Description
These Pumpkin Spice Cutouts are a delightful fall favorite, featuring soft, flavorful pumpkin-spiced cookies decorated with a sweet vanilla glaze and festive sprinkles. Perfect for autumn gatherings or Halloween celebrations, these cookies combine classic warm spices with creamy pumpkin puree for a soft, tender bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze and Decoration
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Orange and black sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until well combined to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until light and fluffy, creating an airy base for the dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring carefully until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain tender cookies.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies, then place them on the prepared baking sheets with space between each.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden, indicating perfect doneness. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly runny for easy drizzling.
- Decorate Cookies: Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled cookies. Add orange and black sprinkles on top if desired for a festive touch.
- Set Glaze: Allow the glaze to set completely before serving or storing the cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming with sugars.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep cookies tender and soft.
- Rolling dough to about 1/4 inch thickness helps achieve the perfect texture and even baking.
- If the dough is sticky, chill it for 30 minutes before rolling out for easier handling.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Glazing and decorating the cookies when fully cooled prevents the glaze from melting.
