Pumpkin Spice Bar Cookies

Photo: flickr user star5112

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking power

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Butter Cream Frosting:

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup shortening

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/8 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Mix dry ingredients.

Fold in eggs, vanilla, softened or melted margarine and pumpkin puree. Beat until well-blended.

Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray or coat with oil.

Put cookie mix in pan and spread with spatula until flat.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool and frost.

Butter cream frosting:

Cream margarine and shortening together with sugar, vanilla and powdered sugar. Blend in milk until you get the right consistency.

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About

Note: This recipe was submitted by Pamela Parizo to the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle's Ultimate Holiday Cookie Contest.

I have been baking cookies most of my life, but in the past few years I have really been interested in developing my own cookies as well as researching how cookies developed.

For this recipe, I was looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie, something small and easy to cook. I love pumpkin spice bread and scones, so I thought a pumpkin-based cookie would be nice. Walnuts are optional for those who have food allergies. Pumpkin is good throughout the season, it isn’t real sweet, and with the right spices can go right with cocoa, coffee, tea or even apple cider.

I started out with a cake recipe and adapted it to a cookie format, adding butter cream frosting as a topper, although they would also be good without the frosting. My family enjoyed them, and I hope you do, too!