Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Combine the dry ingredients - In a medium mixing bowl, start assembling the cookie dough. Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

Combine the wet ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.

Make the batter - Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wide rubber spatula until just incorporated and no dry streaks of flour remain. At this point, the dough will seem soft.

Chill - Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Chilling the dough makes it easier to scoop and shape and improves the flavor and texture of the cookies.

Preheat the oven - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange racks in the bottom and top third of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the pumpkin spice sugar mixture - In a shallow bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and the pumpkin pie spice.

Shape the cookies - Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to portion the cookie dough. You should get about 24 cookies. Roll each scoop of cookie dough in the palms of your hand to round out and smooth it. Drop it into the sugar mixture, rolling around to coat. Evenly space 12 cookies on each baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.

Bake - Place a pan on each rack in the oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through. The edges of the cookies will be set and the tops will look puffed and cracked.

Cool and serve - Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.