Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting

I've been making these cookies for a few years now. My mom and grandma love spiced cakes and cookies and these are reminiscent of them with the addition of holiday spices commonly used in baked goods; cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I usually end up doubling this recipe whenever I make it because they always seem to disappear so fast.

there they are, on the left

The cookies are not your average cookie. They are not crispy, chewy, or flat like your average cookie. They are very cake-like, resembling a whoopie pie almost. They are soft and pillow-y, and oh so welcoming with the warmth of the spice blends. Then the tops are spread with a lemon-scented cream cheese frosting which adds a nice balance of sweet and tang to the cookie.



Pumpkin Cookies Recipe 
(adapted from the food network)

- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 tbsp maple syrup [*I add 1 extra tbsp for a richer flavor]
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 2 1/2 cups AP flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
- 2 8oz packages of cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350F.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until fully combined. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the pumpkin and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.

Drop tablespoon sizes of batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffly. Add in the powdered sugar and slowly mix at first, and then beat to incorporate. Add in the milk, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat for a few minutes until everything is fully incorporated.

Frost the cookies as you like, or don't. they are pretty good plain as well! And the frosting is amazing on its own too, if you want to take a spoon and just dig in :)

Enjoy!