[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh (or canned) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- See the ‘Cooking Fresh Pumpkin Puree’ recipe below
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup of granulated sugar (for rolling cookies)
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, pumpkin puree, and molasses until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Cover dough and refrigerate until very cold – preferably overnight, but at least for a few hours. It will be hard.
- When the dough has chilled, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons at a time, and roll into round balls of dough. Place the balls back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- While the balls are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
- When you’re ready to bake, pour ½ cup granulated sugar into a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar. Place the dough balls on the cookie sheets, leaving at least three inches between each cookie.
- Bake cookies until edges are set and starting to brown, but cookies are still soft – approximately 7 – 10 minutes.
- Let cookies cool for about five minutes on the cookie sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Cooking Fresh Pumpkin Puree
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Wash outside of pumpkin thoroughly. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and fibrous strings.
- Rub the cut surfaces with oil and place halves in a roasting pan cut side down with 1 cup of water.
- Bake in the oven until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife (approximately 90 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the pumpkin flesh and puree in a food processor or blender.
- Place puree in a sieve or fine mesh colander lined with cotton cheesecloth, paper towel, or a coffee filter and set over a deep bowl. Let drain for about 2 hours and stir/press occasionally.
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