WARNING: If you’re a pumpkin fan, do not make this unless there are others to share it with.

You’ll thank me later for the disclaimer. For the last 5 years I have been obsessed with Williams Sonomas’ pumkin muffin mix.  Since the mix is seasonal, when they run out, they make you wait until fall comes again for more. When I discovered this I always stocked up so I could get my fix all year long. This year, however, my finances just can’t support my pumpkin muffin addiction (something in the budget had to go and I wasn’t willing to part with the Kendall Jackson!). I’ve been experimenting this fall trying to find a pumpkin treat that was just as good, only much cheaper.

Well, a few weeks ago, the pumpkin gods looked down and took pity on me. I found the ultimate pumpkin recipe in one of Martha Stewart’s holiday cookie magazines and it surpassed the Williams Sonoma’s muffins . The only mistake I made was to make this on a Friday when my son was spending the weekend with his dad and my parents were out of town. I could have shared the cookies with neighbors and friends, if only the mini bites of heaven had lasted longer. I have a lot of self-control, but nothing could stop me with this treat – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in every time in between… I indulged!

Martha uses a brown sugar icing, but I opted to use the Williams Sonoma cream cheese icing recipe which turned out to be a great choice. My son, who is the pickiest eater on the planet told a friend, “These muffin tops are unbelievable!”. The cookies are so moist they really do taste like muffin tops.

Bake up a batch for Halloween and indulge in this heavenly treat, but do try to share with the people you love. As the bible tells us, “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Pumpkin Cookies

for the cookies:

2  3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 c. unsalted butter (softened)

2  1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. canned solid-pack pumpkin (do not buy the pumpkin pie filling can, you want pure pumpkin)  (14.oz.)

3/4 c. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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 1/2 c. batter to a pastry bag with 1/2 inch tip. (or my shortcut – A medium ziplock bag with the corner cut off, no tip needed) Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing one inch apart.

Bake cookies until top springs back, about 12 minutes. Cool sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Williams Sonoma Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

8 oz. cream cheese

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

2/3 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

Martha Stewart’s Brown Butter Icing

4 c. confectioners’ sugar sifted

10 tbsp. unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)

1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. evaporated milk, plus more if needed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Put confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioner’s sugar scraping any brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 tsp. of icing on each cookie. If icing stiffens, add more evaporated milk, a little at a time.

Cookies can be stored in a single layer for up to three days. (if they last that long!)