Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
These pumpkin sugar cookies are soft, thick and melt in your mouth delicious! Imagine classic buttery sugar cookies with a fall twist. These cookies are warmly spiced and so cozy. Only 22 minutes from start to finish. They are great for autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas and more!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These pumpkin sugar cookies are quick and easy.
- Only 22 minutes total needed.
- Only one mixing bowl.
- No dough chilling.
- They have warm spices and flavors.
- These cookies use pumpkin purée instead of eggs.
- They are buttery and sweet.
- These cookies are thick and soft.
- This recipe is gluten free friendly, nut free, and egg free.
- Use gluten free flour to keep them gluten free.
- Check out these Gluten Free Sugar Cookies for their vanilla counterpart!
Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for pumpkin sugar cookies. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients list and instructions.
Use cold unsalted butter right from the fridge. Do not use softened or melted butter. Cold butter helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much. For vegan, try these Vegan Sugar Cookies.
Granulated sugar helps sweeten the cookies. I have not tried using a low carb sweetener.
Pumpkin purée replaces the need for eggs. In addition, it adds a classic fall flavor.
Vanilla extract adds warmth.
Use either all purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 flour. Both work equally well. For these photos, I used King Arthur Flour gluten free 1 to 1 flour.
Baking powder leavens this recipe.
Add in a pinch of sea salt if desired.
Lastly, pumpkin pie spice adds a great flavor! If needed, replace with cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
Taste & Texture
These pumpkin sugar cookies are sweet and cozy. The main flavors include pumpkin, sugar and butter.
They are on the thicker side. Additionally, these cookies are very soft!
How to Make
Step 1
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cold butter and sugar. Mix on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until no clumps of butter remain.
Step 3
Add in pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. Stir until well mixed.
Step 4
Then, add in flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
Step 5
Use ice cream scooper to scoop balls of dough onto pan. Gently press down on each dough ball to form a cookie shape.
Step 6
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden along the edges.
Step 7
Finally, remove pumpkin sugar cookies from oven. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 5 minutes before very carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Carefully measure all ingredients.
It is very important to mix the butter and sugar until fully combined. It takes 2 to 3 minutes in a stand mixer. Beat until no clumps of butter remain.
With that said, this recipe will not work without a stand mixer.
Use cold butter right from the fridge. Do not use melted or softened butter.
The dough will be a little thick and sticky. Therefore, use an ice cream scooper to scoop the dough.
These cookies do not spread much. Gently press down on dough balls to form a cookie shape.
Bake until edges are lightly golden. Do not over bake.
Handle carefully. These cookies are soft and fragile.
Flavor Variations & Toppings
These pumpkin sugar cookies are the perfect vessel for toppings!
Top with chocolate frosting.
Top with vanilla frosting.
Add whipped cream on top.
Use colored icing on top.
Add in a pinch of nutmeg.
Top with hot fudge.
Top with caramel sauce.
Add a scoop of ice cream on top!
How to Serve & Store
Serve pumpkin sugar cookies once cool enough to handle.
Serve with desired toppings or ice cream. Or, serve by themselves. They are delicious with coffee, apple cider or hot chocolate.
You will also love these Pumpkin Spice Cookies!
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
These cookies freeze well.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, these are drop cookies. Do not try to roll out the dough and cut into it.
In this case, pumpkin purée replaces the eggs.
Pumpkin can be a good replacement for eggs, but it depends on the recipe.
Use gluten free 1 to 1 flour for gluten free.
You May Also Like
- Edible Sugar Cookie Dough
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
- Paleo Sugar Cookies
- Pumpkin Brownies
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
If you make this pumpkin sugar cookie recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups flour, all purpose or gluten free 1 to 1 flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cold butter and sugar. Mix on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until no clumps of butter remain.
- Add in pumpkin purée and vanilla. Stir until well mixed.
- Then, add in flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop balls of dough onto pan. Gently press down on each dough ball, forming a cookie shape.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden along the edges.
- Finally, remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 5 minutes before very carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- As written, this recipe makes 6 large cookies. You can easily double it for more!
- Use cold butter right from the fridge. Do not use softened or melted butter.
- Beat the butter and sugar until no clumps of butter remain. This takes my stand mixer 2 to 3 minutes on high.
- The cookie dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the balls of dough.
- Do not over bake! Bake only until edges of cookies are lightly golden.
- Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Cookies freeze well.
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2 Comments on “Pumpkin Sugar Cookies”
So perfect for fall! The texture and flavor of these cookies was spot on. We brought them to a family party and they were devoured instantly. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Karen! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed these pumpkin sugar cookies. Thank you!