Cakey Pumpkin Cookies

When living in Florida, we spent Thanksgiving with our great friends, the Heinrich's.  We always had wonderful food and had even a more wonderful time.  I had a lot of different favorite food items, but Pumpkin Cookies were definitely high up on the list.  They were so incredible!

I got the itch for them this weekend and whipped up a batch.  They are very easy to make and taste oh so good.  They are a very cakey cookie though, just to warn you.

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies:
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Icing:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tb butter
3 Tb milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.  Beat sugar, shortening, and egg with mixer on medium speed until creamy.  Add pumpkin and vanilla.  Beat until just mixed.  Reduce speed to low and add 1/4 cup of flour mixture, beating until well combined.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Drop generous teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.  Bake until barely brown.  (15 to 20 minutes)

For icing, combine the brown sugar, butter, milk and vanilla.  Heat in microwave until sugar melts (about 1 1/2 minutes).  Remove and stir in powdered sugar.

Let me know what you think!