Description
These Skinny Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are a delicious twist on a classic cookie, combining the warm flavors of pumpkin spice with a light, whole wheat flour base. Perfectly soft and slightly chewy, these cookies are low in fat yet full of cozy autumn flavor—ideal for a guilt-free treat during the fall season.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour (or all purpose white)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 tbsp honey or agave
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Sugars and Spices
- 1 cup sugar (for dough)
- 3 tbsp sugar (for rolling)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice (for rolling)
Other
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper and lightly spray them with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar until well combined to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of sugar together on medium speed with a mixer until the mixture is smooth and well blended. This creates a light base for your cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the honey or agave, vanilla extract, and egg to the butter mixture, then continue beating until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Flour Mixture: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating just until combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cookies tender. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm it up, which makes shaping easier.
- Prepare Sugar-Spice Coating: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice until well mixed. This will be used to coat your cookie dough balls, imparting the classic snickerdoodle flavor with a seasonal twist.
- Shape Cookies: Using wet hands (keep a cup of water nearby to moisten your hands), shape the chilled dough into 42 evenly sized 1-inch balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in the pumpkin spice sugar mixture to coat.
- Arrange and Flatten: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Slightly flatten each ball with a fork to encourage even baking and a traditional snickerdoodle texture.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. They should be slightly soft in the center when done, which guarantees a chewy and tender bite.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This helps them set without losing moisture. Enjoy your Skinny Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!
Notes
- Room temperature: Store your pumpkin snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness and texture.
- Freezer: Once completely cooled, these cookies freeze well. Store them in a Ziploc bag or a freezer-safe container to enjoy later.
- Freezing dough: Yes, you can freeze the dough! It’s best to freeze the dough balls individually by flash freezing them on a baking sheet, then transferring to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 51 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 20 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 7.5 mg
