Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
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This is where I sheepishly sort of take back almost everything I said last week. I most emphatically don’t take back what I said about the deliciousness of that salmon, but I may or may not have overstated some comments as to the contrariness of my nature. There may have been a tiny thread of truth in there, but to be honest, I’ve been sort of craving these pumpkin cookies ever since I felt the first twinges of fall in the air. I will hereby man-up and admit that I am not immune to the persuasive powers of pumpkin stuff and apple things and to that end, as a peace offering to the gods of fall, I give you these delectable little pumpkin cookies.
Like me, you’ve probably seen several recipes for frosted pumpkin cookies floating about for the last month. I did attempt resistance, but from the first sighting, I imagined (theoretically) exactly how I would want my pumpkin cookies to be… sort of moistly cake-y and slightly pumpkin-y, with vibrant pumpkin spices, and I knew I wanted raisins in them, but also thought chocolate chips could be sort of killer. By this point, resistance became futile and I set out to create THAT pumpkin cookie.
Working from two recipes, one from Taste of Home and one from the Food Network Kitchens, I put together what seemed like a pretty good start towards the perfect pumpkin cookie. To some I added raisins and to some I added chocolate chips, and it turns out, they were both totally and awesomely and deliciously good. So on went their little frosting hats and the rest is history.
As it turns out, I’m as much a pushover for fall flavors as the rest of the world, but if that makes me seem cliché and mundane, I will happily agree with you and eat another pumpkin cookie. Here’s the recipe…
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Click here for a printable recipe
These are like sweet little bites of fall. We love them as is, but feel free to customize them to your own tastes. If you'd like to add more pumpkin, just increase the flour by a tablespoon or two. I loved the raisins in them, but chocolate chips also got rave reviews, or leave em both out. You can also sub out the milk and vanilla for some maple syrup in the frosting, which would be ever so delicious too.
Makes 3 dozen cookies
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (or more) raisins or chocolate chips
Frosting:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
miniature chocolate chips for sprinkling, if adding chocolate chips to the dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then add in the egg, vanilla and maple syrup. Add the pumpkin and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Mix well and then stir in either the raisins or chocolate chips, if using.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheet (you will need to do this in batches) and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.
Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting: In a small bowl, beat the frosting ingredients until light and fluffy. Frost each cookie, and if you added chocolate chips to your dough, you can decorate each cookie with a sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
