Cook up some fresh pumpkin to provide great flavour for these cookies. If you wish, have fun with the kids and decorate cookies for Halloween.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 10 to 12 minutes

Makes 4 dozen

  • 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) each baking soda and baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) molasses
  • 1 Ontario Egg
  • 1 cup (250 mL) puréed Ontario Pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) each raisins and chopped nuts

Frosting:

  • Half pkg (250 g pkg) cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) icing sugar
  • Orange food colouring (optional)

In bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses and egg until light and fluffy. Blend in pumpkin. Beat in flour mixture just until combined. Stir in raisins and nuts.

Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls (15 mL) onto lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in 350F (180C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly browned. Transfer to racks to let cool. Let baking sheets cool and repeat with remaining batter.

Frosting:

In bowl, beat cream cheese with icing sugar until smooth. Colour with food colouring if desired. Spread over tops of cookies. Store cookies in covered container in refrigerator (place waxed paper between layers).

Tips:

• To prepare pumpkin purée, cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and stringy fibre. Place cut side down on parchment-lined baking pan. Bake in 350F (180C) until very tender (about 30 minutes or more, depending on the size). Spoon cooled pulp into food processor and puree. Drain any excess liquid. Measure 1 cup (250 mL) for the recipe. Refrigerate or freeze remainder. Jack O’Lantern size pumpkins are fine to use; however, the small pie pumpkins are meatier and less stringy.

• For Halloween, decorate frosted cookies with nuts, raisins, candies and pretzel sticks to make spiders, spider webs and pumpkin faces.

Nutritional Information:

1 Cookie

PROTEIN: 1 gram
FAT: 4 grams
CARBOHYDRATE: 13 grams
CALORIES: 92