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Pumpkin-Orange Cookies
Instructions
Peel the pumpkin (200 g), remove the skin and seeds, cut it into pieces and pass it through a meat grinder with a fine plate – this gives a smooth purée that will spread evenly through the dough. If you do not have a meat grinder, grate the pumpkin on a fine grater, but the texture of the cookies will be a little coarser. Add a pinch of salt and 0.5 tsp of nutmeg and stir – nutmeg pairs perfectly with pumpkin and enhances its sweetness.
Wash the orange thoroughly in hot water with a brush – the skin may be coated with wax for shine. Using a fine grater, remove only the orange part of the zest, without touching the white pith – the white part is bitter and would spoil the flavour of the cookies. One medium orange gives about 1 tbsp of zest. Add the zest to the pumpkin purée and stir – the aroma instantly becomes festive.
Crack 1 egg into the pumpkin mixture, add 4 tbsp of sour cream and 5 tbsp of sugar. The sour cream makes the dough pliable and adds tenderness to the finished cookies. Stir with a whisk or a fork until smooth – all the dry ingredients should dissolve completely. At this stage the mixture will be fairly runny, and that is normal.
Sift the flour (4 cups, about 500 g) together with the baking powder (1.5 tbsp) – this aerates the flour and the cookies turn out fluffier. Add the flour mixture in portions, stirring each time so you can control the consistency. Knead a soft, slightly sticky dough – it should not be stiff, otherwise the cookies will come out tough.
Dust the worktop with flour and roll the dough into a sheet 7–10 mm thick – thinner cookies will be crisp, thicker ones soft inside. Cut out the cookies with shaped cutters: stars, leaves, circles – whatever you like. You can simply cut them into squares with a knife. Gather the trimmings, roll them out again and cut more – the dough handles being re-rolled.
Line a baking tray with parchment and lay out the cookies 2–3 cm apart – they will expand slightly during baking. If you like, sprinkle sugar on top for a crisp crust. Bake in an oven preheated to 200–220 °C for 15–18 minutes until golden. Do not overbake – pumpkin cookies scorch quickly on the bottom because of their high sugar content.
Take the finished cookies out of the oven and leave them on the tray for 5 minutes – they will firm up a little as they rest. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The pumpkin-orange cookies are ready! Serve them with tea, milk or cocoa – the aroma of pumpkin and orange creates a cosy autumn mood.
Tips
- 1
Instead of passing the pumpkin through a meat grinder, you can roast it in the oven and mash it – the flavour will be more concentrated and sweet.
- 2
When zesting, take only the orange layer – the white part (the pith) is bitter and would spoil the delicate flavour of the cookies.
- 3
For crispier cookies, roll the dough thinner (3–4 mm) and bake for 2–3 minutes longer.
- 4
Store them in a closed container for up to 5 days – the cookies will stay soft. For pumpkin baking that is an excellent shelf life.
FAQ
Can I use canned pumpkin puree? +
Yes, canned purée works perfectly and saves time. Reduce the amount of sour cream by 1–2 tbsp, since canned purée is more moist. The taste will be slightly different, but the cookies will be just as delicious.
What can replace the orange zest? +
Use lemon zest for a more sour aroma, or ground cinnamon (1 tsp) for a warm, spicy flavour. You can also add vanilla sugar – you will get classic sweet cookies without the citrus notes.
Why did my cookies turn out flat and not rise? +
Possible causes: the dough was too runny (add more flour), the baking powder was not fresh (check the use-by date), or the oven was not hot enough. The dough should be soft but not stick to your hands.
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