PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories dessert

Time 25m

Yield approximately 3 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
Whole pecans

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixer, fitted with a paddle, cream the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup and eggs. Mix to incorporate. Add the pumpkin and mix to incorporate. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix well. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Cool on racks. When cool, ice with the cream cheese frosting.
For the Frosting: In a mixer, fitted with a paddle, add the cream cheese. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. If frosting is too thick, thin with a little more milk. Fold in the lemon zest. When cookies are cool spread with some of the frosting. Garnish with a whole pecan.