Pumpkin Pillow Cookies

This recipe is one that my husband made the other night.  This cookie is perfect with Thanksgiving coming up.  We had gone to the Farmer's Market in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday and he saw these and they caught his eye.  He went online and found a great recipe for them.  I have no clue where the recipe came from but the frosting came from a site called Instructables.....Anyhow, they are soft just like pillows. I thought that maybe they had egg whites only in them or cake flour but that's not the case.  The are very, very light so they go down very easy. And they are addicting. Even if you are not a big pumpkin lover, these really just have a mild pumpkin flavor.  Hope you enjoy them! 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baker powder

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt ( if using salted butter leave this out)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin, canned or fresh
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease your baking sheets, unless you are using an air bake sheet.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt (unless you are using salted butter) into a bowl (not your mixing bowl).

Cream sugar and butter (in your mixer bowl) until blended.

Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture, beat until blended.

Drop tablespoons (ice cream scoop works better) onto your baking sheets, approximately 1 inch apart.  The cookies spread a little.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firming up and the center is no longer jiggly.  Do not overbake - you want them to remain soft.   Cool the cookies on your baking sheet for a minute or two; then place onto wire cooling racks.

Frosting
8 ox block of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter (4 tbs), softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Flavor Options

1 tsp ginger

2 tsp peppermint extract OR

1 tbs finely crushed peppermint candies

2 tbs lemon juice OR

2 tbs lemon zest

Let the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature.

Cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla.  Add in any flavors now.

Gradually add in the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, until fully blended and smooth.