Hey Pumpkin Head How About Some Spiced Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting?

"Approach Baking With Reckless Abandon" unknown author

Wow that quote is so me.  I have to admit that Fall baking borders an obsession with me.  Between apples and pumpkin I tend to fall to pieces (grins... pun intended) and turn into one crazy bakin' mama!  You might wonder where all this food goes (besides to my hips) when it's baked off.  Well, my husband, kids, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors and other family or anyone else that wants some!

So, I have never made pumpkin cookies like these before and I was a bit skeptical when the original recipe called for oil.  Don't let it spook you, they turned out fabulous.  These cookies are more of a cake texture, very soft and chewy with an wonderful earthly flavor with the spices in them, oh, and the cream cheese swirl frosting?  That sets this cookie over the top.  Of course I tweaked a thing or two.  

Note: I am still working on a printer friendly blog and it's not in place yet...just copy and paste recipe off blog into word and print that way.  Thanks for your understanding.

Ready to bake?  Let's get STARTED!

What You Need (Makes about 18 large 1/4 cup cookies)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cake flour

(you can use 2 cups reg flour if you like)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs at room temp

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil (or any tasteless oil)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (plain..do NOT get with spices in puree)

1 cup finely chopped and toasted pecans (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients 

4 ounces cream cheese at room temp

2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temp

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

How To Make Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until frosting is soft and creamy.

Let's Bake Them!

• Make sure oven rack is in center of oven.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Spray baking sheets with baking spray or line with parchment paper
• In large bowl, sift or whisk together flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, or with hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 min.) Beat in oil, extract and pumpkin.
• Add flour mixture until well incorporated then fold in nuts if using.
• With a small ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup scoop batter onto baking sheets and space them 2 inches apart. 
• Bake 15-18 min.  Check at 15 min. mark inserting toothpick down center of cookie..if comes clean it's done (just like a cake)
• Remove from oven, let sit on sheets for 5 min before transferring to wire cookie racks to cool completely.  Cookies should be cool before frosting.
• Place frosting in piping bag, fitted with small plain tip and pipe swirls on cookies.  You can also use a plastic baggie and cut a small corner off the tip and pipe on that way, or just frost them.  I like the swirls.
• Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator.

And there you have it.  Question...do you drink coffee and if so do you use cream in your coffee?  Well I have a surprise for you...check out my recipe for homemade pumpkin spice creamer here.  Talk about a fabulous combination!

Until next time, see you in the kitchen

 

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