Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
Yield: About 5 dozen cookies
Cook Time: 8-12 minutes (oven temperatures may vary - bake accordingly)
Tips: To achieve a smooth and glossy icing: Be sure to sift powdered sugar. Icing must be slightly warm and fairly runny. If icing cools and becomes too firm for spreading, heat on high in microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for about 5 seconds (may repeat this process as needed). If after reheating icing still seems too thick, stir in a few drops of whipping cream.
Suggestion: Perfect served around the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays!
Ingredients
- Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
- Icing
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
Directions
Cookies
Cream butter and brown sugar in an electric mixer bowl until
well-blended (may appear like coarse crumbs). Add pumpkin, egg and orange zest and beat until smooth.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter, sugar and egg mixture and mix until fully blended, stopping once to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incorporate all ingredients. (Note: If using walnuts, remove mixing bowl from electric mixer and manually stir in walnuts.) Cover cookie dough and place in refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375° F. Drop cookie batter by tablespoonfuls (about 1 1/4 inches in diameter) 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Using your fingers, gently press down on each cookie to slightly flatten (to about 1/2-inch thick). Bake 8-12 minutes or just until bottoms or outer edges are beginning to darken slightly. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to completely cool.
Once cookies have cooled, begin preparing icing. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, add brown sugar, whipping cream and corn syrup. Continue to cook until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Pour mixture into a heat-resistant medium bowl. Add sifted confectioners sugar and beat (by hand or using an electric handheld mixer) until completely blended and smooth. Apply to tops of cooled cookies, spreading almost to the edges. Allow icing to harden (about 1 hour or so - times may vary). Store in an air-tight container. (Tip: It's best to place a sheet of waxed paper in bewteen stacked layers of cookies to prevent icing from sticking to bottoms of other cookies.)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter, sugar and egg mixture and mix until fully blended, stopping once to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incorporate all ingredients. (Note: If using walnuts, remove mixing bowl from electric mixer and manually stir in walnuts.) Cover cookie dough and place in refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375° F. Drop cookie batter by tablespoonfuls (about 1 1/4 inches in diameter) 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Using your fingers, gently press down on each cookie to slightly flatten (to about 1/2-inch thick). Bake 8-12 minutes or just until bottoms or outer edges are beginning to darken slightly. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to completely cool.
Icing
Once cookies have cooled, begin preparing icing. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, add brown sugar, whipping cream and corn syrup. Continue to cook until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Pour mixture into a heat-resistant medium bowl. Add sifted confectioners sugar and beat (by hand or using an electric handheld mixer) until completely blended and smooth. Apply to tops of cooled cookies, spreading almost to the edges. Allow icing to harden (about 1 hour or so - times may vary). Store in an air-tight container. (Tip: It's best to place a sheet of waxed paper in bewteen stacked layers of cookies to prevent icing from sticking to bottoms of other cookies.)