Halloween Cookies~

The annual cookies for Halloween Awareness and Celebration were another success.

Eventhough this year I had no coworkers to be victims to my crazy baking ritual. I made do with family, neighbors, and even sending them. (Still no word yet on if they made it to Bahrain.)

This time, the clear favorite was the apple butter recipe, so here goes:


Apple Butter Cookies with Penuche Frosting

1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 c (2 sticks) softened butter
1 c apple butter (mmm...yummy)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon ( I always put more)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c chopped walnuts (I grind them to almost powder, I hate biting into a dry nut in a moist cookie)
Penuche Frosting (recipe follows)


1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
2. Beat sugars, butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add apple butter, vanilla, and egg and beat until light and fluffy. Stop mixer. Add flour, baking powder and soda, cinn, and salt to same bowl. Beat again until well combined. Stir in Nuts.
3. Drop by rounded tsp fulls 2 inches apart onto parchmented cookie sheets, Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until light brown around edges.
4. Cool completely. Frost. Let frosting set before storing.


Penuche Frosting

3 tbs butter
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c cream or half n half
1 1/2 to 2 c powdered sugar (I remember just adding it until looked right. I either added a lot more or less.)

1. Melt butter and brown sugar in med saucepan over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. May thicken immediately.
2. Remove from heat, cool 10 min. Mixture will begin to harden.
3. Add cream and stir smooth. Add powdered sugar 1/4 c at a time, beating well after each addition until frosting reaches desired consistancy. (I like it thick)