Brooks Breads Cafe Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound butter
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground mace
• 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon fine orange zest

Instructions

1. Cream butter with mixer at high speed for 2 minutes until creamy. Scrape sides of bowl. Continue to beat and add sugar. Beat until light and sugar is not grainy. Scrape and continue beating. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl in between additions. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
2. At lower speed, add remaining ingredients. Mix only until incorporated. Put cookie dough onto a sheet pan and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour; the colder the better).
3. When ready to roll, heat oven to 350 degrees F and flour work surface well. Take a piece of dough and form it into a ball, removing any cracks or seams. Roll out evenly. Use flour liberally, but brush off excess before baking. Cut into desired shapes.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are light brown. Center will be soft, but dough will spring back without leaving an imprint.