Pumpkin cookies!

Pumpkins and fall go together like peanut butter and jelly or . . . any other twin metaphor. So, of course, since the day we brought in 44 pumpkins from the garden a few weeks ago, I've been dying to make yummy pumpkin cookies!!

Here's the recipe I tried, and pictures of my process :)

Pumpkin Drop Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (instead, I recommend 2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus 1/2-1 teaspoon each allspice, nutmeg, & cloves)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. 

Beat in egg. Add pumpkin and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (and other spices, if you prefer) and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. (Stir in pecans.)

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  

Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

I recommend putting paper towels under the cooling rack,
or your counter ends up looking like this!

We (my husband Parker and I) tried this recipe with several different add-ins. After tasting with and without frosting, here are the results:

Dried cranberries: Yummy w/ & w/o frosting

Cranberries & chocolate chips: Amazing! either way

Chocolate chips: Good, especially with frosting

Butterscotch chips: THE BEST! w/ & w/o (I love them even more with frosting, Parker likes them better without)

Chocolate and Butterscotch chips: EVEN BETTER! We didn't do this, but we ate pieces of the 2 cookies together and we wish we had added both!

Extra spice: like I recommend above, they are so much better with extra spices (and any add-ins)

Penuche Frosting

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons milk

1-3/4 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

For frosting, in a small saucepan, bring brown sugar and butter to a

boil. 

Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. 

Remove from the heat; cool for 10 minutes. (*Be sure you do this! I didn't, and it made it much more difficult!)

Transfer to a large bowl; beat in milk.

Beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve spreading consistency.

Enjoy these cookies! Please tell me all about your baking experience!!!

Happy Baking!