Pumpkin Spiced Cookies with Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Ceese Frosting

As you know I love baking and trying new recipes! These are my new obsession. I will be making these again for Thanksgiving and probably annually in the fall from now on. These cookies are the perfect mix of fall flavors in a soft chewy cookie. The Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the topper that sent this recipe into my favorites that will be made every Fall! You must try them!

Pumpkin Spiced Cookies with Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup unflavored vegetable shortening

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

3 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp milk

Directions:

For the cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for 20 seconds, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks one at a time. Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Scoop dough out and shape into 3 Tbsp balls (I just filled 1/4 cup 3/4 full). Place on Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets (you'll only be able to fit about 8 per sheet, these are fairly large cookies), and using your fingers lying flat, evenly flatten cookies into rounds until they are slightly under 1/2-inch thick. Bake in preheated oven 11 - 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Store in an airtight container.

For the frosting:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix in enough milk to reach desired consistency and mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Today we have the Snowflake Sugar Cookies to finish up my five different sweet treats for this Christmas holiday. Decorating sugar cookies always takes me back to being a little girl in my grandmother's kitchen on Christmas eve. I remember my bothers and I making a mess while making our very colorful sugar cookies for Santa. I just feel that it is really not Christmas unless there are some cutout sugar cookies. The recipe I used to make these was one that I found here on FoodNetwork.com. I know usually sugar cookies are topped with royal icing but I decided to make a homemade vanilla buttercream for these. Well I hope you enjoy making and decorating these cookies for Christmas!

Vanilla Buttercream Icing:

 

Ingredients:

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

 

Directions:

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together the sugar and softened butter.

Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.

Adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Decorate and enjoy!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie