Pumpkin sugar cookies are made with a homemade blend of pumpkin spice and rolled in cinnamon sugar before being baked into soft tender sugar cookies.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and more delicious aromatic spices are used to create this sugar cookie recipe made with pumpkin puree.
If you're a fan of pumpkin flavors, check out these Chewy Pumpkin Blondies, they're a fun fall treat that is also easy to make.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Unsalted butter- softened
- Brown sugar, packed
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Canned pure pumpkin puree
- All-purpose flour- spooned and leveled
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground allspice
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
How to Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
The first step is to measure out the ingredients including the spices.
Preheat the oven and prepare the cookie sheets - Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
Cream the butter with the sugar - Cream the butter and the brown sugar together until creamy.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree - Beat in the 2 eggs and add in the vanilla extract and the pumpkin puree.
NOTE: Pumpkin pie mix is NOT the same as pure pumpkin puree. For best results and flavor, use 100% pure pumpkin for these pumpkin sugar cookies.
Combine the flour mixture with the pumpkin mixture - Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until all the ingredients are moistened.
Scoop the cookie dough and roll in sugar - Scoop the cookie dough into 1-inch balls or use a #30 cookie scoop to make this step even easier.
RELATED: Pumpkin Gingerbread Cupcakes
TIP: for puffier sugar cookies, chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Combine the granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie dough ball in it before placing the cookie dough on the baking sheet.
Bake - Bake each cookie sheet one at a time for 11-13 minutes.
Cool - Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
RELATED: Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Tip for Making Pumpkin Cookies
Use pure pumpkin - Pumpkin Pie Mix and Pure Pumpkin Puree are not the same and should not be used interchangeably. Pumpkin pie mix already has spices and flavors added to it. Using the pumpkin pie mix variety will alter the results and flavor of not only these pumpkin sugar cookies but all of your baked goods.
Measure the flour - By using the spoon and level method when measuring flour it will reduce the amount of unnecessary flour that is used in the recipe. This will create more flavor and more tender baked goods.
Cream the butter and sugar well - Allowing the butter to get really creamy and adding the sugar to it will create a fluffy mixture that will produce a better cookie. Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl as needed.
Chill the dough - If you have the patience or just want a fluffier sugar cookie, chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes. This will slow down the baking process and it will make the cookies not spread as much as they would when working with room temperature cookie dough.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Dough?
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin sugar cookie dough. If stored properly, pumpkin sugar cookie dough can last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
TIP: To make freezing easier, scoop the cookie dough into balls before freezing to save the hassle of slicing frozen cookie dough.
For best results, while preheating the oven roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture before baking.
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin sugar cookies are made with a homemade blend of pumpkin spice and rolled in cinnamon sugar before being baked into soft tender sugar cookies.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Cream the butter and the brown sugar together until creamy. About 3 minutes.
- Beat in the 2 eggs and add in the vanilla extract and the pumpkin puree.
- Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until all the ingredients are moistened.
- Scoop the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. (A #30 cookie scoop is helpful when doing this.)
- Roll the balls of cookie dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place the cookies on the cookie sheet two inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 11-13 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
For puffier cookies, chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes before rolling in cinnamon sugar and baking.
Pumpkin sugar cookie dough can be frozen for 3 months.
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Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
