Jilly-Bean (& Blake) and the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Much like the star of the previous post Jill, aka Jilly-Bean, aka Carney, was a roommate from college. Jill lived across the hall from our suite during our sophomore year. Then she saw how much fun we were and she quickly decided to live with us for the next two years. Jill (and Julie) were the “chemistry nerds” in our suite and they could often be found out in the quad-room studying for organic chemistry. I can still picture the molecules (or whatever they were called) drawn on the board. When she wasn’t being a science nerd then you could find her: eating (and never gaining a pound), playing euchre, in a history class, cuddling with me (as both of our boyfriends were not at school with us), watching Billy Madison, golfing, at study group, or enjoying a beverage or two (possibly the different colored Hawaiian Punches). Since college Jill has moved down South and is now married to a wonderful man named Blake. I’ve only met Blake once but in that short amount of time I could tell how much they loved each other and how happy he makes her, so that makes him a wonderful man in my book. Jill also just finished her Master’s Degree while working and still finding time to kick some ass on the golf course. I can’t even begin to explain how much I miss her. I hate how the warm weather and the year round golf (and probably Blake too) have captured her heart so that she will probably never move back here. But I know that she is happy and that’s really all that matters. So I hope these cookies reach her (and Blake) and remind her of all the fun times we had and hope much I love her!!!!!


Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. 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 slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

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