Shelly's Recipe

PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH BROWN-BUTTER ICING - Martha Stewart

Category: Cookies

Cookies
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup half-and-half (or evaporated milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon half-and-half (or evaporated milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs until combined. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, half-and-half and vanilla and beat until very well blended, about 2 minutes. Keep the mixer on low and add the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 1 1/2 inches between them. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes than remove them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.

To make the icing: Add the confectioners sugar to a large heatproof bowl. Put the butter in a small saucepan, set over medium heat and let it start melting. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter becomes golden brown and smells nutty (be patient and watch carefully, it can go from brown to burnt quickly). Remove it from the heat and pour it over the confectioners sugar, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as well. Add the half-and-half and vanilla and stir until the icing is smooth. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cookie. (If the icing stiffens before you get them all frosted (it probably will), add a little more half-and-half and stir vigorously to lighten it up.)

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

{The recipe calls for piping the batter onto the baking sheets, which I think just ensures the cookies have a nice, consistent shape. You could use a cookie scoop to dish them out as a shortcut, but they may not be perfectly round.}