Delightful Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies: Your Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Recipe
Embrace the cozy charm of autumn with these irresistibly soft and flavorful Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies. Infused with rich pumpkin spice flavor, these buttery delights are shaped into charming seasonal forms like leaves, pumpkins, and acorns, making them a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Perfect for holiday gatherings, a cozy afternoon treat, or a fun baking activity with family, these cookies capture the true essence of the Fall season.
Crafting these festive fall leaf sugar cookies from scratch is a surprisingly simple and rewarding experience. Each cookie boasts a perfectly spiced, tender crumb, topped with a smooth, easy-to-apply frosting and beautifully decorated. While they are almost too pretty to eat, we guarantee you won’t be able to resist their incredible taste. Get ready to fill your home with the warm, inviting aromas of autumn baking!
Experience the Magic of Leaf-Shaped Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Just hearing the name “Pumpkin Sugar Cookies” instantly transports me to crisp autumn days, warm sweaters, and the delightful scent of baking spices wafting through the air. Fall is my absolute favorite season, and nothing says “welcome autumn” quite like a batch of homemade pumpkin spice treats. These particular cookies are a true revelation: their texture is simply divine – a soft, pillowy bite that melts in your mouth, bursting with that quintessential pumpkin flavor. They’ve quickly become a cherished holiday tradition in our family, and we’re thrilled to share this beloved recipe with you.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Autumn-Inspired Sugar Cookies
Still need a little more persuasion to tie on that apron and get baking? Here are just a few compelling reasons why this amazing fall cut out sugar cookie recipe has captured our hearts, and why we’re confident it will capture yours too:
- Embrace Classic Fall Flavors: If you, like me, live for the rich, comforting tastes of autumn, then this easy cookie recipe is a must-try. The judicious blend of spices in these pumpkin sugar cookies delivers a traditional pumpkin spice experience that is both authentic and incredibly satisfying. Every bite is a celebration of fall.
- Simple & Speedy Preparation: Don’t let the beautiful decorations intimidate you! These incredible sugar pumpkin cookies require minimal hands-on time. With only about 10 minutes of active prep, 10 minutes for baking, and around 20 minutes for decorating (which can be as simple or elaborate as you like), you can whip up a batch of delightful seasonal treats in under an hour. Who doesn’t appreciate a quick and rewarding dessert?
- Utterly Adorable and Fun: My children absolutely adore making cut-out cookies throughout the year, and these autumn-themed shapes are particularly captivating. Cutting out leaves, pumpkins, and acorns, and then bringing them to life with colorful frosting, provides endless creative fun for the whole family. They’re not just cookies; they’re edible art, making them perfect for school parties, hostess gifts, or simply brightening your own kitchen.
Essential Ingredients for Your Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating these delightful autumn treats. Here’s what you’ll need, along with a little insight into each component’s role:
For the Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Dough:
Granulated Sugar: You’ll need 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar. Beyond sweetness, sugar contributes to the cookies’ golden-brown edges and helps create that pleasing crisp-chewy texture.
Salted Butter: 1 cup of room temperature salted butter is crucial for a rich, buttery flavor and a tender crumb. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air for a lighter cookie.
Pumpkin Puree: ½ cup of pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) is key for both the distinct pumpkin flavor and a wonderfully soft, moist texture. It also lends a beautiful natural color to the dough.
Egg + Egg Yolk: We use 1 whole egg plus 1 additional yolk. The whole egg provides structure and binding, while the extra yolk adds richness, tenderness, and helps prevent the cookies from drying out, resulting in a perfectly consistent dough.
Vanilla Extract: A generous 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract elevates all the other flavors, adding a warm, aromatic depth that complements the pumpkin spice perfectly.
All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookie dough, 4 ½ cups of all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure. Proper measurement is essential – spoon and level your flour to avoid a dense cookie.
Baking Powder: 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder acts as our leavening agent, ensuring the cookies rise just enough to be light and soft without becoming cakey. It also helps prevent them from spreading too much.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: For that unmistakable fall flavor, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice is a must. This blend typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, delivering a warm and comforting aroma and taste.
Salt: Don’t underestimate the power of salt! ¾ teaspoon of salt balances and enhances all the sweet and spiced flavors, preventing the cookies from tasting one-dimensional.
For the Royal Icing Frosting:
Powdered Sugar: 4 ½ cups of powdered sugar forms the base of our smooth, sweet royal icing. Sifting it is recommended for the smoothest consistency.
Meringue Powder: Essential for a stable, glossy, and beautifully piped frosting, 3 ½ tablespoons of meringue powder helps the icing harden with a crisp finish. It’s made from dried egg whites and stabilizers.
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract provides a lovely aromatic flavor to the frosting, complementing the cookie’s pumpkin spice without overpowering it.
