Fall is my favorite season. The leaves are stunning colors of red, orange and gold. The air has a bit of a nip, and the cozy blankets come out. The tea pot goes up on the stove and the oven ignites, sending the kitchen into a den of warmth. And I bake cookies.

This year, I started my cookie of the week routine with these hearty spicy, cakelets.  Topped in a gloriously sweet and velvety cream cheese frosting, they are like eating mini cakes, which is why I call them cakelets.

 

Ingredients

For the cookies:

1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp freshly grated ginger

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

For the frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tbs butter or margarine, softened

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar. Add egg, vanilla, ginger and pumpkin and blend thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together.

Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.

Drop by rounded tablespoons unto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned around the edges and does not giggle in the center, about 12-15 minutes.

Allow to cool completely on a baking rack before frosting.

For the frosting, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla extract and milk. Whisk until smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken.  Frost the cookies and eat!

Makes about 40 cookies.