Pumpkin cookies are easy to make and always well received. The cookie has a cake-like texture and a subtle sweetness that balances beautifully with a classic cream cheese icing.
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 ½ cups shortening
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 6 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until creamy.
- Add cinnamon, salt, and allspice.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add pumpkin puree and flour mixture, alternating wet and dry. Mix just until nicely combined, but do not over beat; over beating will overdevelop the gluten in the batter and make the lovely soft texture too chewy.
- Using a cookie scoop, dish out the batter on ungreased cookie sheets. There should be approximately one tablespoon of batter per cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Every oven is different, so adjust the cooking time to suit the oven. The goal is to have a soft cookie, not dried out, but thoroughly cooked through.
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 stick (½ cup) butter, salted, softened to room temperature
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 bag powdered sugar (2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until creamy and thick. If the icing is too dry and stiff, add milk or cream, a teaspoon at a time. Be careful—a little extra liquid goes a long way. If the icing is too wet, add a little extra powdered sugar until the icing is the right consistency.
Finishing the Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled, use a small spatula to ice the cookies. If a fancier, less rustic appearance is desired, use an icing tip and swirl the cream cheese icing on the top of the cookie. Standard round tips and star tips are particularly attractive. The overall effect of using a tip and icing bag to apply the icing is lovely and professional in appearance, but it does use substantially more icing than spreading the icing with a spatula. It will be necessary to make more than one batch of icing to accommodate icing swirled on with a piping bag.
This recipe makes 6 dozen cookies, perfect for a potluck or any special occasion this fall. Just be prepared to be asked for the recipe for these addictive cookies!
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