Allergy friendly. cupcake happy!

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love back to school photos, apple picking, colored leaves, and pumpkin-flavored everything! And, with the weather getting cooler, it is the perfect opportunity to turn on the oven and bake something yummy.

This recipe is one of my favorites, from a tried and true cookbook. The beauty of this recipe is that I had to make very few adjustments to make it allergen-safe for my daughter. There are no eggs to replace, and because of the pumpkin puree, the cookie texture is soft and cakey. Add a little buttery icing on top and you’ve got a winning, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. They are so small and cute, and quite addicting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup non-dairy shortening
1 T. grated orange peel, optional
1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour OR 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped nuts, optional
Buttery glaze (recipe below)

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix sugar, pumpkin, shortening and orange peel. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in nuts, if desired.
3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, 8-10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool. Drizzle with Buttery Glaze.

Buttery Glaze

¼ cup dairy-free margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk

Procedure:

1. Melt margarine in 1 ½ quart saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
3. Stir in milk until smooth.