Cookies With a Kick at Moon Raccoon Baking Co.

In Sunnyside, one bakery proves tradition tastes better with a little rebellion.

Some bakeries stick to tradition, but Moon Raccoon Baking Co. plays with it. The shop leans into small-batch, scratch-made pastries built on locally sourced grains, produce, and seasonal ingredients, but what sets it apart is the balance between craft and artistry. A quick scroll through Moon Raccoons’ Instagram feed makes that clear. Croissants curve into delicate crescent shapes that nod to the name, danishes gleam with glossy fruit, and each pastry invites a second look before the first bite. The result is a style that feels both rooted in classic pastry techniques but pushed just far enough to feel innovative, and picture-worthy. That same sensibility carries into the cookies, including the Five Spice Snickerdoodle, where a familiar favorite is reworked with subtle complexity and just enough edge to keep things interesting.

The Five Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies from Moon Raccoon.
Photo by Sahale Greenwood.

Five Spice Snickerdoodle

Course Dessert
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

Dough
  • c. butter, unsalted (room temp)
  • 2 c. + 1½ tbsp. sugar
  • tbsp. honey
  • 3 eggs, large
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 5 c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. cream of tartar
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
Rolling Sugar
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. five-spice powder

Directions

Make the dough
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and honey together until thoroughly combined, 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
  • Then, add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and mix.
  • Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight before scooping.
Bake the cookies
  • Mix sugar and five-spice to create the rolling sugar.
  • Form dough balls with about 4 Tbsp. or ¼ c. of dough, roll them in the five-spice sugar, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake at 325 degrees until the edges are golden brown, 12 – 20 minutes.
Print Recipe

“Our Five Spice Snickerdoodle shows how swapping one ingredient can transform a cookie. Replacing cinnamon with five spice—star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds—adds a complex warmth, giving a fresh take on classic fall flavors.”—Kate Lange—co-owner, Moon Raccoon Baking Co.

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