Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Icing

I am so glad it's pumpkin season again! Fall is obviously the best season, and I couldn't be happier that it's back!

I first made these cookies in Gourmet Foods class in high school in approximately 1999. A few years later in college, I misplaced the recipe. I may have had my mother go find Mrs. McKinney's classroom and get the recipe from her. I really needed it!

Here is a batch I made like four years ago in my old Seattle house. I miss that shiny red tablecloth. And I miss my lovely roommates who would eat these cookies for breakfast with me. If we all did it, it wasn't gross.

 

I have tweaked this recipe a bit over the years, and they are as delicious as ever! The cookie itself is more like a little cake. You could easily stick put the frosting in between two of these bad boys and call it a whoopie pie.

And a quick note about the frosting: Instead of making your own caramel, you can easily sub caramel ice cream topping, which honestly, I have been doing the last few times I've made caramel frosting. It's just so much easier, and then you don't have to wait to cool the caramel. I will include directions for both. Also, if you don't have all those spices on hand, feel free to use pumpkin pie spice or add extra cinnamon, or leave it out.

Pumpkin Cookies With Caramel Icing

makes around 30 cookies I think??? 

1 c. butter, room temp.

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 c. pumpkin puree, you know, from a can

2 eggs plus one yolk

2 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbl. plus 1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. all-spice

1/2 tsp. cardamom

2 tsp. salt

4 c. AP flour

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, sugars, and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda, spices, salt, and flour.

- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar/pumpkin in the mixing bowl, scraping the sides of the bowl between each addition.

- Add flour in two batches, mixing until just combined.

- Using a scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, place even blobs of batter about 2 inches apart. The batter will be quite loose, but will stay in place on the cookie sheet. Definitely use parchment lined pans.

- Bake 18 minutes, turning the pan halfway through.

Caramel Frosting

Make Caramel

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup milk

1 cup brown sugar

- Melt these together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Make Frosting

Homemade caramel or 1 cup caramel topping.

1 stick of butter (use two sticks if using caramel topping)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbl. vanilla

1 Tbl. salt

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together. Add caramel or caramel topping until it is a spreadable consistency. You may not need the full amount of caramel. 

Frost them and you're done!