These pumpkin sugar cookies are perfect if you love pumpkin pie spice! Soft pumpkin cookies with a hint of vanilla might just be what your fall is missing, and these are so fun to decorate!
Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
These are the best sugar cookies because they contain the perfect amount of pumpkin spice. They are super easy to make and full of flavor.
Pumpkin sugar cookies are the perfect autumn treat, but I won’t tell if you make them outside the fall season (it will be our little secret). The whole family will love these frosted cookies whenever you decide to make them—especially if you let them help decorate!
Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Recipe:
- Easy: This pumpkin sugar cookie recipe requires only a few simple ingredients and is simple to make too!
- Fall Favorite: It’s no secret that pumpkin spice and anything pumpkin flavor are holiday season favorites. You’ll love these fall spices with a hint of vanilla. It’s the perfect fall cookie!
- Family Fun: These are so easy to decorate with frosting, sprinkles, or anything you like. So let the kids decorate their own for an extra fun activity!
How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine ingredients to make the cookie dough.
- Roll out the dough and cut into shapes.
- Place cookies on a baking sheet and let them chill in the fridge or freezer.
- Bake cookies, allow them to cool completely, and then decorate.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: The base of our cookies. It adds richness and helps give the cookies structure. Make sure the butter is fully softened, but not melted!
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens our cookies.
- Egg: Adds a bit of richness and helps bind the cookie dough together.
- Pumpkin Puree: Adds a bit of orange color and earthy pumpkin flavor. Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla: Enhances the sweetness and spice of the cookies.
- Flour: Also gives the cookies structure. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method, as adding too much flour can result in dry cookies.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly so they become soft and tender.
The ideal thickness to roll your cookie dough out to is ¼ inch. At this thickness, the cookies are stable enough to be handled and decorated but thin enough to stay crunchy.
You should cut your cookie dough to shape before baking it. Otherwise, it will be difficult to get clean cuts.
Absolutely! Chilled dough holds its shape better in the oven, leading to less spreading.
If your sugar cookie dough was mixed too much, your cookies may come out hard due to too much gluten development. Try not to overmix your cookie dough, and place your cookie cutter so that you maximize the amount of cookies each time you roll it out.
If your sugar cookies taste floury, you likely rolled them out in too much flour. A little bit of flour helps the cookie dough not to stick to the table or rolling pin, but too much can lead to a floury taste. To avoid this, chill the cookie dough for about 30 minutes and try rolling it out between two sheets of parchment paper to keep it from sticking.
These pumpkin-shaped cookies are perfect for fall! Make them for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving, or make a batch for school parties.
Everything To Know About Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
An easy recipe like these pumpkin spice sugar cookies will go down in your baking arsenal and be ready at your disposal each fall. See the best tips and tricks below to get the most out of your delicious cookies!
These are extra fun if you shape the dough into pumpkins, but you can make any shape–they still taste like pumpkin!
Make Ahead Instructions
You can prepare the pumpkin sugar cookie dough in advance and store it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out, cutting, and baking.
You can bake and frost pumpkin sugar cookies up to 5 days in advance of when you plan to serve them. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover pumpkin sugar cookies in an airtight container (with parchment or wax paper between the layers to protect the frosting) at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze pumpkin sugar cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag with parchment between each cookie to protect the frosting for up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- While you can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe, I recommend store-bought, as it has a lower water content and will give a more consistent result.
- For gluten-free cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by following this recipe.
How to Decorate Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- To make pumpkin shapes, mix 2 cups of royal icing with ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Orange Americolor Gel Food Coloring and transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a very small tip (I’m using a Wilton #3).
- Start by outlining a thin, vertical oval in the center of each cookie and then flood it with icing. Use a toothpick to smooth out any bumps. Then, outline the edge around both the left and right sides of the cookie. Fill in the outer half of each edge, leaving about ¼-inch of space with no frosting between the center oval and the outer layer.
- Allow the frosting to set completely, about 10 minutes, then fill in the gaps between the frosting and allow it to set completely again.
- For the stem, mix 2 tablespoons of royal icing with 1-2 drops of Brown Americolor Gel Food Coloring and transfer it to another piping bag with a small tip. Draw the stem on each pumpkin and allow it to set completely before storing.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid tough cookies.
- Take care not to overmix the cookie dough; otherwise, your cookies will turn out hard.
- Smaller cookies bake much faster than large ones. If using a 1-inch cutter, start checking the cookies for doneness at about 10 minutes.
- Make sure the cookies are fully cooled to room temperature before frosting them; otherwise, the frosting will melt off.
- If you don’t want to decorate the cookies, I recommend sprinkling them with cinnamon sugar before baking. I use 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- I’m using store-bought royal icing to frost these cookies, but you could use your favorite buttercream frosting or just a mix of powdered sugar and milk (1 cup sugar + 1-2 tablespoons milk).
I hope you love these pumpkin sugar cookies as much as I do! I couldn’t help but shape them with pumpkin cookie cutters because how cute is that? Let me know how your batch turns out or if you made any changes in the comments below!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree 57 grams, (about 2 ounces – NOT pumpkin pie filling!)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour 420 grams
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder 6 grams
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 5 grams, store-bought or homemade
- Royal Icing store-bought or homemade; optional, for frosting
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, at least 2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 large egg, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice.3½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated—you don’t want to overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to ¼-inch thick. Cut out your desired shape using cookie cutters (I’m using a 2-inch pumpkin cookie cutter).
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, making sure to place them at least 2 inches apart.
- Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer (either will work) to chill for 20 minutes.
- While the dough chills, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake the chilled cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are just barely golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray.
- Decorate them as desired before serving.
Notes
- While you can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe, I recommend store-bought, as it has a lower water content and will give a more consistent result.
- For gluten-free cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by following this recipe.
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid tough cookies.
- Take care not to overmix the cookie dough; otherwise, your cookies will turn out hard.
- Smaller cookies bake much faster than large ones. If using a 1-inch cutter, start checking the cookies for doneness at about 10 minutes.
- Make sure the cookies are fully cooled to room temperature before frosting them; otherwise, the frosting will melt off.
- If you don’t want to decorate the cookies, I recommend sprinkling them with cinnamon sugar before baking. I use 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- I’m using store-bought royal icing to frost these cookies, but you could use your favorite buttercream frosting or just a mix of powdered sugar and milk (1 cup sugar + 1-2 tablespoons milk).
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
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