Pumkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

These adorable little cookies are a perfectly simple, and delicious treat to capture the essence of essential Autumn flavors. These are a go-to recipe for me anytime I'm craving a tiny taste of Fall. And it doesn't hurt that they make your kitchen smell wonderful!

 Pumpkin Cookies (makes about 3 dozen)

1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon (or 2, if you're like me and think everything needs extra cinnamon)
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, and pumpkin with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. 
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl.  
3. Blend the 2 mixtures, in 2 or 3 additions, mixing well in between. 
4. Drop by spoonful or using a cookie scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

       5.Bake for 12-15 minutes.
       6.Transfer to wire rack to cool and prepare frosting. 

Caramel Frosting

4.5 Tbsp. butter (plus more to maintain consistency)
2 Tbsp. milk
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 cups powdered sugar (plus more to maintain consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Melt butter in small saucepan.
2. Add milk and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
4. Mix until thick and creamy.
5. Add more powdered sugar if necessary to make spreadable, if too thick, add more butter.            

 ***Although delicious, I find this frosting to be a little tricky to deal with. I find it easiest to keep the pan on a low heat and add the frosting to the cookies directly from the saucepan. It hardens rather quickly and will become too flaky to spread, no matter how much you fiddle with it, if you let it cool down.