Recipe: Patty's Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

I would have included a photo of the cookies with this recipe, but they disappeared from the kitchen before I could find the camera!

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 cup roasted pumpkin (or canned pumpkin)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

*I've been taught that, when baking at altitude, it's good to include a little extra flour so the cookies don't flatten when baked. When I tried this recipe the cookies tasted great, but were kind of flat. So, next time I'll add a little more flour.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets

2. In large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture (do not overmix). Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, about 25 minutes.

In the meantime...

Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp maple flavoring*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 - 2 cups confectioners' sugar

*If you don't have maple flavoring, just add a little extra vanilla extract.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in maple flavoring and vanilla extract. Cool slightly, then beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve spreading consistency.

Remove cookies to wire racks; frost while warm. You may need to return the frosting to the stovetop to reheat from time to time so the consistency is right for the cookies.

Enjoy!