Dessert Bite: Softest Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

Hi Busies!

As soon as September rolls around, the explosion of allpumpkineverything begins.  I know I’m a little late to the party, but hopefully you’re not sick pumpkin just yet, because you HAVE to try these pumpkin cookies.  

I stumbled upon this recipe 4 years ago, and since then they’ve become a fall staple – I make them at least twice a year when I get that itch for some fall feels!  

Soft, cake-y, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies, drizzled with a brown butter/brown sugar icing that adds the perfect amount of sweetness.  In all the years I’ve been making them, not one person has not liked them.  Not one!  They are everything.  That is all.

I’m writing this while recovering from some Halloween shenanigans.  We went to a Stranger Things themed party, which was amazing.  Some of my favorite details – the Christmas-light alphabet wall, Missing posters for Will Byers plastered everywhere, and some seriously great Steve and Barb costumes.  Gotta love Barb!  All the people dressed in 80’s clothes gave the party a great nostalgic feel, just like watching the show does!

Now, the rest of my Sunday will be spent trying to convince Drew to turn off football so we can watch Stranger Things season 2!  

Drew and I dressed up as the leg lamp and box from A Christmas Story.  “FRAGEEELLLAAAYYYY!” 

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Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Icing

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick foil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy.
3. Blend in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract.
4. In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
5. Mix flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture.
6. Drop tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges.
8. Remove warm cookies and transfer to racks.
9. Let cool completely for a least one half hour, then frost with glaze.

Icing

1. In a medium saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute or until slightly thickened. 

2. Beat in the milk. Blend in confectioner's sugar until the glaze is smooth and spreadable. 

3. Use a spoon to drizzle icing over top of cookies.

Recipe Notes

I've made this with whole wheat flour too, in the same ratios, and no one can taste the difference!

If the glaze hardens or gets a shell, put it back on the burner over low heat and stir until it's spreadable again.

Adapted from Genius Kitchen