This recipe makes about 70 frosted cookies, each loaded with pumpkin and spice and topped with a perfect complement of brown sugar icing. Note that the frosting amount should be just adequate to top the cookies, but if a few cookies remain naked, that's no tragedy. They are good by themselves, too!
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookies, pumpkin
Author: Beth Cato
Ingredients
Cookies
1cupunsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
2cupswhite sugar
2teaspoonsbaking powder
2teaspoonsbaking soda
3teaspoonspumpkin pie spice
1teaspoonsalt
2eggs
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
15ozcan pumpkin puree
4cupsall-purpose flour
Brown sugar icing
1/2cupunsalted butter
1/2cupbrown sugarpacked
1/4cupmilk or half & half
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3cupsconfectioners' sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat until fluffy, scraping bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the pumpkin. Mix in the flour until just combined.
Use a tablespoon scoop to dole out dough onto the cookie sheet, spacing out to allow for expansion. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until tops are set and edges golden. Cool on wire rack.
Once cookies are completely cool, make the icing. In a small saucepan, cook the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, adding more if necessary to reach a spreadable consistency. Use the back of a spoon to spread the icing onto the cookies. If the icing in the pot begins to harden, stir in a few drops of hot water to make it pliable again.
Store cookies in a sealed container, with waxed paper or parchment between the layers.