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Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies Recipe

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies Recipe
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★★★★★

4.7 from 12 reviews

These Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies blend the warm, spicy flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves with the rich moistness of pumpkin puree. Coated in sugar and baked to perfection, they offer a soft yet chewy texture with delightfully crackled tops—a comforting treat perfect for fall or anytime you crave a cozy spice cookie.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (122 g) pure pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2⅓ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, sifted, spoon & level
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp salt

Coating

  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, setting the base for your cookie dough.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin puree, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt thoroughly to evenly distribute spices and leavening.
  4. Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined to form a thick, sticky dough. Avoid over-mixing.
  5. Refrigerate Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 2-3 days) to firm up, making it easier to handle and enhancing flavor development.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Pour some granulated sugar into a bowl for rolling.
  7. Scoop and Coat Cookies: Use a medium #40 scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion the dough. Roll each portion gently in your hands to form balls, then roll each ball in granulated sugar until coated evenly.
  8. Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place cookies on prepared trays about 3 inches apart, fitting about 8 cookies per tray to allow room for spreading.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are cracked on top and set around the edges. They will puff up initially but settle as they cool.
  10. Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Tip for Handling: Work quickly when rolling and coating dough balls so they don’t become too soft and sticky. Refrigerate dough balls while baking batches to maintain shape.
  12. Storage: Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Alternatively, freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
  13. Freezing Dough: Roll cookie dough into balls and freeze on a lined baking sheet until firm (30-60 minutes). Transfer to freezer-safe containers without coating in sugar. When ready, roll thawed or slightly thawed dough balls in sugar before baking, adding extra bake time if baking from frozen.

Notes

  • Refrigerating the dough is essential for easier handling and better texture.
  • If baking from frozen dough balls, add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
  • Do not coat frozen dough balls in sugar before freezing; do this just before baking for best sugar adhesion.
  • Store baked cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
  • The cookies maintain a soft chew with a slightly crackled surface—avoid overbaking to prevent dryness.
  • You can prepare dough up to 3 days in advance by refrigerating, or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pumpkin cookies, gingersnap cookies, pumpkin gingersnap, fall cookies, pumpkin spice cookies, molasses cookies, holiday baking

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/pumpkin-gingersnap-cookies-recipe/