A Picture Worth a Thousand Licks

I know why you’re here. I know you saw this picture of a cookie to the right over there and wanted to lick your computer screen. I know because that’s exactly how I felt when I put it on there. But lucky me, I have one of these beauties sitting in a Tupperware on my kitchen counter right this very minute, waiting of me to come eat it. Beware your heart, my dear reader, jealousy is a nasty, nasty business.

Okay, I’m done teasing. But I’ll keep my words few because I sense the tension here. You’re like one of those crazed German Shepherds snarling and foaming at the end of its tether, desperately scratching the air and straining towards it’s prize. Only a moment longer, I promise.

Cade actually chose this recipe for one of our desserts last week. I’ll admit, I wasn’t all that pumped about his choice. As I said yesterday, it’s not that pumpkiny time of year and I tend to enjoy foods most when their cooked within their season. Let’s just say, I didn’t struggle to pack away three of these the night Cade made them. I would have ate three more but the children were watching.

The recipe itself comes from one of my favorite baking cookbooks out there. It’s called The Great American Bake Sale Cookbook and has the recipe for virtually ever bake sale favorite ever made from Peanut Butter Blossoms (aka Hershey Kiss Cookies) to Pecan Tassies (aka Bite-sized Pecan Pies). But that’s only where it begins because they expand the collection with rarities like Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies and Country Fair Caramel Apple Cakes. The crowning glory of this cookbook is their “Salad-bar Bread”. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I’m telling you now: You have never had a better carrot bread than this one; don’t attempt to persuade me or anyone else otherwise because it’s simply not true.

And if you aren’t convinced by now, then let me tell you that you can buy a used copy of it on Amazon for a penny. No more excuses.

Now, without further ado, the recipe.

Great Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies:
1 c. butter, softened
½ c. white sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
1 c. canned or fresh pumpkin (if you’re using fresh, make sure you squeeze out as much moisture from it as possible before adding to the batter)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Penuche Glaze:
3 tbsp. butter
½ c. packed dark brown sugar
¼ c. milk
½ to 2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the cookies, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Mix in flour, soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and nuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls 3-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges. Lift warm cookies from baking sheet with spatula, and transfer to racks. Cool about 30 minutes, then spread with glaze.

For the glaze, heat butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Beat in milk. Blend in enough powdered sugar to make glaze a smooth, spreadable consistency.