Pumpkin Treats – Cookies and Bars

All things pumpkin!  Yum!  Easy to make cookies and bars, both with a touch of cinnamon that accents pumpkin so well. 

Pumpkin Cookies with Icing

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped

Combine butter, sugar, egg, pumpkin, and vanilla in bowl; mix well. Sift remaining flour, powder, soda, and cinnamon; add to bowl and mix. Stir in chopped pecans and raisins.

Drop rounded teaspoon size balls of dough onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to cooking rack. Frost while warm.

Icing:
3 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons milk
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Beat for a few minutes. Use immediately. (If it becomes too stiff, stir in a teaspoon of milk.)

Pumpkin Bars

1 packaged yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup for topping)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg

1 can cooked pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Combine cake mix (minus 1 cup for topping), melted butter, and one egg. Mix well and press into a greased 9 by 13 baking pan. Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, two eggs, and milk. Pour over crust in pan.

Topping:
1 cup reserved cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
6 Tablespoons coconut (optional)

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over filling in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, until table knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting and serving.