Salt: A small ¼ teaspoon of salt in the frosting helps to cut through the sweetness and balance the overall taste profile, making the icing even more delicious.
Warm Water: Approximately ½ cup of warm water is added gradually to achieve the perfect consistency for piping and outlining. You might need slightly more or less depending on humidity.
How to Make Easy & Festive Fall-Inspired Sugar Cookies
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking. Set it aside for later.
Crafting the Perfect Cookie Dough:
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and softened, room-temperature butter. Beat these ingredients together on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture becomes wonderfully fluffy and noticeably lighter in color. This creaming process incorporates air, essential for tender cookies.
3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Next, add the pumpkin puree, the whole egg, and the extra egg yolk, along with the vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the wet mixture. On top of the flour, sprinkle in the baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix on the lowest speed until a cohesive dough forms. It’s crucial not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no white streaks of flour remain, ensuring a soft and pliable dough.
Baking Your Autumn Cookies to Perfection:
5. Roll and Cut: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Transfer the cookie dough onto it and roll it out evenly to about ¼ inch thickness. Using your favorite Fall cookie cutters (leaves, pumpkins, acorns!), cut out your desired shapes. Gather any scraps, gently re-roll, and cut out more cookies until all the dough is used.
6. Bake: Carefully place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and cookie thickness. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and immediately transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents them from overbaking on the hot tray. Repeat this process with any remaining dough.
Preparing the Smooth Royal Icing:
7. Mix Frosting Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Start the mixer on low speed.
8. Achieve Perfect Consistency: While the mixer is running, gradually stream in the warm water. Initially, the frosting will appear quite stiff. Continue whisking on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes until it becomes smooth, glossy, and holds soft peaks. If the frosting is too thick, add a tiny bit more water (½ teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted powdered sugar. Spoon the prepared frosting into a cookie icing bag or a piping bag fitted with a small, round tip. If using an icing bag, secure the top by tying it off and snip a small hole into the tip of the bag.
Creative Cookie Decorating Ideas for Autumn:
Now for the most fun part – bringing your cookies to life! Ensure your cookies are completely cool before decorating.
- Acorn Decoration: First, outline the entire perimeter of the acorn. Then, create an oblong shape to define the cap (cupule) of the acorn. Starting from left to right, pipe diagonal lines from the top edge of the outlined cupule down to the bottom. Repeat this from right to left, creating a cross-hatch or “X” pattern for texture. For an extra touch, add a small teardrop shape to the left side of the acorn body for definition.
- Pumpkin Decoration: Begin by outlining the perimeter of your pumpkin cookie. At the top, pipe a small square to outline the stem. To give the pumpkin its characteristic segments, pipe two slightly curved lines onto the center of the pumpkin, dividing it into thirds. These lines should curve gently, mimicking the outer contour of the pumpkin, rather than being straight up and down.
- Oak Leaf Decoration: Outline the perimeter of the oak leaf. Pipe a single, straight line down the very center of the leaf, from top to bottom, to represent the main vein. Next, on the left side of the leaf, pipe three slightly diagonal lines that start from a point or lobe of the leaf and connect to the center line. Repeat this process on the right side of the leaf, mirroring the diagonal lines.
- Maple Leaf Decoration: Outline the perimeter of the maple leaf. Pipe a gently curved line from the highest point of the leaf down to its base, forming the central vein. Then, on the left half of the leaf, pipe four diagonal lines. Each line should originate from a point or curve on the leaf’s edge and extend towards the central vein. Repeat this pattern on the right side, completing your beautiful maple leaf design.
Once decorated, allow the frosting to set completely, which can take a few hours depending on humidity. Then, serve and enjoy your stunning autumn masterpieces!
Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Pumpkin Spice
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Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter softened, room temperature
- ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg plus 1 additional egg yolk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ tsp salt
For the Royal Icing Frosting
- 4 ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 3 ½ tbsp meringue powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup warm water add gradually, might need more or less
Instructions
Cookie Preparation
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1. Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set it aside.
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2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and softened butter. Beat for 1 minute until fluffy and light in color.
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3. Add Wet & Dry Ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin puree, whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined. Then, gradually add the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until a dough forms, being careful not to overmix. Stop once no white flour streaks are visible.
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4. Roll and Cut Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to ¼” thickness and use Fall cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
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5. Bake Cookies: Place cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Royal Icing Preparation & Decorating
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6. Make the Frosting: In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and salt. While mixing, gradually stream in warm water. Whisk for 4 minutes until smooth and glossy. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip.
Decorating Different Autumn Cookies
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7. Decorate Acorns: Outline the acorn and its cap (cupule). Create diagonal cross-hatch lines on the cupule. Add a small teardrop shape for detail.
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8. Decorate Pumpkins: Outline the pumpkin and its stem. Pipe two curved lines through the center to divide it into thirds.
