Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

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If given a choice of a dozen different cookies, I will almost aways choose a cookie that is crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. The chocolate chippers I grew up with were not soft like many other people's childhood cookie. They were crisp all around with just a bite of chewy in the center. I suppose I like what my mother fed me.

But every once in a blue moon I want a nice soft comforting cookie, and this recipe is the perfect choice. The other day I had a cookie in my my head, but could not find a recipe. It was a caramel cookie, soft, sweet and buttery. But after searching for at least an hour for a good recipe, I gave up. I just wasn't in the mood to create. I remembered that I had a cup of pumpkin in the refrigerator left from sending a Pumpkin Coffee Cake to Doug's coworkers earlier this week and decided to go for a soft pumpkin cookie instead. A modification in the icing recipe gave me a little of that flavor I was looking for in a caramel cookie. The base recipe came from allrecipes and I modified to our taste.

My kids loved these cookies, especially my college boy (of course I delivered him a plateful) who loves all things pumpkin.

Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

makes about 36 cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt

2 T. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. half & half (or milk)
1 t. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Add in flour, powder, soda, salt and spices. Mix until combined.
Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven until lightly browned. Cool cookies.

To Make Icing: Place butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat.
Cook until butter begins to brown lightly -- be careful that you do not burn it.


Place powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and add butter and vanilla. Whisk until combined and slowly add half & half until you get a thick, but spreadable consistency -- add more half & half, or milk if necessary.

Frost cookies with a thin layer.

Easy printer version


Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

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