Description
These Pumpkin Spice Cutouts are a delightful fall favorite featuring soft, spiced pumpkin-flavored cookies baked to perfection and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for seasonal gatherings or holiday treats, these cookies combine warm autumn spices and creamy pumpkin for a comforting, festive dessert.
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
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Orange and black sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves. This ensures even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step incorporates air, making the cookies tender.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until the ingredients are fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain a tender texture.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Use pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cutouts in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Decorate: Drizzle or spread the vanilla glaze over the cooled cookies. Decorate with orange and black sprinkles if desired to enhance the festive look.
- Set Glaze: Allow the glaze to set completely before serving or storing the cookies. Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened, not melted, for proper creaming and cookie texture.
- Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper can prevent sticking and make handling easier.
- If you prefer less sweet cookies, you can reduce the amount of sugar slightly.
- Glaze can be adjusted for thickness by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a stronger pumpkin flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in addition to the individual spices.
