These cookies have a history. I remember my mom making these when I was little, so soft and irresistible. (FYI, she got the recipe from the Libby's cans of pumpkin. Incidentally, its not on the cans anymore, they now exclusively promote their pumpkin roll.) Fast forward to my college years at the Y and I made them for my fabulous roommates. We would eat the whole batch ourselves! Fast forward over 10 years. All four of us are married and have kids of our own and without fail, we all make these cookies every fall. Repeat, all of us, every year. I have received several, "Hi, how are you, but really, what's that pumpkin cookie recipe again?" phone calls from across the country. This recipe has glued us together over the years and if that sounds sappy, its only because you have yet to make them and eat them. And a shout out to Angel, Amber and Bonnie, I think of you every time I make these. :)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Combine dry goods in a large bowl. In another large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin to the creamed mixture until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well. Add dry ingredients to creamed and mix well. Using medium cookie scoop (or just dropping by spoonful) onto lined (silpat, parchment, tin foil, something or else they are prone to sticking) cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes approx 3 dozen. Let cool completely before frosting.
Butter Frosting: (from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook)
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
In a mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar. Beat in any additional milk by the teaspoon, if needed, until frosting reaches desired consistency. Tint any colored desired, but of course, when making pumpkin cookies, I think orange looks very festive.
PS- Angel and Amber would put the frosted cookies in the freezer and said that was their very favorite way to eat them, super cold, straight out of the freezer.
5 comments:
Thanks for the post! These are a favorite at our house and I never modify the recipe. But here's a nice variation, if you're interested. I volunteered to bring them to a ward activity a year ago, but as I thought it over, I wasn't sure how to transport them once frosted and still have them looking nice. So I decided to make the cookies really tiny (no more than two inches wide), frost them on their flat side, and make a rounded sandwich out of them. They ended up winning an award for "most seasonal dessert" because everyone thought they were supposed to look like pumpkins. Needless to say there weren't any left to take home. We call these Anne's Famous Pumpkin Cookies at our house. Thanks a million!
I'm just impressed you have a food blog! Nice! Every autumn, at least once, I make these cookies...i'm glad to see you already made them, which means the season has begun!
I am going to go make these right now!
Aaahhh, the memories!They all come flooding back when I take my first bite of the season. btw, I don't think I ever apologized to you for eating all your food. All the time. But how could I resist? Pies made from scratch, homemade jam. Another food memory I have is graham crackers with canned cream cheese frosting. Except that one makes me dry heave.
Christina and I are making these tonight while we carve pumpkins with some friends. Can't wait!
Post a Comment