Dianne's Pumpkin Cookie Cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg , Optional
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter , softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 package cream cheese , 3 ounce
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar , divided
• 0.33 cups pumpkin puree
• 2.75 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg , Optional
• 0.25 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 32 miniature muffin cups.

2. 2

   Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream unsalted butter with sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and workable; beat in egg and milk. Set the mixer to low speed and and gradually beat in flour mixture, beating just until the dough comes together.

3. 3

   Pinch off dough by tablespoon, roll into a ball, and place balls into the prepared mini muffin cups.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until edges start to turn golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 1 minute. Use the back of a rounded teaspoon measure to press a small depression into the top of each cookie. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to finish cooling on a rack. It helps to give the cookies a little twist as you lift them out.

5. 5

   Beat cream cheese with 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Slowly beat in pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, a little at a time. Stir in cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves. Spoon or pipe the pumpkin mixture into each cookie cup.