PUMPKIN PECAN COOKIES

PUMPKIN PECAN COOKIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin, fresh or canned
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 tbsp. dark rum
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition.

If using fresh pumpkin, squeeze out all excess moisture.

Add pumpkin, vanilla, rum, lemon peel and lemon juice.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, ginger and nuts. Combine with butter/sugar mixture.

Drop by large teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet leaving one inch of space between cookies. Combine 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle over cookies before baking.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden around edges and centers are set. Check after 10 minutes to make sure cookies are not browning too quickly; adjust oven temperature if needed. The second and third batches often bake more quickly than the first.

Yield: about 4 dozen.