Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon-Rum-Cream Cheese Frosting

I love rum flavoring in certain baked goods.  I noticed these cookies last year on the blog Eating, Etc and decided to make them for my husband's work function a few days ago.  They were over really, really well!  One co-worker even called my husband "the devil" for bringing them in and ate five.  Lol! 

These cookies are big, soft and cakey.  I usually don't like cakey cookies, but these are really good, and the frosting makes them.  Don't make them without making the frosting- it is SO GOOD!  I was worried the frosting recipe would make too much, so I used half of the butter and the full amount of cream cheese.  I also cut the cinnamon in half so that we could really taste the rum flavor.  I used the last of one of my containers of homemade vanilla extract and it was just full of vanilla bean specks.  The frosting still made too much for the cookies, but that was actually no problem at all, since it's so good... I've been having tiny spoonfulls of it now and then, and it's also REALLY good spread on Ritz crackers... that sweet-salty thing and all. 

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon-Rum-Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Eating, Etc.
makes 2-3 dozen

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin purée
2-3tsp pumpkin pie spice
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp rum extract
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp sea salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) In bowl of electric stand mixer, cream together butter & sugars.

3) Add egg, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla & rum extracts; beat until creamy.

4) In a medium bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, & flours. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

5) Fold in pecans.

6) Drop by tablespoons on parchment-lined cookie sheet.

7) Bake for 10-15 minutes.

8) Cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon-Rum Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp rum extract
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
3-4 cups powdered sugar

1) In bowl of electric stand mixer, cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla & rum extracts, & cinnamon until light & fluffy.

2) Add powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated.

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