Pumpkin Cookies

I thought that I had posted the famous Pumpkin Cookie recipe on this blog before, but apparently not...so here it is!  This recipe was clipped from an issue of our church's children's magazine, The Friend, and it quickly became a family favorite, and then a friends-of-family favorite!  And now I've discovered another frosting recipe to give us a choice!  So here you go....

Adrianne's Pumpkin Cookies
by Vicki H. Budge

1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups (1 16 oz) canned pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups of flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Cream the shortening and the sugar together.
2. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together, add to the mixture, then mix well.
4. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Frost when cool. (Makes about 5-6 dozen)

FROSTING
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1- box (1 pound) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all the ingredients together until creamy.
2. Frost pumpkin cookies.  If desired, decorate with candy corns, chocolate chips, decorative gel.

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(I found this on a Pinterest recipe, and although it was fantastic on the pumpkin cupcakes, it was even better on the pumpkin cookies!!)
6 TBSP butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar (more, as needed)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 plus 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. 2. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy. 3. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. 4. If necessary, add more powdered sugar until the frosting is firm enough to hold its shape but still light and fluffy.