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Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with a sweet pumpkin spice glaze. Soft-baked pumpkin cookies with a light and sweet pumpkin flavor.
PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
I first posted this pumpkin sugar cookie recipe a few years ago. It continues to be a reader favorite and family favorite.
I have updated the post with some very helpful tips & tricks down below so be sure and read those.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
Pumpkin sugar cookies are a simple sugar cookie dough with canned pumpkin & pumpkin pie spice. The trick to making these is to use the bottom of a glass cup or jar, dip it into some sugar, and press down on the cookie dough ball until it resembles a cookie.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, canned pumpkin, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Use a handheld blender (or bowl of a stand mixer) to beat it together until combined.
To the same bowl, add flour and all the spices, and salt. Beat together well until no flour streaks remain and everything is combined. It should resemble a thick dough that is not sticky.
Roll the dough into balls, about the size of a golf ball or 2 tablespoons, and place onto a cookie sheet.
Take a flat bottomed glass (not one that is too large) and dip the bottom into granulated sugar. Press down on the dough balls until they’re about 1/2-inch thick and look like a cookie.
The glaze is a simple powdered sugar + milk glaze with some pumpkin spice added in. Spread the glaze over the warm cookies and let it set so the glaze can harden.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THESE PUMPKIN COOKIES
- After many reviewers telling me that these cookies do not taste like pumpkin, I have experimented and added some additional seasonings into them. I think before, when it was just the pumpkin spice, the flavor did not come through. But now, I have added some nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves which really helps the pumpkin pie spice flavor to shine.
- This new way of rolling the dough into balls and then pressing them down with a flat bottomed cup, really helps the cookies cook through and look more like a sugar cookie. It is a little but more effort but please do it!
- The old recipe did not call for the dough balls to be pressed down. Which resulted in the cookie not spreading at all, and the middle became kind of gooey because it was difficult to get it cooked through in the cook time.
- When you are mixing the flour into the wet mixture, make sure it is completely mixed in. No flour streaks or pockets should remain. And no pumpkin batter should be sitting at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure to use a spatula and really make sure that everything is mixed together.
- For best results, make sure the butter is well softened. If not, the wet batter will be very lumpy from the butter.
TRY THESE OTHER SUGAR COOKIE RECIPES
- sheet pan sugar cookie bars
- 5 ingredient, no roll sugar cookies
- candy corn sugar cookie bars
- chocolate sugar cookie bars
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with a sweet pumpkin spice glaze. Soft-baked pumpkin cookies with a light and sweet pumpkin flavor.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk or water
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, baking mats, or spray with cooking spray.
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In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter, oil, pumpkin, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla and eggs. Use a hand held blender (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and blend together until smooth and combined. It's ok if it appears lumpy (normal for pumpkin doughs).
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Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cloves. Blend together on low speed, increase speed as need, until everything is combined and mixed well together.
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Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball (about the size of a golf ball) place 12 dough balls per cookie sheet.
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Dip the bottom of a glass cup into granulated sugar and press down on each dough ball to flatten to baout 1/2-inch thickness. Dip the cup between each cookie. If needed, very lightly spray the bottom of the glass cup.
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Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for about 1-2 minutes before adding the glaze. You want them to still be warm so the glaze softens when it hits the cookie.
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To make glaze combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Use more or less milk depending on how thick you want the frosting. Spread onto each cookie and let sit for several minutes to harden.
Recipe Notes
Make sure that you use the pure pumpkin NOT the pumpkin pie filling.
These cookies store at room temperature. If you are worried about the milk in the glaze, simply use the water. I use the milk and leave them out at room temperature. Just do what you prefer.
The only change to the recipe was the added nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.
If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon
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