Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip

By dette

My husband and two kids are sure to eat the first dozen of these cookies, warm from the oven, before the next tray is even done. A co-worker gave me the recipe for the pumpkin dip, which everyone loves with the cookies. —Kelly McNeal, Derby, Kansas

Ingredients

• PUMPKIN DIP:
• Ingredients
• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground Tone's® Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon each ground ginger and cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Additional sugar
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups pumpkin pie filling
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground Tone's® Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill overnight.
Shape into 1/2-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
For dip, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in pumpkin pie filling. Add the sugar, cinnamon and ginger and mix well. Serve with cookies. Store leftover dip in the refrigerator. Yield: about 20 dozen (3 cups dip).