Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

It’s fall and time to break out the pumpkin recipes. I do love the flavor of all things pumpkin. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread is one of my favorite breakfasts, and these frosted pumpkin cookies are one of my favorite pumpkin desserts. What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?

I gleaned this recipe from a dear school family of mine. I taught Annalee first and then her brother, Aaron. Aaron is quite the chef. Even when I was teaching him in 3rd grade, Aaron liked to surprise me with perfectly frosted cupcakes or delicious cookies that he made himself.

One day, I was at their home giving Annalee piano lessons, when I smelled something delicious baking. Aaron came home wanting to make pumpkin cookies, so he and his Mom combined a couple different recipes and came up with this one. Once I tried one of Aaron’s frosted pumpkin cookies, I quickly asked for the recipe. The bite sized pumpkin cookies are moist with just the right amount of sweetness from the frosting.

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I’ve made these cookies several times now and still think of Aaron (and his family) every time I make them. The pumpkin cookies are good plain, but the frosting adds the perfect extra touch.

These pumpkin cookies are easy to bake – especially if you use a cookie scoop. I love my cookie scoops since they make all cookies look so nice and similar in size. I used a medium cookie scoop like this one for these pumpkin cookies.

These cookies also freeze wonderfully. Do layer waxed paper between your pumpkin cookies when freezing them so the frosting doesn’t stick to the bottom of other cookies.

These pumpkin cookies are good for dessert, an anytime snack, or yes, even a sweet breakfast treat. I justify it since pumpkin is healthy, right? Right.

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Ingredients:

For the cookies…
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour

For the frosting…
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In a mixer, cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and pumpkin. Mix well. Add in vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in the rest of the ingredients until all combined. Use a medium cookie scoop to drop dough by teaspoons onto cookie sheet.

Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a cookie sheet before frosting.

To make frosting, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar. Bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute. Allow mixture to cool slightly before adding milk. Stir in powdered sugar. If needed, thin the frosting with slight amounts of milk. Frost the pumpkin cookies.

This recipe yields 3 dozen pumpkin cookies, when scooped with a medium cookie scoop. Allow frosting to harden slightly before storing in an airtight container. Layer waxed paper between layers of cookies. Store in the refrigerator or freezer to preserve freshness.

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Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

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Ingredients

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For the cookies…

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups flour

For the frosting…

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar

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Instructions

1. In a mixer, cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and pumpkin. Mix well.
2. Add in vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in the rest of the ingredients until all combined.
3. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough by teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
4. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a cookie sheet before frosting.
5. To make frosting, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar.
6. Bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute. Allow mixture to cool slightly before adding milk.
7. Stir in powdered sugar. If needed, thin the frosting with slight amounts of milk.
8. Frost the pumpkin cookies.

Notes

This recipe yields 4 dozen pumpkin cookies, when scooped with a medium Pampered Chef cookie scoop. Allow frosting to harden slightly before storing in an airtight container. Layer waxed paper between layers of cookies. Store in the refrigerator or freezer to preserve freshness.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1