This week’s Sweet Melissa Sundays treat is Spiced Pumpkin Cookie Cakes. They’re kind of like a cupcake with the frosting in the middle rather than on top. Melissa is effusive with her praise in the recipe write-up; I also knew Josh would be seeing a lot of his friends this weekend and they always welcome baked goods, so I decided to go ahead and make a full batch. It really was more like cake batter than cookie dough, but the cookies baked up nicely. The recipe recommends piping the dough, but I can’t fill a pastry bag without making a huge sticky mess (If anyone has good tips, please let me know), so I made some with a medium cookie scoop and some with a small cookie scoop. I stuck with the recipe, but added some cloves and ginger in addition to the cinnamon and nutmeg to give them more of a pumpkin pie taste. Cream cheese frosting generally is not my favorite, but it seemed to be the appropriate pairing with these cookies and most people seem to love it, so I made it. (I did not mind the cream cheese icing on the cinnamon buns from last week, though, since the proportions of that one was a much higher sugar to frosting ratio than this recipe and I added a healthy dose of almond extract to the icing.)
As I put the cookies together, I realized they weren’t the best portable snacks and also wouldn’t do well if they ended up sitting in a car for a while, so they did not get sent off with Josh yesterday as initially planned. We were both planning on going to a brunch this morning and I figured I could bring the cookies to it. But yesterday afternoon I got word that it was cancelled, so I found myself with way too many pumpkin cookies for two people. We live in a townhouse complex and they are currently repaving and piping the area, and the construction workers were hard at work yesterday. Since the entire area is complete dirt piles and it rained earlier in the week, I’m sure I look cranky when they see me tromping through the mud to get in and out of my house, particularly when there’s a set of muddy paws to wipe down. I noticed the construction workers having lunch in front of my house and brought them a plate of cookies; hopefully they made working on a Saturday a little more bearable.
The result? I liked the cookies, but didn’t love them. I prefer them without the frosting, I think they would have been good with just a drizzle of glaze on top rather than in sandwich form. I thought these were a great seasonal choice and enjoyed making them - love the smell of fall seasonings, but all things being equal, there are a lot of other pumpkin treats I’d try before making these again – and I’m sure I will see dozens of pumpkin-centric recipes on blogs from now until Thanksgiving. (I made THESE yummy pumpkin pancakes with the leftover pumpkin this morning.) This recipe rated a 7 for Deliciousness and a 2.5 for Effort, giving it an EDR of 2.8. Many thanks to Debbie of Everyday Blessings of the Five Dees for selecting this recipe. You can find the recipe HERE on Debbie’s site and see what the other bakers thought of these cakies by visiting the SMS blogroll.
I hate it when I make a full batch of something in anticipation of an event and then it gets canceled and then I'm stuck with the goods.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived closer I'd gladly take those off your hands!
Your cookie cakes look yummy!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to share them. To fill a pastry bag, I assemble it with the tip. Place it in a tall glass and then fill the bag. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteYour cookie cakes look yummy! How nice to share with the construction workers, I bet they really appreciated the treat!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I didn't love them either.
Those are some fantastic cookie cakes! I didn't pipe mine either - I was too lazy but I wish I had since my cookies wound up all different sizes and were a pain to match. As for filling a pastry bag, like Mrs. G, I usually put mine in a cup or mug, fold it over and then fill it. It's pretty effective at keeping things neat. Glad you were able to find an outlet for your cookie cakes - I bet they were a huge hit :)
ReplyDeleteOh how terrible! The event got cancelled and you had cookies coming out of your ears. Well, being a construction worker myself (electrician), I know the cookies were appreciated by a group of people who have to suffer the outdoor elements to get their job done. Very sweet of you!
ReplyDeleteI didnt love the cookies either -- just liked them like you.
ReplyDeleteYour photos look great!
How sweet! but yes, I know the feeling. Most of the time, it's just because I forget that I have to bring something and therefore end up having them in the house. But since I do live with 5 other girls, things do tend to end up disappearing. =]
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to share the cookies with the workers. The Fall baking season is too short to repeat sub-optimal pumpkin treats, right? Bring on the delicious ones. I've been on a pumpkin bread kick; love that stuff. Can't wait for pumpkin pie!
ReplyDeleteThe pumpkin cookie cakes look adorable even if they weren't your favorites. Love the idea of setting the pastry bag in a container and folding the edges over, can't believe I never thought of that.
ReplyDeleteThese almost look like macarons! I'm glad you were able to make the construction crew's day with them.
ReplyDeleteLike Mrs. G and Tracey, I fold the top of the bag down, place it in a glass and fill it with a metal serving spoon. I tuck some of the bag into the tip (from the part of the bag around the tip). This keeps the batter from leaking out. When you have the bag filled, pull down on the tip, and that will free it up. Loop the bag over your thumb so you can control it with your palm.
Your pictures are lovely! I can fill a pastry bag beautifully...the first time. If I have to reload, it is a complete disaster.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry these weren't a hit for you! They looks wonderful from the pictures... and that was so sweet of you to give them to the construction workers. I'm sure they appreciated them.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time with pastry bags too but find if you fold the top of the bag down about half way (so you're turning it inside out) and then fill and unfold it, its a lot less messy. It makes the reload a little cleaner too.
They look so cute- sorry they weren't your favorite pumpkin treat (those pancakes sound fab)
ReplyDeleteThose look so plumply perfect... ARGH! Ready for me to bite in! and very, very well done!
ReplyDeleteOh, man-I love cream cheese frosting! I can eat it on anything or even alone! I loved the sandwiches. I didn't love the cookies by themselves.
ReplyDeleteThese cakes look really cute. I am sorry they were not a hit for you.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice from you to share them with the construction workers.
I bet those workers enjoyed them and will take extra care in getting the front of your house cleaned up ;)
ReplyDeleteAw, it's too bad that your brunch got cancelled. But I'm sure the construction workers were very grateful.
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