Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love anything and everything pumpkin; from soups to cakes, to plain pumpkin roasted in the oven, and on salads. However, these pumpkin cookies rank really high on my pumpkin list. I'd say right now they're number one. Fluffy and dense in the center, these are melt-in-your-mouth kind of cookies. Not to mention the creamy cream cheese frosting that will really do you in- and you might not be able to breathe from how delicious and perfect these are in every single way. Enjoy.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon  kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pureed pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour

Frosting
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. in large bowl beat butter until soft. add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg. beat until combined. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. continue beating until just mixed. Beat in both cups of flour. Once batter is completely combined, stir with a spatula to incorporate any extra flour on the sides of the bowl. With a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scooper, scoop even tablespoons of batter 2" apart along the baking sheet. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes until fluffy, and lightly golden on edges. cool cookies on a cooling rack before topping with frosting.

Frosting:
In a bowl beat the cream cheese, sifted confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. once frosting is soft and creamy top each cookie generously. Sprinkle cookies with cinnamon and confectioner's sugar.

Yields: 30 cookies

Bon Appétit!