Just Desserts: Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

It's Thanksgiving time, which means pumpkin everything. We spotted this intriguing pumpkin black and white cookie recipe from Serious Eats and tweaked it a little.

The texture of these cookies is a great mash-up between a cookie and a cupcake: slightly crispy edges and a spongy middle texture. You have the option of making your own cream cheese frosting (like we did for our pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting) or take it easy on yourself and purchase some of the premade stuff. 

Prep time: 30 mins (not including softening time for the butter)
Bake time: 10 minutes per baking sheet

Cookies:

• 3 cups  all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend
• 3/4 cup salted butter
• 3/4 cup (5 1/3 ounces) dark-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree (one can)
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Pre-heat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with wax paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice blend. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar. Then, alternate combining the flour mix and pumpkin puree with the butter mixture. Once fully combined, add in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. 

Using an overflowing tablespoon, drop dollops of the batter onto the lined baking pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies to roughly 2 inches of diameter. Bake for 10 minutes, until edges are browned and the middle is spongy. Cool for 15 minutes then frost.