Merry Christmas!
As any baker knows, Christmas season is cookie season. I myself find a reason to make cookies just about every week, but many don the baking apron exclusively for this perennial bake-off. Aside from being delicious, cookies make a wonderful gift, a decidedly inexpensive one at that. You can give them to coworkers, neighbors, and other "family friends." Giving someone cookies is never awkward, and unless they seriously suck, is always a gladly accepted gesture. Come to think of it, you'd think giving the gift of homemade baked goods would be even more ubiquitous during the holidays, but I find it's more of a rarity in my parts (partially due to people's ability to spend cash munificently).
Still, my family bakes on, prinking the packages with some tinsel or other garnish, and placing them neatly in an appropriately seasonal bag. This year we made the greatest variety ever, due in part to my active participation. Our friends and family could be seen munching on - Irene's Sugar Cookies (a sacred traditional recipe), Nanny's Gingerbread men (ditto), Almond Snowball Cookies, Chocolate Christmas Cookies, Pumpkin Cookies with a Penuche glaze, and finally, Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies. Oh, and a select few received a Black-bottom Cupcake (check back later for the recipe and pictures!).
Sadly, I cannot relinquish all of the recipes, for I have been sworn to secrecy and do not wish to harm any family ties. For the Snowball Cookie's recipe, click here. They were absolutely delicious, and a little crunchier than traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies. The Chocolate Christmas Cookies recipe came from the back of the Guittard Seasonal White Chocolate Chips’ package, purchased at William-Sonoma so I do not have the recipe. Basically, it follows a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe, except it calls for about half of the flour and the addition of about ½ cup of cocoa powder (a similar recipe, sans chips, can be found here). They were smooth and rich, and bursting with white chocolate goodness thanks to the unbelievably delicious Guittard chips. Yea, they were nine dollars a bag, but they were exponentially better than any chip I’ve ever had.
Below you'll find a recipe for the Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche (puh-noo-chee) frosting, using my patented steps to success format.
Again, Merry Christmas, it's only 2 hours away here! Why am I posting?
Pumpkin Cookies With Penuche Frosting
From: Pillsbury Best Cookies Cookbook
Yield: about 40 (2.5in. diameter)
Ingredients
I. The Cookie
A.
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1cup butter - softened
B.
1 cup canned pumpkin [I used a puree]
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
C.
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
II. The Frosting
D.
3 tbs. butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
E.
¼ cup milk
F.
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
chopped walnuts as a garnish [I toasted the walnuts with a little cinnamon for a nice crunch]
Instructions [Follow my steps to success!]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Steps:
Ready I
1) In a large bowl (or your stand mixer), combine A, beat until light and fluffy.
2) Add B - blend well (it may not be very smooth, due to the pumpkin puree, but don’t fret, the lumps will smooth during the rest of the process).
3) Add C gradually – don’t just dump it all in at once less you want a floured mess.
4) Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto parchment papered baking sheets It’s best if you have 2+ sheets, so one sheet can cool while the other is in the over. You could also bake 2 sheets at a time if you make only 1 batch at a time.
5) Bake for 10-12 min. or until light golden brown around edges.
6) Remove from cookie sheets quickly, so they don’t loose their cakey-ness. Cool on a rack, if you have one, for about 15 minutes (or when the frosting is ready).
Ready II – Penuche Frosting [this can be done while the cookies cool]
1) In med. saucepan, combine D and bring contents to a boil.
2) Cook over medium heat for about a minute, or until slightly
thickened. Do not leave it for 5 minutes, even if it does not thicken, it will during the cool. stirring constantly.
3) Cool 10 min, but watch so that it doesn’t become too hard. If it does harden and stick, quickly stir in some milk.
4) Add E; beat until smooth.
5) Beat in enough powdered sugar (F) for desired spreading consistency (should flow when you tilt the pot).
6) Frost cooled cookies with no more than a quarter sized dollop – it will spread.
7) Garnish with nuts if desired.
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