Recipe of the day

They're not shaped like pumpkins, but these moist, cakey cookies are made with pumpkin puree, so they're perfect for school Halloween parties and Thanksgiving snacking. RECIPE INGREDIENTS For the cookies: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract For the glaze: 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar Pinch of salt 6 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375°F. Make the cookies: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium-size bowl. Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie. Bake the cookies until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Make the glaze: Combine the cream, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy, medium-size saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Transfer the glaze to a heatproof bowl, stir in the vanilla extract, and let cool until thickened, about an hour. Place a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet under the cookies on the wire rack. Spoon some of the glaze over each cookie, picking up each cookie and working over the bowl to let any excess drip back into the bowl. Place the cookies back on the rack and let stand until the glaze is firm, about 1 hour. Halloween Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Glaze are best eaten on the day they are made, though they will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days.