Comfort & Inspire Thanksgiving Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, beating until combined and the dough forms a ball.

2. Generously flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you are using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies into your desired shapes. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer, freeze until very firm, about 15-20 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining disk of dough.

3. preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes (for soft cookies) or until just lightly golden brown. Do not over bake. Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

4. To make the frosting. Add the butter to a medium pot. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons water, the vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth, adding 1 tablespoon of water to thin the frosting as needed. If the frosting gets too thin, just add a little more sugar and if it gets too thick, add a splash of water. The frosting should be thin enough to drizzle but think enough to hold it’s shape.

5. Frost each cooled cookie. If making pumpkins, I used melted chocolate to draw on the pumpkin “leaves”. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar. Keep cookies covered in an airtight container for up to 4 days.