Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

ByAlexis
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Who needs a pumpkin cookie recipe?! You have come to the right place! Grab your electric mixer and pumpkin purée and make the best soft pumpkin cookies.

I've been making this pumpkin sugar cookie recipe since 2016.  We love the icing and how soft the cookies stay.  This is the perfect fall cookie to make with warm spices as the weather changes.  

I love sugar cookies, and these spiced pumpkin sugar cookies do not disappoint!

It's pumpkin season and these pumpkin sugar cookies are soft, glazed, and perfect for the fall season.

Ingredients:

This is the cookie science that I love!

  • Butter and vegetable oil- butter gives these cookies such a delicate texture, and the vegetable oil keeps them soft for days.
  • Pumpkin puree- make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Using canned pumpkin is best here as homemade pumpkin puree can be too watery.
  • Granulated sugar and powdered sugar- granulated sugar will give it sweetness and structure, while powdered sugar will make it melt in your mouth.  Powdered sugar is the cookie magic here.
  • Vanilla extract and salt- these balance all the flavors
  • Eggs- these will give the cookie dough structure.
  • Flour
  • Baking soda and cream of tartar- leavening agents are used to make these cookies soft and fluffy.
  • Spices- this warm spice trifecta is cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

See the recipe card below for detailed measurements. 

The pumpkin pie spice in the glaze contains ginger and allspice, which gives it an extra pop of warm, spiced flavors.

Instructions

This easy recipe makes a soft sugar cookie.  Simple ingredients, and made in a large mixing bowl.  I like to use a stand mixer, but you can easily mix these by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

  1. This is a soft and sticky dough. Using a cookie scoop works perfectly.
  1. Use the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to flatten the cookies.
  1. These will puff a tiny bit in the oven and be pale when baked.
  1. The glaze on these is heavenly! It dries enough to stack cookies easily.
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine melted butter, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Mix until well incorporated and smooth.
  3. Next, add in the flour and mix for about 15 seconds. Then, add in the cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg,  and cloves.  Mix until well combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl half way through mixing to ensure nothing gets left stuck at the bottom.
  4. Using a cookie scoop, scoop, and place cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.  I do 12 cookies per baking sheet.
  5. Use the bottom of a class dipped in granulated sugar to press each cookie down to about ½ inch thickness.  Edges with crack and the cookie looks beautiful.  Using the granulated sugar helps the glass not stick to the soft cookie dough.
  6. Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes. They should be set in the middle and puffed a tiny bit but should not brown on the edges. After they cool, the bottoms will be a perfect golden brown.
  7. While the cookies bake, make your glaze in a medium bowl.  Whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, and pumpkin pie spice.  Here is my favorite DIY recipe. Whisk until smooth.
  8. After the cookies are finished baking, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.  
  9. Once cookies are cooled, pour about 1-2 tablespoon of glaze over each cookie and let it harden and set for 2-3 hours before storing.  

What to do with the rest of the canned pumpkin?

Storing Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

After the cookies set for about 2 hours, the icing will be hardened enough to stack and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

You can easily freeze these cookies after they are baked but before glazing them.  Freeze in. a freezer bag for up to 2 months.  Let them come to room temperature before glazing them.

Do you love pumpkins? Here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes:

Need more cookie recipes?

You can find the top 12 classic Christmas cookie recipes in my cookbook, 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. I share time tested recipe, tips on gifting cookies, and how to host your own Christmas Cookie Exchange.

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Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies {With Spiced Glaze}

By
It's pumpkin season and these pumpkin sugar cookies are soft, glazed, and perfect for the fall season. I love sugar cookies, and these spiced pumpkin sugar cookies do not disappoint!
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Ingredients
  

Cookies:

Icing:

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine melted butter, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix until well incorporated and smooth.
  3. Next, add in the flour and mix for about 15 seconds. Then, add in the cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl half way through mixing to ensure nothing gets left stuck at the bottom.
  4. Using a cookie scoop, scoop, and place cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. I do 12 cookies per baking sheet.
  5. Use the bottom of a class dipped in granulated sugar to press each cookie down to about ½ inch thickness. Edges with crack and the cookie looks beautiful. Using the granulated sugar helps the glass not stick to the soft cookie dough.
  6. Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes. They should be set in the middle and puffed a tiny bit but should not brown on the edges. After they cool, the bottoms will be a perfect golden brown.
  7. While the cookies bake, make your glaze in a medium bowl. Whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, and pumpkin pie spice. Here is my favorite DIY recipe. Whisk until smooth.
  8. After the cookies are finished baking, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.
  9. Once cookies are cooled, pour about 1-2 tablespoon of glaze over each cookie and let it harden and set for 2-3 hours before storing.

Notes

Homemade pumpkin sugar cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen without the glaze for up to 2 months. 
 
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