Cream Cheese-N-Spice Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee or cider and enjoy the wonder of these cookies.  I can’t tell you how happy I am to have these anytime I want now.

I hope you too make these soon.  You’ll be happy too.

Cream Cheese-N-Spice Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Katie of Dishin & Dishes

Serves: 36

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. pure pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 1 t. cinnamon
• ½ t. allspice
• ½ t. cloves
• ½ t. ground ginger
• ½ t. nutmeg
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt
• (You can substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for the spices for both the frosting (1 t.) and the cookies (1 T.) in a pinch)

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 8 ounces, Cream Cheese
• ½ cups Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
• 4 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• ½ t. Cinnamon
• ½ t. Allspice
• ½ t. cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out ½ cup of butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature (for frosting).
2. For the cookies: Mix together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together next 8 ingredients until blended. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
3. For the frosting: Sift powdered sugar. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the vanilla and spices. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Frost cookies.

3.5.3208

~Katie