Posted in: Cozy

The best Pumpkin Spice + White Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cookies

We partnered with expert baker Kady Lone and her cutie baking assistant Pudge the Cat to bake up a couple of exclusive holiday cookies, modeled off of our iconic seasonal blends.

When we think about what pairs best with our always smooth, never bitter coffee, the first thing that comes to mind is cookies. Because really, is there anything better than the smell of fresh holiday cookies in the oven, while you sip your favorite blend? We teamed up with Kady Lone, the expert baker behind Pudge Cookies, to craft some exclusive holiday cookie recipes, modeled off our iconic seasonal blends.

If you like the sound of delicious cream cheese filled Pumpkin Spice cookies, and deep, rich cocoa White Chocolate Peppermint cookies, then you’re in the right place. Check out the full recipes from Kady below!

Pumpkin Spice Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

• 90g (about 7 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temp
• 60g white sugar
• 70g brown sugar
• 80g (about ⅓ c.) pumpkin puree (weight after removing water)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 210g flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• Cream cheese
• (optional) 1-2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Homemade Pumpkin Spice mix:

I highly recommend you make your own pumpkin spice mix, especially using as many fresh-ground spices as possible. Just like black pepper, grinding your spices fresh results in a more vibrant flavor.

• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp clove
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

I started this recipe by adding pumpkin puree to a recipe I already use for filled cookies. Because of the moisture content added from the pumpkin, the cookies took extra long to bake and turned out the texture of muffins.

I decided to try cooking the pumpkin puree to remove some of the moisture, and then ended up squeezing the remaining liquid out with paper towels. Using paper towels to absorb the liquid from the pumpkin puree was the most effective. You will need to swap out for fresh paper towels a few times before you end up with something less wet.

I also decided to remove the egg from my original recipe and allow the pumpkin to act as the main hydrator to the dough.

The result is a cookie that’s still a little soft & cakey, but much closer to the texture of a regular cookie than my first attempt. This recipe yields 5 large cookies. Feel free to double the recipe for more cookies.

Directions:

• Remove the excess liquid from the pumpkin puree by pressing between paper towels, repeatedly replacing the paper towels for fresh ones, until little moisture remains. Of this dried pumpkin puree, measure out 80g or roughly ⅓ cup. Set aside.
• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop cream cheese onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Flatten slightly into little discs. Place in freezer. You may add 1-2 spoonfuls of powdered sugar and mix to combine before portioning, but adding too much sugar will make the cream cheese too runny to hold it’s shape.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter & sugar. Briefly cream on medium-high until light and fluffy.
• Add pumpkin puree & vanilla. Mix until just combined.
• Add flour mixture. Using a spatula, mix by hand until just combined. Cover and refrigerate as you preheat your oven
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take a large ball of dough and flatten into a round pancake. Place the cream cheese in the center and fold the edges up around the cream cheese, keeping some of the cream cheese exposed.
• Bake for 11-13 minutes.

** I bake by weight using a kitchen scale, as it produces more consistent results and is easier & less messy than using measuring cups. For best results, follow ingredients by weight. Rough conversions to cup measurements have been provided if you do not have a kitchen scale.

White Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

• 110g high-quality dark chocolate 60-70%
• 30g (about 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• 60g (about ⅓ c.) brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temp
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp peppermint extract
• 50g (about ⅓ c.) flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• About 90g high-quality white chocolate, min. 28% cocoa
• Peppermint candy pieces

High-quality chocolate is the name of the game for this cookie, not only because a high-quality chocolate will taste better, but also because it will affect both the crackle in the cookie and the way the white chocolate cracks on top. I’d recommend selecting snacking bars of chocolate (not the bakers chocolate bars you find in the baking aisle). Look for white chocolate that contains real cocoa butter.

The second most important part about these cookies is beating your eggs & sugar for 2-3 minutes & chilling the dough briefly before baking. Taking the time to beat your eggs & sugar is what helps create a shiny, crackled top & the dough needs some time to chill because the consistency is much more like brownie batter.

This recipe makes 4-5 large cookies or 6-8 medium-sized cookies. Feel free to double the recipe for a larger batch of cookies. Bake both pans of cookies together, switching around the pans half-way through baking. Allow cookies to completely cool on the baking sheet before attempting to move them.

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add your sugar. Have your egg & extracts nearby.
• In a heat-proof bowl, combine chopped dark chocolate & butter. Over a pot of boiling water or in the microwave, heat chocolate & butter until fully melted. Set aside.
• As your chocolate cools, immediately add your egg to the sugar and begin beating on high for exactly 2 minutes. The mixture will become light and foamy.
• Add the chocolate to the egg & sugar mixture. Whisk by hand to fully combine.
• Add extracts.
• Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
• Cover and refrigerate 15-30 mins, or while oven preheats.
• While dough chills, preheat oven to 325ºF. Smash peppermint candies into pieces. Melt white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl either in the microwave, or by simply submerging in your pot of water that’s still warm. Once chocolate is melted, set aside to cool.
• Once ready to bake, use a large cookie scoop to portion 4-5 large cookies, or 6-8 medium cookies.
• Spoon the melted white chocolate over the cookie dough. Allow the chocolate to drip down the sides of the cookie.
• Bake for 11 minutes, or until cookie has flattened & crackled.
• Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle white chocolate with crushed peppermint candy pieces.
• Allow cookies to completely cool on the baking sheet before attempting to move them!

** I bake by weight using a kitchen scale, as it produces more consistent results and is easier & less messy than using measuring cups. For best results, follow ingredients by weight. Rough conversions to cup measurements have been provided if you do not have a kitchen scale.

Learn more about the delicious baking blog Pudge Cookie, and the inspiration behind it all Pudge the Cat.