Happy Birthday Cin-cin!

Today my favorite sister turns 25!!! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Cindy, happy birthday to you. So I decided to celebrate her birthday by welcoming the new season. With the sweet smell of pumpkin and its complementing spices, these cookies cannot be denied. The pumpkin flavor in this cookie comes through beautifully, and hearty chunks of walnuts variegate the soft, cakey texture of the cookie crumb. Feel free to substitute spices, but please don't omit the cream cheese icing - it's not a birthday celebration without it!



Iced Pumpkin Cookies
Source: adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
For the glaze:
2 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp. milk, plus more as needed

Directions:
*Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
*Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
*To make the cookies, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside.
*In a small bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla. Set aside.
*In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture in two additions, beating well after each addition and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
*Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts and raisins.
*Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pan, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.
*To make the glaze, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and the 2 1/2 tsp. milk and beat until smooth, adding more milk as needed. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
*Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Makes 36 cookies.