Healthy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin snickerdoodles ... because everything in the fall tastes better with pumpkin!

I don't know how you feel about cookies, but I love them. My first word, besides "Mama" and "Dada", was "cookie". No lie. I'm sure I didn't pronounce it with it's full and proper enunciation but you get the point. Aside from cupcakes I would say that cookies are still a top ranked baked treat of mine.

The only problem with cookies is that they're filled with everything "bad" (which is why they taste so good!) like butter, refined sugar, and white flour and they hold basically no nutritional value. I'm sure everything would be fine if I had tremendous willpower and could stick to having just one cookie, every now and then, but I can't. I love cookies and I need them in my life on a regular basis. That's right, I need them! I don't however, need the empty calories and extra sugar with a side of diabetes so I enjoy making healthier versions of cookies. Unlike my husband I am willing to compromise a little bit of flavor and/or texture to have a guilt free treat which is usually a factor when making "healthy" cookies. As it turned out though, he did like these pumpkin snickerdoodles ... which are also gluten free and vegan.

Healthy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

(Adapted from this recipe. )

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond flour (or almond meal)
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup protein powder (Vanilla flavor. Vegan powder if you're keeping the recipe vegan.)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 cup all natural white chocolate chips

For Rolling:

2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix well. The mixture will be stubborn, work it to moisten everything well.
Roll batter into balls.
Mix cinnamon sugar coating in a small bowl and roll each ball into the mixture.
Place on cookie sheet. Press down slightly with the palm of your hand; these cookies don't spread.
Bake for 10-13 minutes or until bottoms are golden.