Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
These Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies are full of pumpkin flavor, warm pumpkin pie spice, and everything I love about fall baking. They're made with real pumpkin puree and decorated with adorable royal icing ghosts for Halloween. They're almost too cute to eat!
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If you love pumpkin spice as much as I do, these cookies are a fun way to enjoy it. The pumpkin puree and warm spices give these sugar cookies plenty of fall flavor, while the little royal icing ghosts make them extra fun to decorate. They're perfect for Halloween parties, cookie boxes, or just a fun baking day with the kids.
Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
- Full of pumpkin spice flavor: Made with real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for plenty of fall flavor.
- Perfect for Halloween: The little royal icing ghosts are cute, simple, and so fun to decorate.
- Fun to make with kids: Let the kids help pipe the ghosts and add their own spooky faces.
- Great for fall baking: These cookies are perfect for Halloween, but you can easily change the decorations for Thanksgiving or any fall occasion.
- No chilling: Yes, no Chill sugar cookies!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies, along with a few substitutions.
- Unsalted Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter. Unsalted butter lets you control the amount of salt in the cookies. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps create a tender texture. I recommend sticking with granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Egg Yolks: Add richness and help keep the cookies tender. I don't recommend substituting whole eggs because the additional moisture can change the dough's consistency.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Blot the puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture and help the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor and complements the warm pumpkin spices. You can substitute vanilla bean paste using the same amount.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure and helps them hold their shape when cut. I recommend weighing your flour for the most accurate measurement.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds warm fall spices to the cookies. Feel free to increase to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice if you'd like a stronger spice flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds extra warmth and cinnamon flavor. I like using cinnamon along with pumpkin pie spice for a stronger spiced flavor.
- Baking Powder: Gives the cookies a little lift while keeping them tender.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the pumpkin spice flavor.
- Royal Icing: Use white royal icing to decorate the cookies with little ghosts.. You can also leave the cookies plain or decorate them with a simple vanilla glaze.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
Start by measuring 155 g of pumpkin puree. Place the puree between layers of paper towels and gently press to remove the excess moisture. Repeat with fresh paper towels until the pumpkin puree weighs 80 g. This helps prevent the cookie dough from becoming too sticky and allows the cookies to hold their shape.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, dried pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to ¼-inch thickness Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Since this is a no-chill recipe, you can roll and cut the dough right away!
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.
How to Decorate Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
In a stand mixer, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and water. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for about 5 minutes until smooth and glossy.
Slowly add a few drops of water at a time until the royal icing reaches your desired consistency. You want the icing thick enough to hold the ghost outlines but thin enough to fill in smoothly.
Keep most of the royal icing white and color a small portion black using gel food coloring. Transfer the icing into separate piping bags. Keep any remaining icing covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Pipe little ghost outlines onto the cooled pumpkin spice sugar cookies using white royal icing. Fill in the centers and use a toothpick to smooth out the icing and remove any air bubbles.
Allow the white icing to crust over before piping two small black eyes and a mouth onto each ghost.
Allow the royal icing to dry completely before stacking or packaging the cookies. Once the icing has hardened, your pumpkin spice ghost cookies are ready to enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
Use pure pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling is not the same as pumpkin puree. It contains extra sugar and spices that can change the flavor and texture of your cookies.
Measure your flour correctly. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
Watch the moisture in the dough. Pumpkin puree contains a lot of moisture, so the dough may be softer than traditional sugar cookie dough. Chill it if needed before shaping.
Don't decorate warm cookies. Let the cookies cool completely before adding royal icing. Otherwise, the icing may melt and lose its shape.
Let the royal icing dry completely. If you're planning to stack or package the cookies, allow enough time for the icing to harden so your little ghosts don't get ruined.
Can I Make These Cookies Without Royal Icing?
Of course! The pumpkin spice sugar cookies are delicious on their own. You can leave them plain or decorate them with a simple glaze. If you're making these for a different holiday, change the icing colors and decorations to match the occasion.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature once the royal icing has dried completely, provided your icing recipe is shelf-stable. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
For longer storage, freeze completely cooled, undecorated cookies in a freezer-safe container. Thaw them before decorating.
More Fall Recipes to Try
If you love pumpkin spice and fall baking, here are a few more recipes to try!
- Pumpkin Chai Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Donuts with Brown Butter Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls
If you looking for more no chill Halloween cookie ideas make sure to check out these recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes! Just make sure your homemade pumpkin puree is thick and not too watery. Homemade pumpkin puree can contain more moisture than canned pumpkin, which may affect the texture of the cookie dough.
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cookies ahead of time and store them in an airtight container. Decorate them closer to when you plan to serve them, or prepare them in advance once you know how long your royal icing needs to dry.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
I don't recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which can change the flavor and consistency of the cookie dough.
Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 170g- softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- 2 large egg yolks
- 155 g pumpkin puree blotted dry to 80 g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 245g
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Royal icing
- 1 lb powdered sugar 454g
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 4-10 tablespoon water as needed
- Gel food coloring optional
- Sprinkle Eyes
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookie Dough
- Measure 155 g of pumpkin puree and place it between layers of paper towels. Gently press to remove excess moisture, replacing the paper towels as needed, until the puree weighs 80 g.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, dried pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut out your desired shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. No chilling required!
- Bake at 325°F for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are set. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.
How to Make Royal Icing
- Add the powdered sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the meringue powder, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of water. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the powdered sugar.
- Mix on low speed for 15 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 5 minutes until smooth and glossy. Gradually add more water, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Keep the icing thicker for outlining and slightly thinner for flooding.
- Transfer the icing into piping bags and keep any unused icing covered to prevent it from drying out.
How to Decorate Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cookies
- Using white royal icing, pipe little ghost outlines onto the cooled cookies. Fill in the centers and use a toothpick or scribe tool to smooth the icing and remove any air bubbles. If using sprinkle eyes place them on before the icing cools.
- If piping two small black eyes and a mouth, make sure the white icing has set and harden enough. Decorate and enjoy!
