Can I make these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies ahead of time?

Absolutely! The dough logs can be refrigerated for up to one week before baking, making them perfect for holiday meal prep. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months .

What kind of food coloring should I use for these cookies?

Gel food coloring works best for achieving vibrant orange and green colors without adding excess moisture to your dough. Liquid food coloring can make the dough too sticky and affect the final texture.

How can I prevent the dough from being too sticky?

If your colored dough becomes too sticky to handle, simply chill it in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes . The cold temperature will firm up the butter and make the dough much easier to work with.

Can I use a different type of sugar in this pumpkin cookies recipe?

While granulated sugar is recommended for the best texture and sweetness distribution, you can substitute with superfine or caster sugar if needed. Avoid using brown sugar as it will affect both the color and texture of your final cookies.

Homemade Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Ready in 30 Minutes

Description

Delightful sugar cookies with a festive pumpkin design baked right into each cookie. These soft, buttery cookies feature vibrant orange and green colors that create an adorable pumpkin pattern when sliced.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened (but not melty!)
1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups (315 g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
Orange food coloring (gel food coloring preferred)
Green food coloring

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Instructions

Combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract and use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat until creamy, fluffy, and well-combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring on low-speed, until all ingredients are completely combined. Pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Remove about ¼ of the dough (this is ¾ cup or 220g) and place it in a separate bowl. Remove a tablespoon from that and place in another bowl.
Add orange food dye to the ¾ cup of dough and stir, adding more until it’s a nice pumpkin-y color. Add green food coloring to the 1 Tablespoon of dough and stir until it’s a vibrant green. Leave the uncolored majority of the dough plain.
If the colored dough is too sticky to manage, pop it in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes. When manageable, divide the orange dough into two pieces and roll each into a skinny log that’s about 2/3″ tall by 1″ wide. Use a wooden skewer or knife to indent a line into the top of the orange dough.
Roll the green dough into a series of skinny strips and line these into the indent of the orange log. Repeat with the remaining orange and green dough. Place these on a tray and place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes to an hour. Cover your uncolored dough and place that in the refrigerator in the meantime.
When pumpkin logs are firm, remove from freezer and remove uncolored dough from refrigerator. Divide uncolored dough into two pieces and wrap one half around one pumpkin log and the second half around the other. Form a smooth log and mold the dough so the pumpkin is the center. Wrap dough logs with plastic wrap and place on a plush kitchen towel and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours and up to one week.
Before baking, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice dough into ¼” thick slices and space cookies at least 2″ apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake in 375F (190C) oven for 10 minutes or edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.

Notes

For best results, use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors. Make sure to chill the dough properly for easier slicing and better pumpkin pattern definition.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 96
Sugar: 7g
Sodium: 44mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1g
Cholesterol: 16mg