I absolutely can’t take credit for this recipe. It’s my mom’s, and I’ve been snacking on these all my life. They are not super spiced by today’s PSL standards, but have just enough cinnamon to allow the pumpkin to shine. The original recipe called for margarine, so I adjusted the recipe slightly to add some salt. Otherwise, I didn’t touch a thing from my mom’s recipe! They bake and stay soft, so definitely store them in a single layer so they don’t stick together.
Makes about 40 cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 16 tablespoons (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 1 cup (240 grams) canned pumpkin
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Brown Sugar Icing
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup (108 grams) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup (115 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease half sheet pans or line with Silpat and set aside.
- In a bowl fitted for an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and mix until incorporated, and then add the pumpkin.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Then add to the batter, mixing until just combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, evenly distribute the batter on the prepared sheet pans and baking for about 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned on the bottom. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Icing:
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and with a hand mixer or whisk, beat for about one minute to cool slightly.
- Add the vanilla and confectioner’s sugar, beating until cool and slightly thickened.
- Working quickly, dip the tops of the cookies into the mixture and set onto a rack to cool completely. If the icing begins to thicken too much, whisk in a few drops of milk until the desired consistency. Cookies can best stored at room temperature for up to three days.
