Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown (Butter) Sugar Frosting

A few years ago I was over at a friend's house and happened to try a delicious, soft, pumpkin cookie.  At the time, I had never sampled a cookie like them before, and seriously enjoyed both the flavor and how incredibly soft and moist they were.  I knew right away that I'd have to try making them myself sometime, so when I was trying to think of what to add to my Spiced Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake Trifle, it was no surprise that these cookies came to mind.  In the end, they worked out perfectly in the trifle, and also made for a fantastic 2nd dessert!!

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown (Butter) Sugar Frosting
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Makes about 6 dozen

Ingredients:
For the cookie:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
10 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup, plus 1 Tbsp. evaporated milk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

For Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg; set aside.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy.  This will take about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.  Add in the eggs and beat until well blended.  Reduce the mixers speed to low and add in the pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla.  Mix until evenly distributed, this will take about 2 minutes.  Add in all of the flour mixture at once and continue to mix on a low speed until just combined.

Place some of the cookie batter into a pastry bag fitted with Wilton tip #12, and pipe 1 ½ inch rounds onto silicone, or parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Make sure to space cookies about 1 inch apart.  Bake the cookies, for 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, or until the tops of the cookies spring back when gently touched.  Cool the baking sheets on wire rack for about 2 minutes and then transfer the cookies to the wire rack to let cool completely.

For Frosting:

Place the confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter (you are making brown butter).  Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown; about 3 minutes *Word of CAUTION – Do not leave butter unattended or stop swirling, it WILL explode.  Learn from my mistakes.*  Immediately add the butter to the bowl of sugar, scraping brown bits from the pan.  Add evaporated milk and vanilla, whisking together until smooth.  Spread a little frosting onto each cookie.  If the frosting begins to thicken too much, gradually add a little more evaporated milk and stir.

Source: Martha Stewart