favorite cookies that have become tradition in the family that I never get a chance to try something new.

For the next 11 weeks I can try some new cookies.  Who knows maybe a new favorite will pop up.  Best of all I will have cookies in the freezer for when a last minute cookie tray is needed.

My first cookie for the Blog Hop is a Pumpkin Snickerdoodle.  I saw this cookie a couple of weeks ago on one of my favorite blogs Annie's Eats.  Z has loved snickerdoodles from day one.  If you add in some pumpkin how can you go wrong?  The only change I made to the recipe was to bump up the spices by at least half.  It was perfect.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Annie's Eats

3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
 ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar 1heaping tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together; set aside.  Beat the butter and sugars together until creamy.  Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla until well combined.  Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.  Don't over mix.  Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to350*.  Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the remaining sugar and spices in a small bowl.    Roll approximately one tablespoon of dough into a ball, then roll into sugar mixture.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool slightly on tray before moving them cooling rack.

Makes approximately four dozen cookies.

Please check out Annie's Eats for a well written recipe.

These are my new favorite cookies.

My little cookie monster LOVES them, too.  He calls them Mama's Cookies when he asks for one.  :o)

I'm looking forward to the next 10 weeks of baking.  I have some plans already.  Stay tuned.

Be sure to check out all of the other cookies and sweets others are sharing.