Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies - made dough October 14, 2021 from Life Made Simple Bakes 

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups powdered sugar

1 8-ounce block cream cheese, room temperature

splash milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until combined, creamy and no lumps remain. Beat in oil, pumpkin and vanilla extract until just combined. Beat in egg and yolk until just combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix.
4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Portion chilled dough into golf-ball size dough balls and evenly space onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten each dough ball slightly with the bottom of a glass or jar to 1/2-inch thickness. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the frosting: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, vanilla and salt for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar in 1 cup increments, beating on low speed after each addition. Add the cream cheese and splash of milk on low speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes until well combined. Frost cooled  cookies and dust tops with cinnamon, if desired.

This is reminiscent of the Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies I've blogged before from Together as a Family's blog. The ingredient list is similar; it's just the proportion of those ingredients that differ slightly.

I made the earlier ones over two years ago and can't remember them other than what I wrote that they weren't too sweet, were soft and cakey and dense. I would say the same thing of this version from Life Made Simply Bakes.

I liked these as well and they seemed fitting for the season. Do not overbake these. They won't look done at the 10-minute mark but don't bake them longer than 15 minutes unless your oven really runs cool and they still look raw at 15 minutes. 

The oil and the pumpkin keep these cookies moist and dense; don't overbake or you won't get that "fudgy" texture in the cooled cookie. These don't spread much so make them the thickness and size you want the finished cookie to be.