Description
Slightly cakey, exceptionally delicious Swig Pumpkin Cookies laden with cinnamon, spice, and everything nice, including a swoop of cream cheese frosting. These are best made a day in advance for all the flavors to soften, absorb, and meld into each other.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookie
Wet
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. pure cane sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 c. pumpkin puree*
1/4 c. neutral oil (like grapeseed)
1 large egg
Dry
2 1/2 c. all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 scant tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Cream Cheese Frosting
Frosting
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. heavy cream
splash of pure vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
Sprinkles
2 tbsp. raw pepita seeds
Instructions
- Make the cookies. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat. Set aside.
- Begin mixing the wet ingredients. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar over medium speed until evenly combined and the mixture begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
- To the wet mixture, add in the pumpkin and mix again on medium to combine. The mixture will look seperated. Scrape down sides and add in the oil, mixing until smooth and emulsified over medium speed. Add in the egg and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed add in the flour in 3 or so increments, mixing until nearly combined but not completely. We don’t want to overmix this dough and create a tough cookie. Finish mixing the dough by hand, folding with a spatula until just combined.
- Using a 2oz. spring release scoop (4 tablespoons), scoop 7 cookies evenly spaced on a baking sheet at a time. Sprinkle each with a little sugar and gently press the dough into a thick disk, about 2 1/2″ in diameter, patting in the imperfections. This will keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Repeat on all cookies then give them another sprinkle before heading into the oven.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, watching carefully. The cookies are ready when puffed and slightly soft to the touch, neither gooey or hard. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), cream together the butter and cream cheese until evenly combined. Add in the remaining frosting ingredients, and mix over medium-low speed at first to give the crumbly mixture time to come together. Then mix on medium-high until fluffy and pale. To make a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner frosting, add more heavy cream.
- Apply the frosting to the cookies with an offset spatula or butter knife, adding a scoop to the middle of each cookie, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Gently press the frosting out to the edge, leaving enough finger space to hold the cookie. To create the swoop, bring your spatula in to create a crust on your frosting, angling the spatula slightly down and pull in a circular motion, pulling up at the end of the swoop.
- Roughly chop the pepita seeds and use as sprinkles. Cookies are best served the next day. Store in a single layer, covered but not airtight, making sure nothing is touching the frosting. Eat within 4 days of making.
Notes
*Use high quality canned pumpkin puree or make your own. I like to steam mine.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 11 min
