Dianne s Pumpkin Cookie Cups

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar, divided

⅓ cup pumpkin puree

2 ¾ cups confectioners sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 pinch ground cloves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 32 miniature muffin cups.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream unsalted butter with sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and workable; beat in egg and milk. Set the mixer to low speed and and gradually beat in flour mixture, beating just until the dough comes together.

Pinch off dough by tablespoon, roll into a ball, and place balls into the prepared mini muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until edges start to turn golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 1 minute. Use the back of a rounded teaspoon measure to press a small depression into the top of each cookie. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to finish cooling on a rack. It helps to give the cookies a little twist as you lift them out.

Beat cream cheese with 1 cup confectioners sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Slowly beat in pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining 2 3/4 cups confectioners sugar, a little at a time. Stir in cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves. Spoon or pipe the pumpkin mixture into each cookie cup.