Pumpkin Spice Latte Snickerdoodles

 

It’s fall and love it or hate it, it's Pumpkin Spice Season.  I love it…within reason, like, when it makes sense.

For instance, these cookies.  Snickerdoodles characteristically have the cinnamon-sugar coating, so it’s not a far jump to add a few more spices (“pumpkin pie spice” referring to the spice profile, not the pie itself) and a little coffee to mimic that coffee shop favorite.

I added a bit of instant coffee to the dough and those spices to the coating and the result is a delicate nod to one of my favorite seasonal coffees!  It’s a fun twist on a classic.

Recipe Note:

-Be sure to use instant coffee.  I found a finely ground instant coffee.  Instant espresso powder or regular instant coffee grounds in a mortar or spice grinder would also work.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Snickerdoodles

Cookies

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon finely ground instant coffee

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

Spice-Sugar Coating

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups of sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 4 minutes.  Beat in the eggs until completely combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the flour, instant coffee, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Turn the mixer to low mix until completely combined.  The dough will still be quite soft.

In a small bowl whisk together the remaining sugar and spices.

Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out dough balls.  Roll the dough balls through the sugar mixture and place at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes (8-10 for convection ovens) or until the edges of the cookies are just set and the middles look puffy and crackly (between the cracks may look underdone).

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes then move to wire racks and cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies