An experiment in fall flavor fusion: Punkin’ snaps

Fall is home to two of the very best flavors in the entire universe: pumpkin and ginger. Once the chilly weather hits, few weeks go by when our apartment doesn’t dance in the scent of all that baked-goodness wafting from the kitchen. In fact, the decision of what to bake this time of year is usually divided among three go-to favorites: gingersnaps, pumpkin muffins or pumpkin cookies. We are creatures of habit. But what can we say? Our habits are delicious.

I’ve been thinking for a while about a way to simplify that what-to-bake decision even further. Could we combine our favorite recipes and land on a treat that loved like pumpkin and zinged like gingersnaps all in one glorious bite? By George, I think we’ve done it.

Introducing Punkin’ Snap, the sweet first born of Mr. Pumpkin and his lady, Ginger. Flavor-wise, these puppies are an absolute blending of the ginger spice cookies (my all-time favorite) and the cinnamon-glazed pumpkin cookies. On one bite, you’ll think they’re pumpkin; on another, you’ll think they’re gingersnaps. The flavor is awesome that way. Texture-wise, they definitely have more chewiness to them than the cake-like pumpkin cookies, but they aren’t crisp chewy like the gingersnaps. So they’re soft with a hint of chewy and a heaping dose of om, nom, nom.

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Punkin’ Snaps

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup molasses (plus a smidge extra so it overflows for a few seconds)
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 rounded tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 heaping teaspoons ginger
• ½ rounded teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer, then add egg, pumpkin and molasses and mix together until well blended. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a separate bowl, then add slowly to butter/sugar mixture. Mix until just combined.

Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls, roll in sugar, and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet (about 1 ½ inches apart). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees, until firm on the outside but still soft on the inside.

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My original goal with this recipe was not only to blend the flavors but also to end with a crispy, chewy cookie. I’m not quite satisfied on the second count yet because I love a cookie with some bite to it, so I’m going to add more sugar and give it another go. I’ll let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, we’re happily eating these guys.

What are your favorite flavors of fall? Have you combined any of your favorites into one awesome dish? I’d love to hear about it!

XO,
Katrina