Day 1: Pumpkin Cookies

Welcome to Day 1 of 12 days of Cookies!

These pumpkin cookies are nice and soft with a delicious pumpkin flavor, and the easy to make glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness!

Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
  
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of walnuts (optional)
  

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets or line with parchment or wax paper.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop rounded tablespoon sized balls onto prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies (recipe for glaze below).

Glaze:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.


-amanda

pumpkin icebox pie

This is a nice fall dessert, that is very tasty! Like pumpkin pie but a little sweeter in my opinion. I didn't have a 9-in square pan, so I used my 10-inch and just crushed up some extra graham crackers and melted a little more butter and it filled up the whole pan.



Pumpkin Icebox Pie (from Everyday Food)
Serves 9-12

Crust:

• 16 cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
• 1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:

• 3 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 1 can (29 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Make crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
   
2. In a bowl combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, salt and butter. Mix until it resembles a wet sand. Press crumbs in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch square baking dish.
   
3. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in baking dish on a wire rack.

While crust is baking, make the filling

1. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top of water and let stand 5 minutes.
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and cream cheese until smooth.
   
3. In a small saucepan, combine evaporated milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium. Add gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved.
   
4. Pour milk mixture into pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely smooth.

To finish

1. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and completely set, about 3 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days).
   
2. To serve, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

-amanda