Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

Name: Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 large egg; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; ¼ cup milk (I used almond milk); 2 to 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

October 1, 2012

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Last week I talked to Martha Stewart. The Martha Stewart. You know, the one with the TV shows, magazines, kitchen and home products, the empire, really. The one I’ve talked about here more than once and have made more than a few of her recipes, which somehow always turn out. The one I idolize and am sure is one of the biggest reasons why I love baking and making everything from scratch. Yeah, that Martha Stewart.

I follow her on Twitter and occasionally Tweet her, hoping desperately for a response that never comes. Sometimes she Tweets that she is live on her Sirius radio show and is taking questions, along with the phone number. I have and love (seriously love) Sirius radio, but I don’t listen to it when I’m home, so I didn’t really know how this whole thing worked. Every time I’d see the Tweets, I’d say maybe another day out of fear or lack of time and move on. This particular day I’d already made a few very, very important phone calls and saw her Tweets at just the right time. This was the day I was going to give it a try.

Really, I thought that’s all it would be. A try. My days of trying to win contests from local radio stations had taught me busy signals were the norm, and this was a national show from (say it with me) Martha Stewart. What chance did little old me have of getting through? Except I did. A guy answered, asked my name and location, my question, and put me on hold. I was in, just like that. OMG!

While on hold, the radio show played. Each time Martha was wrapping up a call, my heart raced, wondering if I would be next. I waited about 30 minutes, never knowing when or if my turn would come. My heart practically beat out of my chest, my hands shook, I burned every calorie eaten the previous week without lifting a finger. It was torture. Then my time came.

I told Martha about my blog, including the name. She brought it up and looked at it, seeming to think the name and tagline were cute. I asked her for some advice of how to grow my blog, since it often seems like an impossible task. She told me calling in to shows like that would probably help (not much, unfortunately), and that I should try to connect with local magazines and newspapers and use social media. I love and appreciate her advice, but it was merely speaking with her that made my ~~day~~ year. I always hoped I would have a moment to talk with Martha, impress her, but never thought it would actually come. I’m not sure if I impressed her, but I certainly hope I did. She seems like such a nice person, and I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity. It turns out maybe dreams do come true, so now if the universe could just get working on those other dreams I have that would be wonderful.

These Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting are a dream come true, and I’d like to think Martha would like them, particularly because they’re made with more homemade pumpkin puree. And yes, the canned stuff will still work, but I highly recommend trying to make your own puree. The cookies are super soft and moist with that wonderful pumpkin flavor enhanced by some spices and crunchy pecans. I made them huge, because I only like huge cookies. The original recipe called for 60 cookies (they must be so small they’re invisible) and I got 18. Feel free to make them whatever size you like, just make sure to watch the baking time accordingly.

It’s the penuche frosting that really makes these cookies. It’s sweet, but not too sweet and never buttery, with a complex caramel flavor that really sings and is one of the best frostings ever. Paired with the cookie, it’s insane. These make for a wonderful, easy to make, yet very impressive treat for fall that will make your day, even if not as much as talking to Martha Stewart.