Hey there! Notice anything different? Healthy Delicious has a new look! I’ve been working on it for months…and thinking about it for the better part of a year. There are still a few little things here and there that need to be tweaked, but overall I’m really happy with how it turned out. Be sure to check out my new recipe index, too. I’m hoping that its more user friendly than the last one. (If you notice anything that seems wonky or off with the site, let me know and I’ll make sure it gets fixed.)
I really wanted to share an amazingly healthy recipe when I announced the new design, but now that it’s October, my self-imposed pumpkin ban is over, and these soft pumpkin cookies with vanilla bean icing were too hard to resist. I promise I’ll be back later this week with a salad to help balance things out.
I made these cookies over the weekend and by the time I figured out what kind of frosting I wanted to pair them with (maple? cinnamon? vanilla bean?!) half the batch was gone. Luckily, they’re really easy to make so it wasn’t a problem at all to make more.
These are super soft “Lofthouse style” cookies – thick and slightly chewy without being at all cake-y. I added a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to the dough, but kept them relatively simple so that the pumpkin flavor really shines through. (The dough is egg-free too, so go ahead an sample it raw.)
I like them unfrosted just as much as I like them with frosting, but I found a container of sprinkles when I was cleaning out my cabinets and really wanted to use them (same deal with the vanilla beans, which I ordered off of Amazon a few weeks ago.)
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cup flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the pumpkin and vanilla until smooth.
- In a second bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until a smooth, thick dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350F; line a cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat. Roll tablespoon portions of dough into round balls, gently flatten between your hand and place 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake 12-14 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are just set. Let cool completely.
- To make the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla bean. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar; mix in the coconut milk. Beat 1 minute, or until thick and fluffy.
3.2.2807