Nothing screams cozy autumn vibes quite like baking homemade cookies. Not only do these vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles have the perfect amount of spice, but they can easily be made with leftover Halloween pumpkins! Whether it’s fall now or any other season, these cookies are the perfect addition to the year-round baking rotation.

PUMPKIN SKICKERDOODLES’ ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

The meat and dairy industries are hugely contributing to the amount of greenhouse gasses going into the atmosphere, switching even a few meals a week to vegan options can help combat this impact
Buying pre-packaged and convenience food from fast food chains or grocery stores promotes the use of single use containers, utensils, napkins, and more that’ll end up in landfills and oceans, whereas making the same meal at home makes single use items obsolete
Homemade cookies and other baked goods are wonderful (and delicious) low-waste gift to give to family & friends, or to use as part of a holiday cookie exchange

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (Vegan)

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Bake Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Makes 12 - 15 Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree (see notes)

1/4 cup Coconut Oil (or vegan butter of choice)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Ground Allspice

Or 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cream of Tartar (see notes)

1 Tbsp Plant-based Milk

Sugar Coating:

3 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Or 1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Instructions:

1. PREHEAT: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet with a Reusable Silicone Baking Mat or parchment paper.

2. MIX: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth. If the coconut oil is hard, soften it slightly in the microwave before mixing, but do not melt it entirely (see notes). Add in the sugar and mix until smooth again. In a medium bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until the flour is incorporated, it should look dry and crumbly. Add in the milk, and folding it in to bring the dough together.

3. SCOOP: In a shallow bowl, mix together the sugar and spices for the coating. With a cookie / ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out about 2 Tbsp of batter. Roll it into a ball and place into the sugar mixture, tossing to coat. Place the sugar coated dough into the prepared baking mat, and press down slightly to flatten out the cookie. Continue with the rest of the dough, this should produce 12-15 cookies.

4. BAKE: Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden (12 minutes is the sweet spot for crispy edges and chewy center). A shorter baking time will result in a softer cookie, while baking for a longer time will produce firmer, crunchy cookies. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to fully cool.

4. ENJOY: These cookies can be eaten warm or fully cooled, whatever your preference. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes:

Homemade Pumpkin Puree – Making your own pumpkin puree is a great way to use up your fall decorations and save a lot of money on canned pumpkin! This recipe was designed for use with Sugar Pumpkins, the type typically used for store-bought puree. However, any orange variety of pumpkin should work fine, so use what you have.

Cream of Tartar Substitute – This spice is not commonly used in most baking or cooking recipes, so it might be missing from your spice cabinet. It’s often used as a stabilizer for whipped cream or egg whites, and gives snickerdoodles their unique slightly-tangy flavor. If you don’t have cream of tartar or don’t want to buy a full bottle for one recipe, try substituting it with an equal amount of white or apple cider vinegar. The end result will have a slightly different flavor, but it works in a pinch!

Melted Butter & Coconut Oil — Adding melted butter or butter replacement to any cookie recipe will change the texture quite dramatically. These cookies are often much thinner, lacy, and crunchy, while solid butter will help keep the cookie fluffier. If you prefer a lacy cookie, feel free to melt the butter or coconut oil before mixing, just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.

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