Pumpkin Cookies With Frosting

Soft cake-like cookie with a wonderful frosting. A friend made these when my (then) toddler son came over for a playdate, and, after eating a plateful, I let him run screaming through her house while I frantically copied down the recipe. There are a few things I insist be organic, and winter squash is one of them. Organic pie pumpkins are easy to find in the Fall for cooking, mashing and storing in the freezer, but organic canned pumpkin is also now readily available. I never count cookies. Yield is a total guess.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup  Butter Flavor Crisco (I use butter)
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  cup canned pumpkin
• 1  large egg
• 2  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  cup raisins (optional)

• Frosting

• 3⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons  whole milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Cream shortening (or butter), sugar and pumpkin; mix in egg.
2. Stir in flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add raisins. Dough will be lumpy and wet.
3. Bake on GREASED cookie sheet at 375° for 10-12 minutes.
4. For frosting: Heat sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and stir until smooth.
5. Spread frosting on cookies. Frosting will harden as it cools.