Iced Pumpkin Cookies

While they are named cookies, I like to think of them as pumpkin muffin tops. You know when you get a muffin and the top is strudel or icing and you just want to break off the top, eat it, and throw away the rest of the muffin? This is just that perfect combination. A muffin-like texture with
a yummy cream cheese frosting that is really only the thickness of a muffin top.

Recipe Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy.

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add in dry ingredients and mix to combine. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven and let cool on cookie sheet.
Cool cookies, then frost.

FROSTING:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Have butter and cream cheese at room temperature then beat together until smooth

*Optional, sprinkle iced cookies with finely chopped pecans.