Taste Buds of Happiness

Ah yes, the changing of the seasons. It brings such joy to my heart to watch the leaves change into the bright colors of fall, knowing that my favorite season, winter, is right around the corner. Autumn and Winter bring with them wonderful smells, sights and tastes.

When you think of Autumn, you can almost smell the cinnamon and cloves of your favorite goodie baking in the oven. Your mind’s eye remembers the bright reds, golds and oranges of the trees. Remember Christmases past and you’ll drift through the taste of your Grandma’s renowned cookies and smell the rich scent of the fresh Christmas tree in your home.

We really do experience the seasons will all our senses.

Today, I had all of autumn in my mouth. Yep. Right there, lying on my tongue. It was pumpkin, it was cinnamon, it was allspice, it was nutmeg. It was happiness! I had autumn in my kitchen. You should have smelled the aroma coming from my oven!

If you are like a lot of my friends who suffer from a lack of appreciation for the colder months (you know who you are!), then this cookie is for you. It takes all that is comforting and endearing about autumn and plops it into one little package. OK, I might be exaggerating… just a hair… but still, you get the point. A cup of tea and this sweet little confection and you, too, will experience the smells and tastes of autumn that bring joy to my heart!

Happy Autumn, my friends! Enjoy all the smells, sights and tastes that makes this season so amazing!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, softened

1½ cups sugar

1 egg

¾ cup pumpkin puree

2¼ cups GF all-purpose flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Sugar Mixture:

⅓ cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

¼ tsp ginger

¼ tsp nutmeg

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and pumpkin and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Roll into balls size of a large walnut and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes.

Mix sugar mixture ingredients in a small bowl. Remove cookies from the fridge and roll cookie dough balls in sugar mixture.

Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes at 400˚ until slightly brown and still soft.

Makes 48-60 cookies.