Pumpkin Snickerdoodles in...April?

It may not be fall, but who says you can't bake with pumpkin?  Trust us - you'll love the result!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Recipe adapted from Baked Perfection 

Photos by Bake Yourself Happy

                                         Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons cinnamon

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Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 400F.
2. WHISK together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
3. MIX together butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat until combined, then add the pumpkin puree and beat until combined.
4. ADD the flour mixture and beat slowly, until combined.
5. COMBINE 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.  The cookies will be rolled in this mixture.
6. ROLL dough into 1 or 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar.  Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
7. BAKE for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are just set and begin to brown.  This can be hard to notice, so watch carefully!  Make sure the centers remain soft.
8. COOL on the baking sheets roughly 5 minutes (less if the cookies start to crisp too much and lose their softness).  Remove from the baking sheet and ENJOY!

Snickerdoodle cookies are a fabulous treat.  There's something about the smell of cinnamon drifting from the oven that makes every mouth water.  And if you love soft cookies like we do, a snickerdoodle done right can be your best first.  Warm, soft, and cinnamony - what more could you want?  Try adding pumpkin - that's what you'll want.  We've found that the pumpkin adds an incredibly smooth texture to the snickerdoodles.  Without overwhelming the cinnamon flavor that snickerdoodles are known for, the addition of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice add subtle taste variations that will definitely make you smile.  While these are perfect in the fall (and for Thanksgiving!), there is absolutely no need to wait until September, October, or November to whip up a batch.

"Mouthful of Deliciousness" Cookies

Cinnamon + Brown Sugar + Oatmeal + Dark Chocolate = Yum

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour 

Photos by Bake Yourself Happy

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup butter flavored shortening (we used organic to avoid partially hydrogenated oils)
• 2/3 + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips

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Directions

1. BEAT together butter, shortening, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla.
2. ADD the egg and beat until smooth.
3. BEAT in flour, oats, and cinnamon.  Mix until well combined.
4. MIX in orange juice and chocolate chips.
5. COVER the cookie dough and refrigerate for roughly one hour.
6. PREHEAT oven to 375F.
7. LIGHTLY grease baking sheets, and place cookies onto the sheets.
8. BAKE for about 10 minutes, until the cookies are a light golden and beginning to darken around the edges.  The cookies will appear darker due to the brown sugar.
9. COOL on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then remove.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon is such a fabulous spice.  It's so great when combined with brown sugar - especially if that's over a bowl of oatmeal.  When chocolate chip cookies are on the menu but you're craving something oatey, cinnamony, and brown sugary, adaptations are needed!  So that's exactly what we did.

The smell while these are in the oven is incredible.  You get a warm aroma of sweet cinnamon, with undertones of chocolate.  When the cookies finally come out of the oven and are cool enough to eat, your mouth will surely be watering.  The oats provide great texture, adding a slight chewiness to the cookie.  Every now and then, an extra burst of cinnamon flavor pops out.  When combined with a bite of dark chocolate, smiles are all but guaranteed!

Grinch Cookies - Peppermint Chocolate Chip with Andes Mint

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch - don't eat all my cookies...

Grinch Mint Cookies

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Grinch Mint Cookies

• 1 pouch sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint mint extract
• 10 drops green food coloring
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Andes mints, chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

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Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 F.  
2. COMBINE cookie mix, butter, peppermint extract, and egg until a soft dough forms.
3. ADD green food coloring and stir until well blended.
4. STIR in Andes mints and chocolate chips.
5. SCOOP dough onto baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
6. BAKE 8-10 minutes or until set.  These are harder to tell when they're done, so watch the bottom edges carefully.  You can sort of tell when they're browning!
7. COOL and enjoy!

Despite the Name, Don't Take These To the Beach!

These cookies are almost as much fun to look at as they are to eat!

Sand Art Cookies

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com - Jane Koch
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Sand Art Cookies

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup M&M Minis
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Rice Krispie cereal
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 F.  Grease a cookie sheet.
2. BEAT egg, butter, and vanilla together until fluffy.
3. MIX sugar, oats, M&Ms, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, Rice Krispie cereal, and dark chocolate chips in a large bowl.
4. COMBINE egg mixture with dry ingredients in the large bowl.
5. SCOOP dough out one rounded spoonful at a time and place on cookie sheet, roughly 2 inches apart.
6. BAKE 10-12 minutes.
7. REMOVE from oven, cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Hootycreeks - AKA White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Okay, so the name is crazy - but these cookies are crazy good...

Cranberry Hootycreeks
Recipe adapted from ChristmasCookies.com
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Cranberry Hootycreeks

• 1 1/8 cup flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 F and grease a cookie sheet.
2. SOAK Craisins in warm water (to remove excess sugar).
3. BEAT together butter, egg, and vanilla until fluffy.
4. MIX flour, oats, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, sugar, and white chocolate chips.
5. DRAIN Craisins and dry.  Add to dry ingredient mixture.
6. COMBINE egg mixture with dry ingredients and mix by hand until well blended.
7. DROP onto baking sheet (rounded spoonfuls), roughly 2 inches apart.
8. BAKE 8-10 minutes (edges start to brown).
9. COOL for 2-3 minutes on baking sheets then remove to cool completely!

These cookies make a great "Cookie in a Jar" Recipe for gifts.  We made some for our friends and families!