Pumpkin Pocket Cookies

This recipe is from Marcy Goldman's - A Passion for Baking and she described these cookies as gem which are big, soft and pillowy old-fashioned affairs. I have made them smaller than what was called for in the recipe. Yes, these cookies are sort of like a mini pumpkin cake which is nicely spiced and gorgeous in color. Like any other american cookie, a sugar glaze is smeared or drizzled on, but then, it's me again, who does not like the sugar glaze for the added calories, did not have glaze for my mini cookies.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp white sugar

1 1/3 cup firmly packed browned sugar (i use only 1 cup)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened or shortening

1 large egg

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice(which is ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins, plumped and dried

Icing

3 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tbsp cream cheese - softened

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Water, as required to make soft icing consistency or glaze that holds.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 f. Stack two baking sheets together and line top sheet with parchment paper or with silicone silpat.

In a mixer bowl, cream both sugars and butter(or shortening) until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and blend well. Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon and, when almost blended. fold in raisins.

For each cookie, drop large gobs of dough about 2 - 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (i made mini, so i used the tiny ice-cream scoop)

Bake for 15 - 17 minutes (12 = 15 minutes for the minis) until cookies are firm.

Cool well on wire racks before icing.

In a small bowl, whisk together Icing ingredients to make a smooth glaze.

Smear or drizzle over almost totally cooled cookies and let set.

Serves