Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These beautiful pumpkin-shaped cut out pumpkin cookies feature a warm, homemade pumpkin pie spice mix and a silky maple cinnamon glaze. They are the perfect fall festive treat for Halloween parties, school events, and Thanksgiving dessert tables!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cut-out pumpkin cookies, frosted pumpkin cookies, iced pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice sugar cookies, pumpkin sugar cookies

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 10

Chill 45

Total Time 1 30

Servings cookies

Calories 219kcal

Author Michele Feuerborn

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Spice Mix

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Maple Cinnamon Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon maple extract
Pinch salt

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Spice Mix

In a small bowl stir together all the pumpkin spice mix ingredients

Make the Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Dough

Place the pumpkin puree on a paper towel and let all the moisture drain. Repeat with dry paper towels until all the moisture is gone.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until a soft dough forms.
Chill the Cookie Dough: Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut the dough with a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter and place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
For the sharpest edges, refrigerate the cut cookies on the baking sheets for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are just beginning to turn lightly golden.
Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Maple Glaze

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, maple extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. If needed, add a little more milk for a thinner glaze or additional powdered sugar for a thicker glaze.
Drizzle the tops of the cooled cookies with the glaze.
Allow the glaze to set completely before serving.

Notes

Pro Tips

Don't Skip the Chilling: Chilling the dough twice keeps the cookies easy to handle and helps them keep their distinct pumpkin shape in the oven.
Better the Next Day: These cookies taste amazing right away, but the warm spices and sweet maple glaze taste even better after the cookies sit in a container overnight.

Storage and Freezing

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezer: You can freeze the plain, unglazed cookies for up to 3 months. Let them thaw out to room temperature before adding your fresh glaze.

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