Sunday, November 27, 2011

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting


A little messy, but so good...

I don't know where I got the recipe for pumpkin cookies, or even when I first made them. It's been years, and there are about a million versions out there. Some have chocolate chips, some have nuts. Some have cream cheese frosting, some have none. In the end, I just made them the way I like them. No nuts, no chocolate chips, and topped with a very delicious penuche frosting (that I use on a bunch of other stuff). These are my husband's favorite cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

½ cup shortening
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt

Frosting
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup light cream
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add the egg and continue to beat for another 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and the vanilla.



In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spice, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and beat until just blended.

Using a cookie scoop, drop the batter, two inches apart, on cookie sheets. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.


Using a cookie scoop makes it easy to have the cookies turn out the same size.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the 3 tablespoons butter and ½ cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream, and beat until smooth.  Gradually stir in 2 cups powdered sugar until frosting has reached desired consistency. Spread on cooled cookies.



I like to keep the frosting on warm heat and drizzle them on the cookies--then they harden up a little like candy. Alternately, you can add more powdered sugar and frost them the usual way.


Put a parchment lined pan underneath to catch the drips.


They're like little soft cakes with candy on top.




5 comments:

  1. Penuche turns everything it touches into gold. What a tasty cookie!!

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  2. Ooooooh do those ever look and sound great. Of course, I think I love anything that involoves pumpkin.

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  3. Sounds like a great combination!

    If you're ever on Cape Cod, THE BEST peneuche fudge anywhere is at The Candy Company on Rte 28 in S. Yarmouth!!!!!! [Drooling on my keyboard just thinking about it.]

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  4. Cathy, you can even make a pumpkin taste amazing. I'd hire you to make me a Cookie of the Month and send them to me, it would be such a treat to see what would arrive!

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