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This is the start of my favorite time of year. From October through Christmas, I’m that giddy, goofy annoyingly cheerful person everyone hates (I guess I should apologize upfront for all the merriment and good cheer that will be unleashed…mostly to the Boy since he has to live with me). While I enjoy Spring too (especially after having suffered the slim pickings of the farmers markets during the lean Winter months), this time of year is pretty much the cat’s pajamas in my book. And with more space in my new apartment, this year I can crank out the cookies and treats like nobody’s business. My first stop? Pumpkin shortbread cookies!
It all started when I was trying some of the new gelatos at the Dolcezza stand at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market last Thursday. One of their newest flavors was a Georgia Butter Pecan and it was heaven. I immediately thought a great shortbread would be the perfect dipping utensil for the gelato. Since I still had some pumpkin puree from the pumpkin walnut bread, I thought I’d add it to my go-to shortbread cookie recipe. The added pumpkin puree meant I had to tweak the dry ingredients a little (to compensate for the added moisture to the recipe). But the end result was an ode to pumpkin pie set amongst the all too familiar snappiness of a shortbread cookie. This was pretty much Fall wrapped in a cookie package…woohoo!
Meal type: dessert
Yum! And I love the new site!
[...] Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies from Adventures in Shaw [...]
This recipe sounds great, I was reading in and when do you add the 2 cups of flour?
Thanks!
@ Marlena – So sorry! I forgot to add the flour step. The recipe has now been corrected!
Very yummy! Not too sweet- just right! Perhaps the oven should be started after the cookies have been in the fridge…
Would these pumpkin cookies work with cookie cutters?
@ Tami – Yes! Just flatten the dough into a disc before chilling it in the refrigerator. Then once it’s chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inches thick. Then use cookie cutters to make the shapes! You still bake for the same amount of time and at the same temperature!
Wow, these cookies have not worked at all for me. Even with copious amounts of flour, the dough is too goopy and sticky to be worked into a log and refrigerated.
@ Ashley – Hmmmmm, that’s odd. I have made these countless amounts of time and haven’t encountered that problem. Can you email me and let me know how you made them? I’ll try to help figure out the problem. adventuresinshaw@gmail.com.
Ashley:
When I first started making shortbread, I tried margarine, no good! It makes the dough super soft and not manageable. Also, make sure your butter is soft, not melted, I’ve made that mistake as well! Just a fellow shortbread lover sharing what she knows! Love pumpkin addition, can’t beat the taste of fresh pumpkin in ANYTHING!
@ Ruskie Baker – Thanks for the tips! Ashely, hopefully those suggestions will help. If not, let me know!
When you say 2 sticks of butter, how much is that? Is each stick 250 g or a cup? Can you please clarify?
Thanks so much!
@ Julie – 2 sticks of butter equals one cup. Happy baking!
Ashley,
I had a similar problem. In my case, I think it was because my pumpkin puree was still warm when I added it to the dough. However, I dealt with it by just spooning the dough into a long piece of plastic wrap, spreading it into a line with a butter knife, and folding the plastic wrap around it to form a log. (Picture rolling a cigarette.) I had to chill the dough for longer than the recipe said, but after 2-3 hours it was ready and the cookies came out fine in the end.