Pumpkin Spice Mocha Crinkle Cookies ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

#CreativeCookieExchange is all about the drop cookie this month.  I had my heart set on baking Crinkles, so check out how I made a traditionally rolled cookie into a drop cookie.

I have to admit that I thought these cookies were going to be the end of me, but I guess I just don't know when to give in.  Honestly, I am not a big fan of flavored coffee with one exception - pumpkin spice.  When I came across this recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Cookies I knew I wanted to make it ASAP.  The first time I made them I thought I must have made a mistake with the recipe.  They didn't taste bad, but they just did not bake up in the way a crinkle should.  So, I made them again, and they still did not work out. After two attempts I went in search of a new recipe and decided to use a tried and true one from Cook's Illustrated, adapting to incorporate the flavors of a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Also, I used some finely ground coffee beans in place of the instant espresso powder, which can be hard to find here and very expensive.

Crinkles are traditionally rolled into a ball, then rolled in regular sugar and then powdered sugar, and when they are baked this technique produces the beautiful crinkly surface.  Since the theme this month is drop cookies, not roll cookies, I had to come up with a way to adhere to the rules.  I decided that they best way to get the "look" of these cookies was to use an ice cream scoop.  These cookies were first dropped into both sugars, and then dropped onto the cookie sheet.  I pinkie-promise that no rolling was involved, and the ice cream scoop gave them a beautiful rounded top and flat bottom.

One big change I made to the recipe was to place them into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.  This gives the cookies an almost truffle like finish, and makes them much easier to scoop out. Prior to doing this there was no way I could have proceeded with the cookies as the dough was so thin and almost liquid-like.  I did add a little more flour (and changed the quantity in my recipe below), but I was hesitant to add too much because it would change the integrity of the cookie. Refrigerating the dough proved to be the right step.

If you would like to know more about #CreativeCookieExchange and see what the other bakers made for the Drop Cookies theme please scroll down below the recipe. Thanks to Laura from The Spiced Life, who is our host & fearless leader, and Holly from A Baker's House for doing the links this month - much appreciated!

Pumpkin Spice Mocha Crinkle Cookies
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 190g all-purpose flour
• 50g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5g baking powder
• 1g baking soda
• pinch salt
• 300g packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 20g instant espresso powder
• 15g pumpkin pie spice
• 5ml vanilla extract
• 15g unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 110g unsalted butter
• 100g granulated sugar
• 65g powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 160℃.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
3. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in bowl.
4. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in large bowl. 
5. Combine chocolate and butter in bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined.
7. Fold in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. 
8. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then place in the refrigerator for about an hour to chill.
9. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate small bowls.
10. Using a 2 tablespoon-sized scoop, drop dough balls, one at a time, directly into granulated sugar and toss to coat.
11. Transfer dough balls, one at a time, into the powdered sugar and toss gently to coat evenly.
12. Drop the cookies onto the prepared trays, evenly spacing them out, about 9 per sheet.
13. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone), about 12-14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
14. Let cool completely on sheet before serving.

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated
For US Measurements please click here

#CreativeCookieExchange is all about Drop Cookies this month.  Drop cookies are so easy - no rolling, cutting, shaping, or nerves of steel required - you simply scoop and drop them right onto the baking sheet, and they also freeze well too.  You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made ~

• Banana Walnut Cookies by Upstate Ramblings
• Brown Sugar Bacon Cookies by Food Lust People Love
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Thyme Infused Browned Butter by The Spiced Life
• Chocolate-Toffee Crinkle Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Old Fashioned Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies by Oven Delights
• Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies by 2 Cookin Mamas
• Peanut Butter Graham Cookies (with Tallow!) by What Smells so Good?
• Pumpkin Spice Mocha Crinkle Cookies by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Reese's Pieces Cookies by A Baker's House
• Salted Caramel Nutella Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks