Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

These cookies combine two great fall-appropriate flavors: pumpkin and ginger. Gingersnap fans will love these. Pumpkin lovers will be happy as well. You can't go wrong with a classic cookie like this. My taste testers agree. I sent a box of these off to work with my husband, and the box came back with nary a crumb.


PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP COOKIES

2 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar (plus more for rolling cookies)
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1/4 c molasses
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin, molasses, egg and vanilla extract. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for at least an hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat each ball with sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until tops of cookies crack. Allow cookies to cool on sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

I made these along with the Apple Harvest Cupcakes I posted about earlier this week. It's no coincidence that both cupcakes are topped with the same delicious cream cheese icing. I didn't have time to both bake and ice the cupcakes the day of the event. I wound up baking them the night before and then frosting them the next morning. Making one large batch of icing saved me time over making two different buttercreams. And a couple of people at the luncheon declared it the best icing they'd ever had, so apparently I made a wise choice. Sure, it could have all been exaggerated flattery, but, hey, I'll take it!


PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES

for the cupcakes:
2 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
3 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c milk

for the icing:
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in pumpkin puree and vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix just to combine. Then add 1/3 of the milk and mix to combine. Continue alternating between batches of flour mixture and milk until all ingredients are incorporated.

4. Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack before icing.

5. To make the frosting: beat together the butter and cream cheese, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread onto cupcakes with a spatula or use a pastry bag and tip.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday