SPICY PEAR COOKIES

Spicy Pear Cookies image

Provided by JamesDeansGirl

Time 1h10m

Yield 36 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 16

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2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar or 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup pear juice (GOYA) or 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup peeled ripe pear, finely chopped (1 medium)
1 cup walnuts or 1 cup almonds
36 whole cloves
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 -4 tablespoons pear juice or 3 -4 tablespoons milk

Steps:

COOKIES: Preheat oven to 375*F.
Cream the butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until creamy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the pear nectar and the egg; continue beating until well mixed (1-2 minutes).
Reduce mixer speed to low; stir in the flour, pie spice, and baking soda.
Mix until well blended (1-2 minutes).
Stir in the pear and pecans by hand.
To form each cookie, drop 1 rounded tsp.
of dough onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets; drop 1/2 tsp.
of dough next to, but not touching, the larger piece of dough.
Place 1 clove into the smaller piece of dough to resemble a stem.
Repeat with remaining dough, spacing the cookies 2" apart on the sheets.
Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until set.
Cool completely on wire racks.
MAKE THE FROSTING: Combine all the frosting ingredients (except the pear nectar) in a small bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed, adding enough pear nectar to reach desired spreading consistency.
Frost the cooled cookies.