Decorated Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Rolling and cutting cookies was the first real baking I ever did as a kid.

Flour everywhere, a cutter in hand, and way too much icing on every cookie.

These are the ones my own kids ask for now, once the leaves start turning.

We roll out a spiced pumpkin dough, cut little pumpkin shapes, and cover the tops in smooth orange icing.

The dough tastes like fall on its own, warm with pumpkin pie spice and a soft, tender bite.

What makes them work as cut-outs is blotting the pumpkin and chilling the dough.

That keeps the edges crisp so the little pumpkin shapes actually look like pumpkins after baking.

The icing sets firm, so once it dries you can stack them, box them, and hand them out.

We set up a decorating station at the kitchen table and it turns into the whole afternoon.

Somehow half the icing still ends up on fingers instead of cookies.

They take a little chilling time, but the actual work is quick and forgiving.

Make a batch and let everyone decorate their own. It's the best part.

Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These are cut-out sugar cookies with a fall makeover. Soft, spiced, and made for decorating.

• Soft and spiced. A full tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice makes them taste like the season, with a tender bite.
• They hold their shape. Blotted pumpkin and a good chill keep the pumpkin-shaped edges crisp.
• Fun to decorate. The smooth orange icing sets firm, so kids and grown-ups can go to town.
• Stack and gift. Once the icing dries, these box up beautifully for teachers, neighbors, and parties.
• Make-ahead friendly. The dough chills for days and freezes well.

Ingredients You'll Need

Simple cut-out cookie ingredients plus a little pumpkin. The blotting is what keeps the dough rollable.

• All-purpose flour (2 ¾ cups). Enough structure for a firm, rollable dough that holds its cut edges. Spoon and level it.
• Pumpkin pie spice (1 tbsp) plus ground cinnamon (½ tsp). The warm spice that carries the flavor.
• Baking powder (½ tsp) and salt (½ tsp). Just a little lift so they stay flat enough to decorate.
• Unsalted butter (¾ cup), softened. Creamed with the sugar for a tender cookie.
• Granulated sugar (1 cup). Sweetens and helps the edges stay crisp.
• Canned pumpkin puree (⅓ cup), blotted well. Pure pumpkin, NOT pie filling, and blotted so the dough isn't sticky. This is non-negotiable for cut-outs.
• Large egg (1). Binds the dough.
• Vanilla extract (2 tsp). Warm background note.

For the orange icing:

• Confectioners' sugar (3 cups), sifted. The base of a smooth, setting icing.
• Milk (3 to 4 tbsp). Thins the icing to a flood-coat consistency.
• Light corn syrup (2 tsp). Adds shine and helps the icing dry firm.
• Vanilla extract (½ tsp). A little flavor in the icing.
• Orange gel food coloring. Gel keeps the icing from thinning out. A touch of brown or green for stems is optional.

How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Dough

The dough comes together fast, then it needs a chill. Blot the pumpkin first.

Step 1: Blot the pumpkin

Press the pumpkin between paper towels until it's noticeably drier and thicker.

This keeps the dough firm enough to roll and cut.

Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients

Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Step 3: Cream and combine

Beat the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.

Add the blotted pumpkin, egg, and vanilla, then mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.

Step 4: Chill

Divide the dough in two, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.

How to Roll, Cut, and Bake

Chilled dough rolls out clean. Keep your surface lightly floured.

Step 1: Roll evenly

Roll one disk to about ¼ inch thick on a floured surface.

Step 2: Cut pumpkin shapes

Cut with a pumpkin-shaped cutter and lift the shapes onto parchment-lined sheets.

Step 3: Chill the cut-outs

Chill the cut cookies on the sheet for 15 minutes so they hold their edges.

Step 4: Bake pale

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set but still pale.

Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely before icing.

How to Make and Apply the Orange Icing

This icing floods smooth and dries firm. Add the milk slowly so you can control the thickness.

Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the corn syrup, vanilla, and milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and pourable but not runny.

Stir in orange gel coloring a little at a time until you like the shade.

Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies and nudge it to the edges with the back of a spoon.

Let the cookies sit until the icing sets firm, about 2 hours, before stacking.

Pro tip: tint a little icing brown or green for stems and vines to make them look like real pumpkins.

Expert Tips for Cut-Out Cookies

• Blot the pumpkin well. Extra water makes sticky dough that spreads. Press it dry before mixing.
• Chill twice. Chill the dough, then chill the cut shapes. Cold dough holds crisp pumpkin edges.
• Roll to even thickness. Even cookies bake evenly and decorate flat.
• Don't overbake. Pull them while pale so they stay soft and don't brown at the edges.
• Let the icing set fully. Firm icing means you can stack and gift without smudging.

Variations

• Cream cheese frosting. Skip the icing and top with a swipe of cream cheese frosting for a softer finish.
• Maple icing. Swap a little milk for maple syrup in the icing.
• Sanding sugar. Sprinkle orange sanding sugar over wet icing for sparkle.
• Other shapes. Use leaf or acorn cutters for a whole fall assortment.

Storage and Make-Ahead

• Decorated cookies. Once the icing sets, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, layered between parchment.
• Cookie dough. Wrap and refrigerate the disks up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before rolling.
• Baked, un-iced cookies. Keep at room temperature up to 3 days, then decorate when ready.
• Freezing decorated cookies. Freeze in a single layer until the icing is firm, then stack between parchment for up to 2 months.

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Recipe

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Decorated Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree not pie filling, blotted well
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Orange Icing

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
• 3 tablespoons milk up to 4, added slowly
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• orange gel food coloring plus brown or green for stems, optional

Instructions

Make the Dough

• Press the pumpkin between paper towels to blot out excess water until thicker and drier.
• Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Add the blotted pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and mix until smooth, then mix in the dry ingredients just until a soft dough forms.
• Divide the dough in two, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.

Roll, Cut, and Bake

• Roll one disk to about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a pumpkin-shaped cutter and lift the shapes onto parchment-lined sheets.
• Chill the cut cookies on the sheet 15 minutes so they hold their edges.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set but still pale. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Decorate

• Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the corn syrup, vanilla, and milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and pourable but not runny. Stir in orange gel coloring to the shade you like.
• Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies, nudging it to the edges. Let set firm, about 2 hours, before stacking.

Notes

• Blot the pumpkin: Removing water keeps the dough firm enough to roll and cut.
• Chill twice: Chill the dough and the cut shapes so the edges stay crisp.
• Bake pale: Pull them before they brown to keep them soft.
• Let icing set: Firm icing lets you stack and gift the cookies.