For the cookies:
2 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ¼ tsp coarse salt
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp. ground ginger
¾ tsp. grated nutmeg
¾ c. unsalted butter, room temp.
2 ¼ c. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ c. canned solid-packed pumpkin (14 oz.)
¾ c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
for the icing:
4 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
10 TB unsalted butter
¼ c. plus 1 TB evaporated milk, plus more if needed
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Make cookies: whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in mixer and beat on med. Speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low and add pumpkin, milk and vanilla; mix until blended, 2 minutes. Add flour mixture and combine.
3. Transfer 1 ½ c. batter to pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch plain tip. Pipe 1 ½ inch rounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway, until tops spring back about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire rack 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.
4. Make icing: put sugar in bowl, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, swirling until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add milk and vanilla, and stir till smooth.
5. Spread 1 tsp. of icing on each cookie. Store airtight, single layers, room temp, up to 3 days.