Brooks Breads Cafe Pumpkin Spice Cookies

3/4 pound butter
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground mace
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon fine orange zest

Cream butter with mixer at high speed for 2 minutes until creamy. Scrape sides of bowl. Continue to beat and add sugar. Beat until light and sugar is not grainy. Scrape and continue beating. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl in between additions. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.

At lower speed, add remaining ingredients. Mix only until incorporated. Put cookie dough onto a sheet pan and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour; the colder the better).

When ready to roll, heat oven to 350 degrees F and flour work surface well. Take a piece of dough and form it into a ball, removing any cracks or seams. Roll out evenly. Use flour liberally, but brush off excess before baking. Cut into desired shapes.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until edges are light brown. Center will be soft, but dough will spring back without leaving an imprint.