Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

    A new position at work means more excuses to try new recipes.  Part of being a reading teacher involves hosting a monthly literacy team meeting.  Snacks always make meetings better.  For our first meeting I made these pumpkin cookies because I have been enjoying the fall like weather.

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting
a Pillsbury Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I excluded these)

Frosting
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar, 1/2 brown sugar, and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in the pumpkin, vanilla, and egg until everything is well blended.  On a lower sleep, beat in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  If using nuts, stir those in at this point.
2. Drop rounded teaspoons of the dough on ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges.  Cool completely.
3. In a small saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar until it boils.  Once boiling, cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  This mixture should be pretty thick.  Remove from the heat and  cool for 10 minutes.  Add milk and beat until the mixture is smooth.  Mix in enough powdered sugar so that you can spread the frosting on the cookies.
4. Frost the cookies and allow the frosting to harden before serving.

The Taste Test
     As I typed up this recipe I realized a few mistakes I made, but they weren't major!  I added the entire can of pumpkin instead of just one cup.  The cookies came out very moist and a bit cake like.  Perhaps they are suppose to be firmer, but I don't think it made a big difference.  I also completely forgot the cinnamon-so much for careful reading!  Again, I don't think it made a difference but it may have made these cookies a even tastier.  The pumpkin was very subtle and the frosting added the perfect amount of extra sweetness.