Description
Whimsical pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies bring autumn’s playful charm straight to your dessert table. Sweet, buttery cutouts adorned with orange and green frosting create festive seasonal magic you’ll absolutely adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 large egg
Sugars:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring
- Orange gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the dough foundation by vigorously blending softened butter with brown and granulated sugars until achieving a cloudlike texture. Incorporate egg and vanilla, mixing until harmoniously combined.
- In a separate vessel, carefully sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, ensuring uniform distribution of dry ingredients.
- Gradually integrate the dry mixture into the creamy base, stirring gently until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Partition the dough into two distinct sections – a larger portion destined for the pumpkin bodies and a smaller segment reserved for stems.
- Transform the primary dough mass into a vibrant orange hue using gel food coloring, kneading thoroughly to ensure even pigmentation.
- Craft the miniature pumpkin shapes by rolling orange dough into petite spheres, then delicately flatten each one.
- Utilize a sharp paring knife to meticulously carve gentle vertical ridges, mimicking an authentic pumpkin’s characteristic texture.
- Fashion emerald green stems by rolling the secondary dough into slender cylindrical forms.
- Carefully position these verdant stems atop each orange base, gently pressing to secure their placement.
- Heat the oven to 350°F, positioning a parchment-lined baking sheet to receive the assembled cookie sculptures.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for subtle golden edges that signal perfect doneness.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a brief 5-minute interval before transferring to a cooling rack, permitting complete temperature stabilization.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant, consistent orange and green colors without altering the dough’s texture.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading and maintain crisp pumpkin ridges.
- Create uniform cookies by using a small cookie scoop for consistent sizing and even baking.
- For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain the same soft, tender cookie texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg