My Favorite Pumpkin Walnut Cookies

I Love pumpkin baked goods. Last fall I made these multiple times because they were so yummy. They do take some time, so if you are looking for a quick fix, these are not for you. I will have a quick pumpkin recipe up soon that is Oh-so-easy!

But please try these at least once.

You will not regret it.

Pumpkin Walnut Cookies

By: Land O'Lakes

Cookies Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) canned pumpkin (pumpkin comes in 15 ounce cans; not pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon (I used pumpkin pie spice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar (I recommend sifting this)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat Neufchatel cheese)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon (I used pumpkin pie spice)
Walnut pieces, if desired

Direcetions:

1.) Heat oven to 350°F.

2.) Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.

3.)Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed.

4.) Reduce speed to low; add flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

5.)Stir in 1 cup walnuts by hand.

6.) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool completely. (I let them cool on

the baking sheet for 5 minutes
before transferring them to a cookie rack to finish cooling - they are soft and delicate, so be careful.)

7.) Combine all frosting ingredients except walnut pieces in medium bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Frost cooled cookies. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.

Yield: 5 dozen cookies

Million Dollar Peanut Butter Cookies

LITERALLY people….the genius AKA Caolyn Gurtz who created this recipe literally won a million dollars for these.

It's a twist on the classic peanut butter cookie. Crunchy outside, creamy inside, with just a hint of cinnamon.

A real winner.

Ingredients:

Makes 24 cookies

• 1/4 cup Fisher dry-roasted peanuts , finely chopped
  
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
  
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1 roll (16.5 ounces) Pillsbury refrigerated peanut butter cookies , well chilled
  
• Crisco original no-stick cooking spray
  

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls, about 1 inch each.

Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.

Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls. On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Spray bottom of drinking glass with Crisco original no-stick cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture. Flatten each ball to 1/2-inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into dough.

Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered.

Recipe created by Carolyn Gurtz, winner of the 2008 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest