Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Laced with sweet spice and autumnal flavours, these pumpkin spice cookies from Finch Bakery are best enjoyed curled up on the sofa with a blanket and warm cup of tea.
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Introduction
Whether you like it in your latte or prefer a sweeter treat, pumpkin spice is an autumn staple. Filled with a soft cream cheese centre, these cookies will have you dreaming about cosy nights in.
Ingredients
| 250g (2 sticks) | unsalted butter |
| 125g (2⁄3 cup) | granulated sugar |
| 175g (3⁄4 cup plus 2 tbsp packed) | light soft brown sugar |
| 2 | eggs plus 1 egg yolk |
| 600g (4 2⁄3 cups) | plain flour |
| 10g (1 tbsp) | cornflour |
| 2 tsp | baking powder |
| 1⁄2 tsp | bicarbonate of soda |
| 1⁄2 tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | vanilla extract |
| orange oil-based or gel food colouring | |
| 2 1⁄2 tsp | Pumpkin Spice Mix (see below) |
| 200g (7oz) | milk chocolate chips |
| 200g (7oz) | white chocolate chips, plus 150g (5oz) to decorate |
| pumpkin seeds, to decorate (optional) | |
| For the Pumpkin Spice Mix: | |
|---|---|
| 6 tbsp | sweet ground cinnamon |
| 3 tbsp | ground ginger |
| 1 tbsp | ground nutmeg |
| 1 tsp | all spice |
| 1⁄2 tsp | ground cloves |
| For the cream cheese filling | |
| 80g (3oz) | full-fat cream cheese |
| 200g (1 3⁄4 cups) | icing sugar |
| 2 tbsp | cornflour |
| A dash of | lemon juice |
Essential kit
You will need: a mixer or hand-held electric whisk and 2 -3 baking trays, lined
Method
Make the Pumpkin Spice Mix by mixing the spices together in a bowl. As spices are very fine, it is easy to add too much allspice or cloves, which will overpower the mix – try adding them a pinch at a time, to taste. Store in an airtight container. Use in other recipes, in coffee or hot chocolate, or sprinkled over pancakes!
Next, make the Cream Cheese Filling using the quantities listed here. Add the cream cheese to a mixer and sift in the icing sugar. Mix on a low speed until combined, then turn it up to medium. It may be quite runny, depending on the brand of icing sugar and the temperature of the cream cheese. Mix in the cornflour to thicken. Add a dash of lemon juice and mix until combined. The consistency should be like thick glacé icing. If the mixture is too runny, add 50g (⅓ cup) icing sugar at a time until it reaches the right consistency. Put the mixture into the freezer for 30 minutes to solidify slightly.
Place the butter in a mixer (or use a hand-held electric whisk) and mix on medium speed until smooth and light in colour.
Add both sugars, the eggs and egg yolk, and beat together until combined. Before adding the flours and chocolate chips, add some orange food colouring and the pumpkin spice mix.
Add the rest of the ingredients and combine everything together.
Form 12 even balls of cookie dough, weighing around 140g (4½ oz) each. Split each ball in half. Flatten both halves slightly against the work surface with your palm. Put one half in your hand and, using a teaspoon, dollop the cream cheese filling in the centre of the dough. Carefully pick up the other flattened half with the other hand and place over the top. Pinch the sides together making sure no cream cheese filling escapes. Roll gently in your hands to seal.
Once all 12 cookies are filled and rolled into a thick cookie shape, add the white chocolate chips and some pumpkin seeds, if using, to the tops.
Arrange the cookies on the lined baking trays and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7).
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Leave to cool completely on the trays.
Finch Bakery Tip: Roll in cinnamon sugar before baking (1:1 ground cinnamon and granulated sugar) for an extra sweet crunch.
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