Description
These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies offer a soft, flavorful twist on classic sugar cookies by incorporating seasonal pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Perfectly soft with a slightly crisp sugared exterior, they are an ideal treat for fall or any time you crave a cozy, autumn-inspired dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 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
Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside to ensure your cookies bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed.
- Add Pumpkin and Flavorings: Mix the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until everything is well combined, creating a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Mix Dry into Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a mixer on low speed or fold gently by hand until just combined, taking care not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Portion and Roll Cookies: Scoop the dough into balls about 1.5 tablespoons in size. Roll each ball in the additional granulated sugar to coat the surface, which will give a sweet, slightly crunchy exterior once baked.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the sugared dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers remain soft, indicating they are perfectly baked without drying out.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For best results, use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid added spices or sugars.
- Make sure your butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming with sugars.
- You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- If you want a softer cookie, bake closer to 10 minutes; for a slightly crispier edge, bake up to 12 minutes.
- These cookies freeze well – freeze baked or unbaked dough balls for convenient future treats.
