Starbucks have been promoting their pumpkin spice lattes incredibly hard this year in the UK. Despite the fact they contain no actual pumpkin I have to admit they are delicious! I always like to make a little something with pumpkin when the clocks go back and the nights draw in, plus I love all the spices of the season (see pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin fudge and salted caramel cookies). 
I can never seem to get the texture to my liking when I make cookies with pumpkin (they always seem to end up as little cakes) so I've decided I should probably call these 'cakelets'. They taste OK on their own but topped with coffee and cream 'latte' icing are absolutely delicious, and I'd probably choose them over the drink. Come on, who wouldn't choose the cakelet?!

These cookies are a great idea for Christmas presents as they turn out bright red, and with white chocolate drizzled on top remind me of candy cane stripes! They look very festive and are deliciously chewy. I think quite a bit of preparation goes into these cookies so there's really no need to tell anyone about using a boxed cake mix... right?!

Adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod (Dec 2011)
Makes 10-12 cookies
Cooking time: 15 mins (plus 2 hours - overnight chilling time)
Ingredients:
1 box red velvet cake mix (Duncan Hines brand from the Stateside Candy Co, or Betty Crocker from any large supermarket)
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 medium eggs
125ml rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50-100g white chocolate (to melt and drizzle on top)

Cheesecake filling:
50g cream cheese
140g icing sugar
1 tablespoon plain flour