I was fortunate enough to be part of the 1st Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swaphosted by Love and Olive Oil and the little kitchen. This is how it works: you send three bloggers one dozen homemade cookies and then you receive three different dozens of cookies from three other bloggers. It’s a fun little event where you get to bake a batch of cookies, dress them up in festive tins, wait in line at the post office for 30 minutes to send these out (this wasn’t nearly as much fun), and then you have a box of fresh, homemade cookies waiting in your mailbox from a fellow blogger. It’s very heartwarming when someone you’ve never met before sends you a batch of delicious cookies with a festive card that says, “Happy Cookie Swap, Chung-Ah!” (thanks Jessica!).

In making the cookies, I actually had so many fancy cookie ideas but since all my cookies had to travel from LA to the east coast, I decided to make these simple, yet delectable pumpkin snickerdoodles. These cookies were moist and cake-like on the inside with a wonderful sugar-spice coating for that extra sweetness.

In hopes that these cookies would stay fresh during their trek across the U.S., I mailed a dozen each to Life on Food, Famous Michele’s Food Librarian Place for Stuff, and Koko Cooks.

I want to thank The Novice Chef and The Cooking Vent for their participation in this Cookie Swap and sending me your homemade cookies. I enjoyed them very much, and it was definitely a struggle to share them with other people. I wanted to eat them all! And lastly, I want to thank Lindsay and Julie for hosting such an awesome Cookie Swap. I really appreciate all the hard work that went into planning this huge event. Thank you! And I can’t wait for you guys to host the next one!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (adapted from Annie’s Eats):

Yields 48 cookies

  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coating:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat in pumpkin puree until well combined.

Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.

Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

To make the coating, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a small bowl.

Scoop tablespoons of dough (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into a ball.

Coat each dough ball with the sugar-spice mixture and place onto prepared baking sheet. 

Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls. Recoat the bottom of the glass as needed.

Place into oven and bake until set and baked through, about 13-14 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.