Butternut Snickerdoodles

November 7, 2023

Snickerdoodles are a classic. If you were to ask three or four people to bring cookies to a gathering, there is a fairly good chance that one of those people will show up with snickerdoodles. They are little balls of cookies dough rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. The cookies form a crunchy little crust of sugary goodness that is loved by many.

So, these cookies have the crunchy sugar coating, like most snickerdoodles and they are easy to make, like most snickerdoodles, but they have a special fall ingredient… butternut squash!! Yay for fall flavors!

They are also spiced with a bit of either pumpkin spice or chai spice, whichever your prefer or have in your pantry. Essentially, both spice mixtures are a combination of cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and cardamom, which makes these cookies warm and super inviting. Pair that with the crunchy sugar coating and you have yourself one delicious cookie.

Let’s get them started…

To get started, you will need 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of your favorite chai spice blend or pumpkin spice, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 10 tablespoons of room temperature butter, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of butternut squash puree.

If you are looking for a delicious recipe for roasting and caramelizing butternut squash, check out my caramelized butternut squash recipe. If will give you enough to have as a side dish with dinner, plus a little extra for these cookies. Thats a win-win in my book.

Begin by placing 10 tablespoons of room temperature butter in a large bowl with 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for several minutes. You are looking for a creamy consistency, which usually takes a good 60-90 seconds of mixing on medium speed.

Now, add 1/2 cup of butternut squash puree and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix until they are fully incorporated.

Last, but not least, fold in 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of chai spice or pumpkin spice, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Cover the bowl containing the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This will help the soft dough form into balls easier and will create a bit more lift and less spreading during baking.

Once the dough is slightly chilled, lightly grease a cookie dough scoop and use it to form small balls of dough. Drop the cookie dough directly into a bowl with 1/2 cup of granulated or coarse grain sugar and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and toss it around until the entire exterior surface is coated.

Use a fork to transfer the coated cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the bottom of a water glass or measuring cup to slightly smash the balls of cookie dough into disks. This dough will lift more than spread creating a fabulously chewy texture, so it needs to be pressed out a little so they don’t bake up as little balls.

Bake the cookies on a center rack (or the one above that) of a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. The edges of the cookies will be ever so slightly golden and their centers will feel soft, but not wet when they are ready to come out.

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and once they have firmed up enough to move, transfer them directly onto the cooling rack to continue cooling.

These cookies are just perfect for a fall evening. The actual cookie is soft with just the right amount of chewiness and a wonderfully warm flavor and the exterior has this beautifully light crunchy spiced sugar crust.

They are so good….

These cookies are good with cold milk or hot apple cider and they are on the smaller side, so grab a few….

Enjoy!!

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