Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Name: Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 135 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients: 281 g all-purpose flour; 2.3 g baking powder; 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 1.3 g ground cinnamon; 1.5 g salt; 170 g unsalted butter; 150 g granulated sugar; 1 ea large egg yolk; 86 g canned pumpkin puree; 5 ml vanilla extract; 226 g unsalted butter; 480 g powdered sugar; 30 ml heavy cream; 5 ml vanilla extract; 0.8 g salt

Recipe from Sally McKenney · original post · full recipe on sallysbakingaddiction.com

Soft, thick cut-out sugar cookies flavored with real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, with smooth tops for spiced buttercream.

Serves 24 Prep 45 min Ready in 3 hrKid-friendly

VegetarianBake

Ingredients

all-purpose flour — plus more for rolling281 g
baking powder — ½ tsp2.3 g
pumpkin pie spice — divided3 tsp
ground cinnamon — ½ tsp1.3 g
salt — ¼ tsp1.5 g
unsalted butter — softened170 g
granulated sugar150 g
large egg yolk — at room temperature1 ea
canned pumpkin puree — blotted86 g
vanilla extract — 1 tsp5 ml
unsalted butter — softened, for the buttercream

Cooking for a different diet?

Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.

Vegan
- 170 g Vegan butter instead of unsalted butter
- Leave out the large egg yolk
- 30 ml Oat milk instead of heavy cream
Chill the dough a little longer as vegan butter is softer; bake time is unchanged.
Dairy-free
- 170 g Vegan butter instead of unsalted butter
- 30 ml Oat milk instead of heavy cream
Chill the dough a little longer as vegan butter is softer; bake time is unchanged.

Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.

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What it costs, and where to buy it

Missing items

These totals leave part of the list out, so a lower one isn't a cheaper shop.

WoolworthsBest choice
$8.99
for your meals
$29.35 at the till, incl. $20.36 of food you keep
$1.51 less on the food you use, over the 9 items both stores stock
No price at Woolworths:
- pumpkin pie spice
- large egg yolk
- canned pumpkin puree
Coles
$10.50
for your meals
$29.60 at the till, incl. $19.10 of food you keep
No price at Coles:
- pumpkin pie spice
- large egg yolk
- canned pumpkin puree
Aldi
$7.96
for your meals
$27.42 at the till, incl. $19.46 of food you keep
No price at Aldi:
- baking powder
- pumpkin pie spice
- large egg yolk
- canned pumpkin puree

$0.37a serve

from $0.37 a serve at Woolworths · 9 of 12 ingredients priced

About $8.99 of ingredients used for 24 serves.

$29.35 at Woolworths · all 9 items

WoolworthsBest choice

$8.99

missing 3 items

you'll pay $29.35 · 69% of it spare

Coles

$10.50

missing 3 items · $1.51 more for the same food

you'll pay $29.60 · 65% of it spare

Aldi

$7.96

missing 4 items

you'll pay $27.42 · 71% of it spare

Buy at Woolworths$29.35

all-purpose flour

$1.30/kg

need 281 gEssentials Woolworths Essentials Plain Flour 1 kg$1.30closest match

Woolworths$1.30/kg$1.30·Aldi$1.20/kg$2.39·Coles$1.30/kg$1.30

baking powder

$2.28/100g

need 2.3 gMcKenzie's Baking Powder 125 g$2.85closest match

Woolworths$2.28/100g$2.85·Coles$1.44/100g$1.80·AldiN/A

ground cinnamon

$0.80/10g

need 1.3 gHoyt's Cinnamon Dutch Ground 25 g$2.00closest match

Woolworths$0.80/10g$2.00·Aldi$0.58/10g$2.39·Coles$0.80/10g$2.00

salt

$0.02/10g

need 2.3 gWoolworths Essentials Table Salt 1 kg$2.00

Woolworths$0.02/10g$2.00·Coles$0.04/10g$2.00·Aldi$0.04/10g$2.99

unsalted butter

$1.400/100g

need 396 gEssentials Woolworths Essentials Unsalted Butter 500 g$7.00closest match

Woolworths$1.400/100g$7.00·Aldi$1.398/100g$6.99·Coles$2.000/100g$8.00

granulated sugar

$0.18/100g

need 150 gEssentials Woolworths Essentials White Sugar 1 kg$1.80closest match

Woolworths$0.18/100g$1.80·Aldi$0.13/100g$2.59·Coles$0.13/100g$2.60

vanilla extract

$1.48/10ml

need 10 mlQueen Natural Vanilla Concentrated Extract 50 ml$7.40closest match

Woolworths$1.48/10ml$7.40·Aldi$0.50/10ml$4.99·Coles$0.69/10ml$6.90

powdered sugar

$0.18/100g

need 480 gEssentials Woolworths Essentials White Sugar 1 kg$1.80closest match

Woolworths$0.18/100g$1.80·Coles$0.18/100g$1.80·Aldi$0.21/100g$2.09

heavy cream

$1.07/100ml

need 30 mlWoolworths Thickened Cream 300 ml$3.20closest match

Woolworths$1.07/100ml$3.20·Aldi$1.00/100ml$2.99·Coles$1.07/100ml$3.20

Not priced

pumpkin pie spice · 3 tsp
large egg yolk · 1 item
canned pumpkin puree · 86 g

Method

Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, 2 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
Blot the pumpkin with paper towels until it is reduced to about 60 g (1/4 cup).
In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough should be soft; if it seems too soft and sticky for rolling, beat in 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
Divide the dough in half. Place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness.
Lightly dust one rolled-out portion with flour. Stack the second portion, still on its parchment or mat, on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Cut the chilled dough into shapes with a cookie cutter. Gather the scraps, reroll, and continue cutting until all the dough is used. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Arrange the cookies 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart on the baking sheets.
Bake for 11–13 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned and set. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Make the buttercream: Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, the remaining 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium-high speed for 2 full minutes.
Decorate the cookies: Tint the buttercream with gel food coloring or leave it white, then spread or pipe it onto the cookies. Store decorated cookies at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.