Pumpkin Spritz Cookies (gluten free!)

I have been thinking about how to make pumpkin spritz cookies that were gluten free. (I'm in a spritz cookie phase...)

I decided to base these cookies a well regarded highly reviewed pumpkin cookie recipe from AllRecipes. Of course I had to change them up a bit. Here's what came out:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
     
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/2 tsp of ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
     
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
    
• 2 1/2 cups masa harina (corn flour)
      
• Cinnamon sugar (maybe 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon mixed together)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. Beat sugars and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. 
3. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and spices.
4. Beat in pumpkin until smooth.
5. Gently mix in corn flour in stage (maybe 2/3 to 3/4 a cup at a time)
6. Use a cookie press to press onto ungreased cookie shoes.
7.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on each cookie. (Sprinkle heavily if you don't plan to ice or glaze them.)
8. Bake one sheet at a time for 8 minutes. 
9. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
       
10. If desired, drizzle glaze over cookies or pipe through a ziplock bag.
    

Carole's Notes:

I liked the way these turned out.  They are soft and lightly sweet and pumpkin spiced, and the corn flour flavor is not overwhelming.

These cookies do not spread much all. I thought the little teddy bears were so cute - but they are fragile as well. I left all the amputees for Doug. I also made some snowflakes - they held together better.

 

The recipe is adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/10033/iced-pumpkin-cookies/