Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Fall is my favorite time of the year.

The weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling, my kitchen is full of wonderful scents, and I am creating memories with my family.

I have had a passion for cooking, especially baking, since I was a small child. I have some of the BEST memories of cooking during this time of the year: autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

I see that passion being passed down to my 3-year-old, Rowan.

While big brother is at school, we do many things, but we do spend a lot of time in the kitchen. He loves to help me and I am loving that I could be passing my passion on to him.

These pumpkin sugar cookies were made, from start to finish, with my Rowan Grey. Not only are they delicious and encapsulate fall flavors in a small bite, these cookies will hopefully mark the first of many holiday foods that my sweet baby will create with his momma.

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of cloves

Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, and pumpkin puree. Mix on medium speed until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing until combined. Put both sugars into bowl and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
3.  Place all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well. Add dry ingredients to mixer in two increments, mixing well between additions, but careful to not overmix.
4. By tablespoonfuls, scoop dough onto baking sheet approximately 2-3 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, push the cookie dough to 1/2-inch thickness. If the dough sticks to the glass, press the glass in granulated sugar before flattening the cookie.
5. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. While baking, place powdered sugar, water, and pumpkin pie spice into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until smooth.
6. After the cookies are finished baking, take cookies out of oven and cool on pan for a couple of minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling wire rack. Once cooled, using a spoon, spread a teaspoon of the glaze over each cookie.
7.  Let glaze harden on baking sheet or wire rack. Once glaze has hardened, store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

pumpkin sugar cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, and pumpkin puree. Mix on medium speed until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing until combined. Put both sugars into bowl and continue to mix until completely incorporated.

 Place all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well. Add dry ingredients to mixer in two increments, mixing well between additions, but careful to not overmix.

By tablespoonfuls, scoop dough onto baking sheet approximately 2-3 inches apart.

Using the bottom of a glass, push the cookie dough to 1/2-inch thickness. If the dough sticks to the glass, press the glass in granulated sugar before flattening the cookie.

Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. While baking, place powdered sugar, water, and pumpkin pie spice into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until smooth.

After the cookies are finished baking, take cookies out of oven and cool on pan for a couple of minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling wire rack.

Once cooled, using a spoon, spread a teaspoon of the glaze over each cookie.

 Let glaze harden on baking sheet or wire rack.

Once glaze has hardened, store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.