Martha's Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Usually I hate to bake. During the last couple weeks I've taken a turn and have grown to like it. I've been baking from scratch even which is completely unheard of in my house! I found Martha Stewart's recipe for these cookies that are even yummier than they look! They are spongy little round bits of deliciousness exploding with the yummiest of flavors. Although I have been eating clean, a portion controlled indulgence every now and then is well deserved as long as it doesn't become habitual! Please enjoy the following recipe from www.marthastewart.com

Cookie Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Icing Ingredients

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

*I found that I had more than enough icing for the cookies. If you can, cut this recipe down.

Directions

1. Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.

1. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.

1. Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. I do not own a pastry bag so I used a gallon sized freezer bag and cut off the tip of the bottom right hand corner. Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely. Transfering the cookies is very important or else the bottom gets moist.

1. Make icing: Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time.