Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I spent this weekend at my house in Upstate New York. Unlike NYC, the leaves are mostly on the ground and Fall is well underway. At all of the farmer’s stands were pumpkins–including sugar pumpkins for baking. So, I dusted off this pumpkin spice cookie recipe to share. Fresh pumpkin puree is the best, of course….

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
In a bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, cream together butter with brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in pumpkin purée.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and clove. Add to butter mixture and beat well to combine. Add raisins and nuts in 2 batches, mixing between additions.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Bake about 18 minutes, until set, not browned. Transfer to racks to cool.