By Silentia Slaboch

Around this time of year, when I ran my bakery I would bake up batches of pumpkin cookies. I tried various recipes throughout the years, but the one that was most adaptable was this one. With or without frosting, with or without nuts…these cookies make your house smell wonderful and invite you back to autumn. (Whenever the weather decides to make up its mind!)

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin 
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla or lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice pie or ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
Walnut pieces, if desired                        

Instructions

For Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  
2. Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
3. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed.
4. Add flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
5. Stir in 1 cup walnuts.  
6. Scoop up a little more than a teaspoonful of dough (you don’t have to make these exactly 1 teaspoon), place about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Mine were ready in 8 minutes, so don’t over bake! It’s ok if it looks a little soft in center.
8. Cool completely.

For Frosting

1. Combine all frosting ingredients except walnut pieces in medium bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth.
2. Frost cooled cookies.
3. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.

Share your comments with us if you made these.