Spiced Pumpkin Softies

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 60
• 3/4 cup golden raisin
• 1 cup light butter or 1 cup regular butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese, softened (neufchatel)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• orange food coloring
• multicolored sugar nonpareils

Recipe

• 1 place raisins in small bowl; fill with hot water to cover.
• 2 let stand 10 minutes to soften; drain and reserve raisins.
• 3 heat oven to 350 degrees; lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• 4 beat butter, sugars, spice, vanilla and baking soda in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed 3 minutes or until fluffy.
• 5 beat in egg and pumpkin puree until well blended.
• 6 on low speed, gradually beat in flour until just blended.
• 7 stir in reserved raisins.
• 8 drop level tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart onto greased baking sheets.
• 9 bake 14-16 minutes, until golden brown.
• 10 remove to rack to cool completely.
• 11 for frosting, beat ingredients in a medium bowl with mixer on medium-low speed until smooth; tint pastel orange with food color.
• 12 spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons frosting on each cookies.
• 13 sprinkle frosting with nonpareils.
• 14 refrigerate cookies to set frosting.
• 15 storage tip: store airtight in refrigerator with waxed paper between layers up to 1 week.