Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

I beg you, I implore you, I beseech you; if you only have time to make one pumpkin recipe this fall, let it be these cookies. Soft and pillowy pumpkin cookies frosted with sweet maple cream cheese frosting and just a sprinkle of nutmeg...or as I call them Perfect Pumpkin Cookies.

Ah, pumpkin perfection—how sweet you are! These cookies are somewhere in between a pumpkin cake and a soft sugar cookie which is only improved upon by the fact that they are topped with cream cheese frosting. I mean, was there ever a recipe in the history of the baking world that wasn't improved by cream cheese frosting? Plus, I add a hearty glug of really good maple syrup for that extra fall flavor. Need I say more?

Scoop this fluffy batter onto lined baking sheet using a small ice cream scoop, pop into a 375 degree oven and in 15 minutes you will have puffed and golden mounds of pumpkin goodness. This is where the serious self-restraint comes in. Don't you dare sneak a cookie! Ok...go ahead and sneak one but just know that the more you eat now, the less you will have to frost with cream cheese...I'm just saying.

Once the cookies are completely cooled and you can stand to wait no longer, fill a piping bag with frosting and start decorating. Of course if this fancy-shmancy business is not your thing, you could always use a knife to frost. I promise, you will never taste the difference! Now, sprinkle with a hit of nutmeg and devour. One bite and you'll know why this cookie got its perfect name!

photos by Leah Bergman

[yumprint-recipe id='25']