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9. Decorate Oak Leaves: Outline the leaf. Pipe a central vein from top to bottom. Add three diagonal lines on each side connecting to the center vein.
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10. Decorate Maple Leaves: Outline the leaf. Pipe a curved central vein from the top point to the base. Add four diagonal lines on each half connecting to the center line.
Notes
Nutrition
Understanding Meringue Powder: A Frosting Essential
Many home bakers might wonder about meringue powder, especially if they haven’t worked with royal icing before. So, what exactly is it? Meringue powder is a culinary product primarily composed of dried, pasteurized egg whites that have been finely pulverized into a powder, often mixed with sugar, cornstarch, and stabilizers. Its primary purpose in frosting, particularly royal icing, is to add remarkable glossiness and help stabilize the icing. This stabilization is crucial, as it allows the frosting to harden quickly and create a crisp, professional finish, making it much easier to outline and flood intricate designs on your sugar cookies. It also provides structure and volume, giving your icing that perfect pipeable consistency without the risk of raw egg whites.
Meringue Powder Alternatives: What Can You Use?
While meringue powder is highly recommended for achieving the best royal icing consistency, especially for detailed decorating, you do have alternatives if you can’t find it or prefer not to use it. You can substitute 3 ½ tablespoons of meringue powder with 3 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin dissolved in warm water (following package instructions for dissolving). Alternatively, you can simply omit the meringue powder altogether, though be aware that your icing may not set as hard or retain its shape as well. This might result in a softer, less defined decoration. For a simpler, softer sugar cookie frosting that doesn’t harden, you could also use a basic powdered sugar glaze or buttercream, though these won’t offer the same crisp finish for cut-out cookie designs.
Tips for Perfect Fall Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Chill Your Dough: If your dough feels too soft or sticky after mixing, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilled dough is much easier to roll out and cut, and it helps prevent the cookies from spreading excessively during baking.
- Don’t Over-Flour: While a lightly floured surface is necessary to prevent sticking, too much flour can make your cookies dry and tough. Use just enough to prevent sticking.
- Even Thickness is Key: Roll your dough to a consistent ¼-inch thickness. This ensures that all your cookies bake evenly, resulting in a uniform texture and appearance.
- Sharp Cookie Cutters: Use sharp, clean cookie cutters for crisp edges. If dough sticks, dip your cutter in flour between each cut.
- Cool Completely: Always allow your cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to frost them. Warm cookies will melt the icing, ruining your beautiful designs.
- Practice Your Piping: If you’re new to piping, practice on a piece of parchment paper first. You can scrape the icing back into the bag!
Can I Freeze These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies?
Absolutely! These pumpkin sugar cookies are excellent for freezing, either baked and unfrosted, or fully decorated. Once the cookies have baked and cooled completely, or if they are frosted, after the royal icing has fully set (which can take several hours), you can transfer them to an airtight container. Place parchment paper between layers of cookies to prevent sticking or smudging of the frosting. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter for about an hour. This makes them perfect for make-ahead holiday baking!
How Do I Store Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies?
To keep your delicious fall cut out sugar cookies fresh and flavorful, proper storage is key. Once completely cooled and the frosting has fully hardened, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh and delicious for up to 1 week. If you need to stack them, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between layers to protect the delicate frosting designs. While the recipe title referenced “Ginger Pumpkin Cookies” previously, these are indeed our soft and spiced Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies, so enjoy every last bite before they disappear!
Discover More Amazing Fall and Holiday Recipes!
If you loved baking these pumpkin spice cut-out sugar cookies, you’ll surely enjoy exploring more of our festive and flavorful recipes perfect for autumn and the holiday season. Expand your baking repertoire with these delightful treats:
- Microwave Pumpkin Spice Caramels – Quick and easy, packed with fall flavors.
- Tiger Butter Candy – A rich, marbled chocolate and peanut butter treat.
- Chocolate Peppermint Truffles – Indulgent and minty, perfect for winter holidays.
- Gooey Holiday Chex Mix – A sweet and salty snack everyone loves.
- Easy Cracker Toffee – Simple to make, incredibly addictive caramel toffee.
- Easy Peanut Clusters – A classic, no-bake favorite.
- Soft Jam Thumbprint Cookies – Tender, buttery cookies with a sweet fruit filling.
- Gingerbread Cookie Bites – Perfectly spiced, bite-sized gingerbread goodness.
- Tiger Butter Fudge – Another take on the popular fudge, always a crowd-pleaser.
- Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies – A vibrant and delicious twist on classic thumbprints.
These Fall Cut Out Sugar Cookies are more than just a dessert; they’re a celebration of autumn, a fun activity, and a truly delicious treat. Their soft, chewy texture combined with warm pumpkin spices and beautiful decorations makes them an unforgettable part of your seasonal baking. Enjoy every sweet, spiced bite!
