Pumpkin Patch Peanut Butter Cookies

The Cookie:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter together until smooth.  Beat in the brown sugar and sugar until mixture is light.  Beat in the eggs, water and vanilla.

In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.  Dip a fork into sugar and flatten the cookies.  Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

The Fudge Frosting:

1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. corn syrup
Dash of salt
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan mix the sugar and cocoa.  Stir in the butter, milk, corn syrup and salt.  Heat mixture to boiling, stirring frequently.  Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cool.  Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla.  The frosting should not be thick.  With a spoon frost the cookies.  The frosting will set.

The Pumpkin:

12 oz. or one package white chips, candy melt, or almond bark
3 tbsp. shortening
Orange food coloring
Mini pretzels
Green dots or gum drops

In a double boiler melt the white chips and shortening. Add the orange food coloring and stir until smooth.  Dip the mini pretzels in the melted mixture and place on wax paper until the chocolate has set.  Cut the dots or gum drops in pieces for the pumpkin stems.  Place the pretzel pumpkins and pumpkin stems on the cookies.
Pumpkin Patch never tasted so good.