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Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

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Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

I am always on the look out for a good cookie recipe to add to my collection. Pumpkin Cookies are my latest addition. It seems that cookies can be classified as either everyday, holiday, or seasonal, and I would put Pumpkin Cookies in the seasonal category as they have the look, smell, and taste of Fall. Pumpkin Cookies are a wonderfully soft and spongy textured cookie with the earthy flavor of pumpkin and its complementary spices (ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves). They go very well with a tangy cream cheese frosting, although if you are putting these cookies in your child's lunchbox you may want to leave off the frosting and instead add, to the batter, either one cup of chopped pecans or walnuts or else one cup of chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk). 

When you read through the recipe you may be surprised to find canola oil listed as one of the ingredients. Most Pumpkin Cookie recipes use butter, but while canola oil may be tasteless and odorless, it makes up for this by being a "healthy" fat (not a saturated fat) and by giving these cookies a lovely soft and spongy texture similar to that of a cake. I adapted this recipe from Elinor Klivans' Big Fat Cookies which is a perfect name for these these cookies as they are just that. The batter is simple to make and you can use canned pumpkin puree instead of making your own from fresh pumpkin. Just make sure you do not buy the pumpkin puree which has the spices already added to it. I love to frost these cookies with a cream cheese icing which has a nice tangy flavor and a smooth and creamy texture which goes so well with these cookies.

 

For Pumpkin Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes).  Beat in the oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Using 1/4 cup of batter (can use a small ice cream scoop or measuring cup) place small mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the frosting is soft and creamy. 

Makes about 18 cookies.

Sources:

Klivans, Elinor. Big Fat Cookies. Chronicle Books. San Francisco: 2005.

Ojakangas, Beatrice. The Great Holiday Baking Book. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis: 1994.

Pumpkin Cookies:

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups (260 grams) light brown sugar

1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil or corn oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (215 grams) canned pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces (115 grams) room temperature cream cheese, regular of low fat

2 tablespoons (25 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (55 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Note: Instead of frosting the cookies, you can add to the batter either 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) or 1 cup of chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk)

 
   

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