Cream Cheese-N-Spice Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

By : DishinandDishes | 10 Comments | On : November 30, 2011 | Category : Desserts

There is a local sub shop that has an amazing glass pastry case at the counter here in Oklahoma City. My favorite cookie there is their Pumpkin Cream Cheese Iced cookie. I order my low-fat sub on multi-grain bread as I stare longingly through the glass case at them. Usually, before I leave, I end up getting one.

So much for good intentions.

I’ve been thinking about making these now for a long time. And by jove, I think I’ve got them!

These are a cake-like soft version of a cookie capped with a cream-cheese-n-spice frosting that is so perfect for this time of year. Drink a steaming hot cup of tea or cider as you gaze outside at the yellows, reds and oranges of autumn and eat one of these cookies.

I absolutely adore fall. It’s my favorite season of the year.

So let’s get started, shall we?

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Also set out a stick of butter and an 8 ounce block of cream cheese to let get to room temperature. We’ll use those later in the frosting.

Let’s mix together some dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, measure out 2 cups of flour. Add in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, Also dump in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk it all together with your whisk.

drycollage

Now in another bowl, we’ll work on our wet ingredients. Throw in 2 sticks of butter, one cup of brown sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla. Mix this until it’s nice and fluffy. To this add one cup of pumpkin. Please don’t get the pumpkin pie filling – get 100% pure pumpkin puree. We want to taste pure pumpkin my dears. Also crack in one egg. Mix with an electric mixer until it’s all blended up nicely.

WetCollage

That picture looks like I got a new pink KitchenAid. It’s just my hot pink track jacket reflecting off the mixer. Weird.

We’ll need to start slowly adding your dry mixture to your wet mixer. Turn your mixer on low. You may have learned the hard way that you don’t add dry ingredients with your mixer on high. The first time I did this, I had flour stuck to my eyelashes all day.

Use LOW. dryinwet

Begin adding in your dry ingredients a little at a time. It’s important when baking to not overmix this stage so just mix until it’s all looking well-blended.

Once your dough is blended, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I like my cookies to be all uniform in size so I used a small cookie scoop. You could just use a teaspoon though. Scoop your cookies onto your parchment paper and pop your pans into the oven for about 12 minutes. They will puff up and be beautiful little cakey cookies when they’re done.

scoopcollage

When done, let your cookies cool and make your frosting.

cool

To make the frosting, throw another stick of room temperature butter and an 8 ounce block of cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Cream this all together until fluffy and there are no chunks.

Sift 4 cups of powdered sugar. Here’s a tip – sift your dry ingredients in your food processor. Just give them a whir for about 1 minute. I detest sifting with one of those hand-held things. It takes forever. Once you have your sugar sifted, turn your mixer down to low again and add it in a little at a time.

frostingcollage

Is there anything better than cream cheese frosting? Cream cheese frosting tempted me to try carrot cake, italian creme cake and red velvet cake. Who cares about what cake it is if it has cream cheese frosting?

Now it’s time. To make your two perfect creations come together as one glorious cookie. Take a spatula and frost your cookies. C’mon, be generous. It’s worth it.

ice