Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles with Cream Cheese Frosting

What is one of your biggest guilty pleasures when it comes to something sweet from the grocery store? I'm talking naughtiest, like- don't let anybody catch me put this in my cart, type of guilty pleasure. Well, two of my guilty pleasures are A: those super soft and cakey cookies with ridiculously sweet frosting on them and B: hate to say it- Pumpkin Spice er' th'ang. I know, gross right? The reason why I have a tad bit of shame when I have anything Pumpkin Spice is because I hate the idea of being, erm, basic. I can't help it! It make me feel warm, comfy, and happy inside. We're definitely exempt from being put in the basic bin during this time of the year, right? ::crickets::

I also detest food and pastries with all of those hydrogenated fats in them. Speaking of, I had a Twinkie the other day ::face palm:: for nostalgia purposes/"a cake project" and I was truly not impressed. It was a limited edition Halloween chocolate Twinkie with S'cream filling. I remember them being amazeballs when I was a kid. I was so intrigues because I love chocolate anything!

I was craving 3 things: Snickerdoodles, those soft and cakey cookies with frosting on them, and wanting to get my Pumpkin Spice on. I wanted to create, hate to say this word "gourmet" version of all of these combined and I came up with this recipe!

These are like a hybrid of cookies, pumpkin pie, and soft, cakey lil' muffin tops with frosting on them. It's like a PieCieCaken [Pay-khee-kay-khen]. ::giggles:: So grab a blankie, get those scented candles lit, pour yourself a cup of hot apple cider and enjoy these delectable Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles with Cream Cheese Frosting!

Love You All 'n' Happy Fall!

Muah x 1,000...

Greggy

PS: I just love the name Snickerdoodle. I kind of want to have a Golden Doodle named Snickerdoodle. Avoid stealing my idea! K thanks byeeee!

Cook time: 18 min | Prep time: 20 min | Serves: 18 | Yields: 18 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3/4 Pumpkin puree
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. best quality vanilla
1 egg
1 yolk

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. Pink Himalayan Sea salt
1 tbsp. best quality vanilla extract

Tools:

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Rubber spatula
Dry measuring cups
Ice cream scoop
Wire cooling rack

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt in a mixer. Scrape between mixing to avoid lumps.
Add 1 egg, 1 yolk, molasses, pumpkin puree, and the vanilla. Mix until combined.
Add the flour and baking soda and mix on medium speed. Scrape between mixing. Avoid over-mixing.
Using an ice cream scoop, transfer the batter onto a silicone or parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 350° F for 15-18 minutes. Avoid over-baking to make sure they are soft, cakey and chewy.
Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).
Frost the cookies with a piping bag filled with Cream Cheese Frosting in a flat, spiral pattern. Make a homestyle swoop in the middle with a mini offset spatula or a small spoon. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream butter and cream cheese with a paddle attachment on a stand mixer or hand mixer.
Gradually add powdered sugar, salt, and mix until smooth and well combined.
Add vanilla and mix until smooth. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.