Snow or sand? Give me another option, please.

Snow or sand? I’ll take a bit of either. But to be honest, my favourite time of year is autumn. My birthday is at the start of the season, as is a son, and a brother, and my hubby, and numerous cousins. As a kid, I got ridiculously excited about the new scribblers (what us NS kids called notebooks), pens, and the new box of crayons or coloured pencils at the start of the school year. Exciting too was the new teacher and classmates, though occasionally I’d worry about who I’d be sitting next to in the classroom. As a parent, I got ridiculously excited about the return to a routine after a summer of mayhem. 

I like autumn best for the relief from hot humid days. The leaves change colour to a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and yellow, and the ferns on the forest floor become a glorious russet. Apples are in abundance as are a vast array of squash.

But to be honest, and honesty is the best policy, my main reason for liking the last quarter of the year is because it’s the start of a baking marathon that doesn’t let up until well after the New Year. All those freshly harvested apples need to be transformed into pies and dumplings and cakes. And, okay, the elephant in the room, pumpkin spice rears its head. I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice in any sort of beverage, not even beer <gasp>. But I love good old-fashioned pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins with a buttery streusel topping, yum! 

My favourite autumn recipe is frosted pumpkin cookies. An easy drop cookie, these soft pillows of pumpkin spice perfection topped with creamy vanilla frosting will fill your house with the scents of autumn. Who cares if it’s 90 degrees F in the shade!

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon table salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

4 tablespoons milk or blend (half & half), plus more as needed

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl using a hand mixer), cream butter until fluffy and lightened in colour. Blend in white sugar and beat until smooth. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until creamy. (It will appear curdled.) On low speed, mix in dry ingredients just until fully blended. Drop on parchment-lined cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls (I use a cookie scoop), spacing about an inch apart.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are just beginning to darken. Cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting: Combine confectioner’s sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl using a hand mixer) and mix on low speed until blended. Add milk or blend (half & half) 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix in 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, continue adding milk or blend a teaspoon at a time until desired spreading consistency. Spread approx. 1 tablespoon frosting on top of each cookie.

 Try not to eat too many at one sitting – only your conscience will dictate what “too many” is.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing many flavours of romance. When not torturing her characters, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and three hens. 

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