Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (245g) Canned Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 large Egg Yolk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 170g (about 12 tbsp) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • ½ cup (100g) Granulated Sugar

Instructions:

  1. Concentrate the pumpkin. Line a small bowl with several layers of paper towels. Spoon the 1 cup of pumpkin puree onto the towels and press firmly with more towels on top to remove excess moisture. Note: Continue until the volume is reduced by nearly half and it has a thick, paste like consistency.
  2. Whisk the dry aromatics. In a medium bowl, combine the 2 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, and 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed and no clumps remain.
  3. Cream the fats and sugars. Using a stand mixer, cream the 170g of softened butter with the ¾ cup dark brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and noticeably paler.
  4. Incorporate the wet base. Add the blotted pumpkin concentrate, the single egg yolk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the mixer. Mix on medium speed until the color is uniform and vibrant.
  5. Fold in the flour. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on the lowest speed until just combined to avoid overworking the gluten.
  6. Portion the dough. Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, drop rounded mounds of dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between them. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape.
  7. Bake for softness. Place in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove when the edges are set and slightly firm to the touch, but the centers still look a bit soft.
  8. Cool completely. Allow the cookies to sit on the hot pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. The residual heat finishes cooking the centers without drying them out.
  9. Whip the frosting. While they cool, beat the 4 oz cold cream cheese and 2 tbsp butter until smooth. Gradually add the 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and ½ tsp maple extract until silky.
  10. Frost and serve. Use a small offset spatula to swirl the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Add a tiny dusting of extra spice on top for a professional finish.