We all love cake, but we don’t always love going through the making of a beautiful sponge. Salon resident pastry chef Meghan McGarry of Buttercream Blondie found a way to shorten the time in the kitchen with the chef’s latest innovation — cookies that feel and taste the same.

The pumpkin cookies are exactly what is needed when people want to bake something on a crisp fall weekend before curling up on the couch with a nice cup of coffee. It’s like whipping up a cake, minus all the work.

McGarry spent a month whipping up makeovers for delicious classic desserts that reintroduced Salon Food to a star full fruit: apples. After her journey that had her whipping up apple crisp bars, apple loaf cakes, and apple crumb cakes, so it’s time to take a step forward with another seasonal flame: pumpkin.

Delicious Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are retro with a twist. The old-school spices you know and love – nutmeg and cinnamon – are there as always to elevate the flavor of the pumpkin in the batter. So is one surprise ingredient that is present in McGarry’s pumpkin spiked scones last fall.

McGarry’s biggest advice when making pumpkin cookies at home is to add the espresso powder while the butter is creamed and the sugar is added. Letting these ingredients mix together from the beginning will ensure that the first cookie taste will be love at first bite.

The recipe is not finished, though, because no cake is complete without frosting. To complete the cake-like look of the pumpkin cookies, McGarry dresses up the same classic cream cheese frosting that she combines with pumpkin cakes with Bailey’s. The smooth whiskey adds a bite that rounds the spice of the pumpkin and the flavors of the cookie that are packed inside the cookie.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cookies

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1 egg

How to Make Them

1. Add line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Ah, lemons. They’re the perfect addition to summer cocktails and juices and a must-have Vitamin C ingredient in winter teas and pies. The problem is, the majority of people don’t actually know how to slice their lemon so they can make the most of its juice. Fortunately for you, we have the know-how!

It All Starts With Choosing the Right Lemons

It’s no secret that lemons sold in supermarkets are “cured,” which means they are picked green and kept in controlled temperatures for a few weeks before hitting the shelf. The type of lemon you pick and how cured it’s been will determine how much juice you will get out of it. It’s best to look for Meyer lemons because they are smaller in size, have thin skin, and have a sweeter, less acidic taste than regular varieties.

It’s Important to Prep the Lemons Before Cutting Them

The most important rule is to cut lemons at room temperature. That’s when they have a brighter, richer taste, much like other fruits. So, keep your lemons in the fridge, but be sure to take them out an hour before using them to let them warm up. In case you don’t have that much time, just put them in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Once that’s done, take a lemon and roll it around the countertop with your palm. Be sure to apply gentle pressure to get the juices flowing.

Don’t Go Vertical, Go Horizontal

It may sound counterintuitive, but that’s the best way to cut lemon wedges. First, you need to slice off the bottom tip and stem end of the lemon. Then, slice it in half lengthwise. Cut both halves into wedges, place them flat on their side, and carefully remove the top layer together with any seeds or membrane (like in the picture above). Now that the pesky ends are no more, you’re free to squeeze that fresh, zesty juice out of your wedges!