Pawpaw cookies with cream cheese frosting
The flavor of these pawpaw, cake-like cookies will be unmistakable by pawpaw fans. They are moist, tender, and the frosting really highlights the fruit's flavor.
Servings: 12 cookies
Calories: 306kcal
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon plain yogurt full fat, (or sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or ground ginger for more tropical flavor)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Pawpaw
- ½ cup pureed pawpaw
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese (brick style, not spreadable)
- 3 tablespoon butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup pureed pawpaw
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch optional, for stiffer frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C) on normal (not convection). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or 2 medium baking sheets.
Cream butter & sugar
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy (2-4 minutes).
- Add the egg, greek yogurt, and vanilla, mixing on medium-low until fully combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Mix in dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together until it looks evenly distributed.
- Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix on low until just combined. Over-mixing will make them tougher.
Add in pawpaw puree
- Add the pawpaw puree to the mixer on low until just combined. You can also incorporate by hand, scraping down the sides as needed. The dough will be a bit wetter and stickier than traditional cookie dough, since these are cake-like in texture.
Bake at 350 °F (177 °C) for 10-15 min
- Scoop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie (they spread when baked). I got 13 cookies when using large 3-tbsp sized scoops. They are the size of lofthouse cookies at your grocery store bakery.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie and your oven. Mine larger cookies were perfectly done in 12 minutes. The internal temperature will be around 210 °F (99 °C) when perfectly done (they are thick enough to measure with an instant-read thermometer).
Frosting
- Use a hand mixer or food processor to mix the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. (there is not enough volume for a stand mixer).
- Next, alternate mixing in sugar, then pawpaw puree: add half of sugar, mix until combined. Add half of pawpaw puree, mix until combined. Add remaining sugar, mix, and then remaining pawpaw puree.
- If you want stiffer frosting, you can add ½ teaspoon cornstarch at this point, and mix it in. Add up to another ½ teaspoon if needed.
Frost cookies when cooled, and right before serving
- Store cookies and frosting separate until you are ready to eat them or bring to a party. (Frosting should be refrigerated).
- Unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter. Frosting (and frosted cookies) should be stored in the fridge.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Flour: 25% all purpose can probably be swapped out for almond or whole wheat
- Yogurt: the acid and fat help keep the cookies tender and moist. Can also use sour cream or greek yogurt with a splash of olive oil. Pineapple or lemon yogurt would likely work but I haven't tried it.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg