Sweet Saturday: Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Happy Saturday, my sweet friends! I hope you're having a sunshiny weekend. :o)

This week I made a recipe I bookmarked last year. I was determined not to let the time slip away again! I am so excited to share an Autumn-inspired version of classic gingersnaps: Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies:

Not only are they bursting with seasonal delight, but they sparkle. Yes, my heart fluttered when I saw they would be rolled in sugar prior to baking. :o) While it does add a kiss of sweetness, I'm more than happy to do it for its mere appearance. ;) The pumpkin blends harmoniously with the molasses spiced cookies, creating a soft cookie that is vintage Fall. Since my sweetheart and I love nutmeg with pumpkin desserts, I added some to the recipe. Like all of my favorite cookies, texturally these are ever-so-slightly crisp on the outskirts before giving way to the perfectly chewy center.

Needless to say, these cookies are a new seasonal staple! My family loved them and I will be making them again soon. A batch of these is an ideal candidate as contents for homemade treat packaging! :o)

Thank you for visiting me today! I wish you a sweet and sparkly weekend! :o)
*****

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients:
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
½ cup pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until well-combined.

Add the dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper. Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well-coated and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod