White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

 For ages, I've been looking for a good pumpkin cookie recipe. Not that I don't LOVE the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies that Cathy always makes, but they're a little more cakey than cookie. What I really wanted was a COOKIE. You know, like with a crispy chewy texture. And then I happened upon this recipe on a blog called Sally's Baking Addiction. They're AMAZING! So easy to make, crispy and chewy, and just exactly what I wanted!
 Tbh, I had planned on posting the recipe in October when I usually do all pumpkin recipes, but I figured I'd save this one for the holiday season. Even though they're pumpkin, I still feel like Snickerdoodles scream Christmas, dontcha think? So here they are!
 You should definitely add them to your festive cookie repertoire. They're perfect for a cookie swap, and I just bet Santa would love them if you leave some for him along with a tall glass of milk. Oh, and one other thing... be sure to read through Sally's make ahead tips following the recipe. (Time management is always a good thing!) And definitely make 2 batches. Or three. Or four. I promise you they won't last very long! Love love love 'em!


1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks


 Heat oven to 350ºF.
 Melt the butter in the microwave. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft. Fold in white chocolate chips. Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes. Chilling is mandatory!
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each. Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Roll each of the dough balls generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and arrange on 2 baking sheets. Slightly flatten the dough balls because the cookies will only slightly spread in the oven. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press a few more white chocolate chips onto the tops, if desired. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to a wire rack.

Make ahead tips: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.