Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE COOKIES
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ¼ tsp. coarse salt
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp. ground ginger
¾ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼ cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
¾ cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
FOR THE ICING
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter
- ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. evaporated milk
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
COOKIE PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
- 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.
- Transfer 1 ½ cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Pipe 1 ½-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 11 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.
- You might think piping the batter is an unnecessary step, but it actually goes faster than you think. It's also easier to keep the cookie size consistent, allowing for even baking.
- ICING PREPARATION
- 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 5 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 tsp. of icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time. I use the back of a measuring spoon to spread the icing. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
