Pumpkin, spice and everything nice

Co-Editor-in-Chief is back with yet another recipe

Pumpkin+Chai+cookies+pair+perfectly+with+fall+weather+and+a+cup+of+something+warm.

Macy McClish

Pumpkin Chai cookies pair perfectly with fall weather and a cup of something warm.

Hello all, it’s that time of year again. I scoured my recipe book and came across this forgotten gem. I discovered these fall cookies on My Recipes. No other cookie embodies the fall season like these.

 

Pumpkin Chai Cookies

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 teaspoon ground cardamom*

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Macy McClish

Whisk together flour, only 3 teaspoons cinnamon along with the cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. You can sift ingredients for a smoother texture if desired. 

Beat butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until it looks like creamed potatoes ( 2-3 minutes). Occasionally scrape down sides of the bowl. This step tends to make a mess, but it makes your four-legged, furry friends happy. Even though pets always deserve some snacks, I recommend to mash and slightly beat the butter before adding the sugar.

Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla and beat until reaching a pale orange color (4-5 minutes). Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture until just blended. Make sure no remaining flour mixture settled to the bottom of the bowl. 

Macy McClish

In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup sugar with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom (1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg), allspice, ginger, and cloves.

Scoop dough into even portions and roll each in spiced sugar mixture. I prefer my cookies on the smaller side, so about 1 Tablespoon size or whatever your preference.

Macy McClish

Arrange cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheets approximately 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees and rotate baking sheets at 6 minutes to ensure even baking then let them continue to bake for another 3-4 minutes. 

Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Macy McClish

Share happily with friends or family, or there is always the option of taking all of the cookies, barricading yourself in your room and savoring every last bite.

 

*A substitute for Cardamom is a 1/2 cinnamon and 1/2 nutmeg mixture.