Pumpkin Cookies

This is the first cookie recipe I’m sharing that is NOT from Cookies by Bess. I’m sorry Grandma Bess, please forgive me, but I just must share this recipe! It’s one of my favorites and it has become a favorite of my friends and family as well. If we decide to publish Cookies by Bess again, I will add this recipe…maybe call it “Janet’s Favorite Pumpkin Cookies” ?

I write about where I got this recipe in my Cookie Exchange blog. It’s a favorite recipe of mine from way back when I worked at Target in Athens, GA. This recipe is forever linked with cookies exchanges for me, check out the blog to find out why!

I have a friend that loves these cookies so much, it’s all she wants for the holidays and her birthday! Each year, I make a batch of Pumpkin Cookies for her and she makes me chocolate covered pretzel rods. Even exchange! I have another friend who makes them every year for her annual holiday party. When I tell my husband I’m making Pumpkin Cookies and he says, “ooooh pumpkin cookies!”  Even my Mom makes them every year for my family out in California…this Pumpkin Cookie recipe has become an honorary Cookies by Bess cookie!

I’ve been told that I’m famous for my Pumpkin Cookies, I hope you will think so too!  I’m rating this recipe a 2-star because there are multiple steps and, depending on the size of the cookies you make, it can take a long time to work through all the cookie dough. It’s a big recipe! When I first started making them, I tried to cut the recipe in half, but couldn’t because it only calls for one egg! The good news is that the large batch of cookies won’t last long! For me, it’s a great recipe to make on Sunday afternoon while watching football. I’ve even made it a 2-day process, making the cookies one day and frosting them the next.

After getting all the ingredients together, there are quite a few with all the spices.

The cookie dough whips up quickly whether mixing in an electric mixer or using your own “muscle”. It’s a smooth dough and easy to mix…it tastes good too ?

I generally opt out of the raisins and nuts. I added both when I first made these cookies, but decided the recipe really didn’t need either. The sweetness of the two sugars mixed with the spices gives the cookies just the right amount of flavor. I also like the smooth and soft texture of the cookie without the crunch of the nuts or the added chew of the raisins.

But, that’s just me…I suggest you try the recipe each and all ways to decide for yourself. I promise that you and your family/friends will love these cookies if you opt in or out!

Aside from the great taste of these Pumpkin Cookies, this is your typical drop cookie. I like to make the cookies bit size, so I use a generous ½ teaspoon size drop of the dough on the cookie sheet spaced about 2 inches a part to make sure they don’t spread too much.

In the past I’ve used a Pampered Chef jelly roll stone to bake these cookies. I like how the stone bakes cookies, the bottom of the cookies doesn’t brown, they don’t stick, and the cleanup is super easy! But, I’ve been following my Grandma’s tips and she says to use traditional cookie sheets, so that’s what I used to make this batch.

Interesting to me, using the cookie sheets required the cookies to bake a little longer. With the stone, I baked the cookies for 10 – 12 minutes like the recipe says. With the cookies sheets, I had to bake the cookies for 15 minutes and they still seemed a little under done or soft. Also, I didn’t need to grease the stone, but definitely needed to grease the cookie sheets.

I let the cookies set on the cookie sheets for a couple minutes before moving them to a cooking rack.

Ah, the frosting! My favorite part of this cookie! What could be better than cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar? Nothing! ? This is a simple cream cheese frosting recipe that really delivers! It looks like regular frosting, but has the super powers of making these Pumpkin Cookies look great and taste even better!

I like to lather just enough frosting on each cookie to give it a little swirl. The recipe makes just enough frosting for the batch, so you can’t put too much on or you’ll run out. I guess you could double the recipe, but geez, that might be a bit TOO much! ?

So there you have it, my famous Pumpkin Cookie recipe. Try them in the fall, for the holidays, or anytime of the year. I promise you will love them. I know Grandma Bess would and she would also be more than happy to add the recipe to her Cookies by Bess recipe collection!

Grandma Bess loved to share her recipes and cookies…and I love to share this Pumpkin Cookies recipe! Everyone that tires them LOVES them, so I say, Pumpkin Cookies for everyone!

Enjoy!

XXOO,

Janet

Pumpkin Cookies

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup nuts (optional)

Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter for 1 minute. Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until fluffy. Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix well. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts (optional). Drop on to greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes.

Notes

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together 3 oz softened cream cheese, ¼ cup butter, and 1 tsp vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.

Recipe Yield

Makes about 6 - 7 dozen 1x

Cookie Category: Drop

Cookie Difficulty Rating

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