Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

It's Fall time in Utah and to me that means 3 things: yummy smelling candles burning all day, busting out the sweaters and boots, and pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING! I have been on the search for a pumpkin cookie without chocolate chips. I know, I know, I'm the odd one out, but I don't love them in pumpkin cookies!When I saw these pumpkin cookies over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe I knew I had to make them!

I whipped them up last night and delicious doesn't even describe them! They are so moist and soft...and the best part--no chocolate chips! And the frosting...oh my word! It is a little bit of caramel heaven. I didn't frost them all and put it in a tupperware container and it does go slightly hard, but nothing 10 seconds in the microwave can't fix!

My little boy keeps coming over to the counter and signing "more please"! I think that's a sign of a hit cookie!

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting
*Makes 2-3 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS:
Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars for the cookies. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the pumpkin. In a medium bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour. Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin batter and mix until combined. Drop the dough by large tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased (or lined with parchment or silpat) cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
For the frosting, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream, brown sugar and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla. Let the frosting cool to room temperature and stir in the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies.

 

*Please excuse the beautiful cell phone pictures...my camera is currently sick.