I have a slightly intense love for gingerbread, especially in the form of soft gingerbread cookies. Every Fall I start craving them and can hardly wait until winter or Christmas to make them. This year I just couldn’t wait to make them, but rather than just craving gingerbread cookies, I have been on a huge pumpkin spice kick. (What can I say, I love my seasonal flavors?!) I thought that surely there was a recipe out there for gingerbread-style cookies, but done in a pumpkin spice variety for Fall and Halloween. I went on a search, but couldn’t find what I was looking for.
That was when I decided that I should just make my own. I took my favorite gingerbread recipe and altered it to a pumpkin spice cookie, made sure they would be super soft and this cookie was born. They have pureed pumpkin inside along with a hearty helping of pumpkin spice and a little bit of molasses still to give them that deep and complex flavor. They turned out incredible and had my house smelling like an Autumn paradise. Plus, they are nice and thick and super soft. Pure cut-out cookie perfection.
Also, this way I can get some piping time in my life. Piping cookies and cakes is a real “happy space” for me and so fulfilling. I even saved some for my kiddos to decorate themselves and they had an absolute blast. This recipe recommends chilling the cut out dough in the freezer before baking along with a couple of other tips. Each one of these makes a big difference in the product so I highly recommend giving them a try. Many of you may already know this, but chilling your cut-out cookies in the freezer before baking is a game changer in helping them to keep their shape when transferring them to the baking sheet for the oven and even while they are baking. I hope that you love these cookies as much as we do and that they fill your home with Halloween/Autumn cheer and spicy goodness.
Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Cookies
- Category: Dessert, treats and snacks
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice until well mixed.
- In a large bowl mix together butter, egg and brown sugar with your mixer on medium speed until combined. Then, add the molasses, pumpkin puree and vanilla extracts and beat on low speed until smooth.
- Gradually stir in the dry ingredients and mix on slow speed until combined and smooth.
- Divide the dough in half and roll both into balls or disks. Place one in-between two sheets of wax paper and roll out with a rolling pin until 1/4 of an inch thick. Then cut out the dough with your desired cookie cutters. Remove the excess dough around your shapes and transfer the wax sheet with the cut outs onto a platter or baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. (This will help the cookies hold their shape in the oven and while being handled.)
- After your cut-out dough shapes have been chilled, transfer them to another baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper (about 2 inches apart) and bake for 7-9 minutes. (Bake one sheet at a time.) When the cookies are done let them rest and finish baking on the warm sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Once your cookies are completely cool, decorate them with royal icing or frosting as desired.
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