Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

by Pam on November 25, 2012

Seriously – these cookies are SO AMAZING! We were invited to a friend’s house for a post Thanksgiving turkey dinner and I was in charge of dessert. I found a recipe for these cookies on Cooking Classy’s^[1] site and couldn’t wait to try them out.  Not only did the pumpkin cookies sound tasty but the browned butter frosting really had me intrigued.  The cookies turned out to be soft which was a perfect combination with the flavorful and sweet icing.  I loved, loved, loved the flavor the browned butter gave to this icing- it was SO GOOD!  Make these cookies and I bet you won’t regret it.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in a bowl until mixed thoroughly  set aside. Using a mixer set on medium speed, whip together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add in egg, mixing after the addition until combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract,  and pumpkin puree then mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Transfer the cookie dough to a zip lock bag then cut the tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto a nonstick or  Silpat lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 1 inch apart.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until tops spring back when touched. Allow to cool several minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Prepare the browned butter icing. Measure the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl, set aside. Brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally.  Remove from heat when the golden brown flecks begin to appear in the center of the foamy bubbles.  Carefully pour browned butter over powdered sugar in mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to scrape any excess butter and browned bits from pan. Add the half and half and stir mixture until smooth and creamy. Spread over cookies with a spoon.  Add extra half and half, about 1 – 2 tsp at a time, to icing mixture to thin because it will thicken as it sits.  

Store in an airtight container in a single layer in refrigerator and rest at room temperature before serving.

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Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

Yield: 14 large cookies

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 10-12 min

Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Cookies:

1 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
6 tbsp white sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 recipe Browned Butter Icing, recipe follows

Browned Butter Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 tbsp half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in a bowl until mixed thoroughly set aside. Using a mixer set on medium speed, whip together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add in egg, mixing after the addition until combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree then mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Transfer the cookie dough to a zip lock bag then cut the tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto a nonstick or Silpat lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 1 inch apart. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until tops spring back when touched. Allow to cool several minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Prepare the browned butter icing. Measure the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl, set aside. Brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat when the golden brown flecks begin to appear in the center of the foamy bubbles. Carefully pour browned butter over powdered sugar in mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to scrape any excess butter and browned bits from pan. Add the half and half and stir mixture until smooth and creamy. Spread over cookies with a spoon. Add extra half and half, about 1 – 2 tsp at a time, to icing mixture to thin because it will thicken as it sits. Side Note: The icing is very sweet so don’t put it on too thick.
Store in an airtight container in a single layer in refrigerator and rest at room temperature before serving.

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Cooking Classy

References

1. ^{^} Cooking Classy’s (cookingclassy.blogspot.com)
2. ^{^} Print Recipe (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
3. ^{^} Save to ZipList Recipe Box (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)