Pumpkin Cookies

photo credit: Sarah Nelms

Fall means pumpkins!Whether you are carving them to illuminate or cooking with them, pumpkins are in season and signify autumn. A fierce competition is on for the world’s largest pumpkin and at the time of this writing farmer Ron Wallace holds the title with his 2,009 pound prize.

This gourd-like squash has also been featured in numerous fictional works. How many can you name?

To prime your brain pump I’ll give you an easy one: in Cinderella a pumpkin is used to create her carriage.

Ok, here’s a hard one: In a short fiction by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Feathertop from 1852, a witch turns a scarecrow with a “pumpkinhead” into a man.

Leave your comments below if you know other instances. (I know of at least 7 more.)

Now on to the more delicious topic: Pumpkin Cookies

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together: 2 cups flour,1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp pumpkin spice,  1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp of baking soda

Add dry mix with 2 sticks of soft butter,1 can of pumpkin, and 1 tsp vanilla extract

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

When cool, top with icing*: (store-bought cream cheese icing can be used)

*Whip together: 4 oz soft cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream/milk/half and half (or more to reach desired consistency)