Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies

I love baking with pumpkin puree especially during the Fall and Winter season.  Pumpkin Spice Drops are one my favorite cookies but I was in ready for a crunchy cookie packed with the spicy pumpkin cookie flavors.  These shortbread cookies do the trick with their spicy snap. They are especially delicious topped with Penuche Icing.

Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen

½ cup butter, 113g

⅓ cup powdered sugar, 34g

1⅛ cup flour, 135g

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup decadent pumpkin butter, 135g (see recipe below)

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the pumpkin butter and powdered sugar.

Add cool brown butter and vanilla and mix to fully incorporated. 
Whisk together flour, salt and spices in a small bowl.

Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

Roll into log and wrap in plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper.
Freeze for 10-15 minutes or refrigerate until ready to bake.

Roll dough out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick between parchment.
Use a cutter of your choice to cut out cookies. 
Roll scraps and repeat process.

Place cookies on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Remove cookies and let cool on rack.

Glaze cookies, if desired.

Recipe Adapted from ibakesheshoots.com 

Pumpkin Butter Stove Top Method

Makes about 2 cups

1 large can pumpkin puree, 29 ounces

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

Mix pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large pan set to medium high heat.

Stir every 2 minutes or as needed.

After 20 minutes, turn heat to medium low and stir more frequently.

The pumpkin butter is ready when it has turned a deep orange-brown color and been reduced by about 40%.

Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Recipe Adapted from ibakesheshoots.com

Pumpkin Butter Crock Pot Method

Makes about 2 cups

2 15 ounce cans or 1 large can of pumpkin puree

1 ¾ cup packed brown sugar

Mix sugar and puree together in crock pot.

Cook on low for 6 hours until thickened.

Penuche Icing

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

4 tablespoons, 1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup light cream or evaporated milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon rum

In a double boiler over simmering water stir until smooth butter, brown sugar, salt and cream.

Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla or rum until icing is smooth and spreadable.

Ice cookies cooled cookies by spooning a tablespoon of icing in the middle of each cookie and spread slightly. 

The icing will run over the edges if spread too close to the edges.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Penuche Icing

When Autumn comes around, despite the desert heat that still persists, I start craving all things pumpkin - pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and these pumpkin spice cookies.  Their texture is somewhere between a cake and a cookie - just cakey enough but you can still hold it in your hand.  They are truly a Fall cookie as they are spicy but not so spicy that their flavor crosses the line with Christmas gingerbread.  This soft cookie with a lovely butterscotch icing is just right make before the holiday season.

I enjoyed these cookies with tea and sweet memories of leaves falling and crisp Autumn air, and a lovely re-read of the Hobbit.

Pumpkin Spice Drops with Penuche Icing

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup pumpkin

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment or grease.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in medium bowl.

Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended.

Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.

Add flour mixture gradually and mix until well combined.

Use 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop or drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm.

Using a glass flatten cookies gently as soon as they come out of the oven. These cookies are rise while baking and flattening allows for a nice layer of icing.

Move to wire racks to cool completely.

Frost with Penuche Glaze.

Penuche Glaze

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

4 tablespoons, 1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup light cream or evaporated milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon rum

In a double boiler over simmering water stir until smooth butter, brown sugar, salt and cream.

Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla or rum until icing is smooth and spreadable.

Ice cookies by spooning a tablespoon of icing in the middle of each cookie and spreading slightly.  The icing will run over the edges if spread too close to the edges.