Easy to make pumpkin shaped sugar cookies are as charming as they are delicious. But surprise, don’t let them fool you! There is no pumpkin in the ingredient list.
Every year for Christmas it’s tradition for me to make my family’s favorite sugar cookie. I’ve shared the recipe in the past (way back in 2010) and dubbed it “Santa’s Favorite Cookie.”
This year, I decided to mix things up a little, so I used the same recipe (basically), and made pumpkin shaped sugar cookies for my family as a special surprise treat they didn’t see coming! Needless to say, the cookies were gobbled up quickly. 🙂
**Please Note – The printable recipe card with detailed instructions and complete ingredient measurements for making Pumpkin Shaped Sugar Cookies is available near the end of this post.
The ingredient list for making pumpkin shaped sugar cookies is a basic sugar cookie recipe;
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- butter
- egg
- baking soda
- cream of tartar
- salt
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- green and orange gel food color, which you can find below in the form of an Amazon affiliate link. By clicking on the image of the gel food color below, you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com to purchase this item, if desired. As always, you are under no obligation to do so.
After the cookie dough was mixed, I divided the dough into two pieces. One large piece I colored orange for all the pumpkin bodies, and one considerably smaller piece of dough I colored green for all the pumpkin stems.
I’m excited to show you how easy these pumpkin shaped sugar cookies are to make. They may look difficult, but I guarantee you’ll be 100% successful at making them. Ready? Set? BAKE!
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add a beaten egg and vanilla extract. Blend to combine.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl.
- Blend to thoroughly combine.
- Remove a small portion of the dough (about ¼ cup) to a small bowl.
- Add orange gel food color to the large bowl of dough and mix until no streaks are left.
- Add a small amount of green gel color to the small bowl of dough.
- Mix well.
- Use a tablespoon or small scoop and roll the orange dough into balls the size of golf balls.
- Once rolled, drop the dough balls into a small bowl of granulated sugar and roll to coat the entire ball in sugar.
- Place the sugared cookie balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
- Make a small indentation on the top of each flattened cookie (where the stem will go).
- Use a paring knife to slice each pumpkin cookie with four curved pumpkin lines.
- Use a small amount of green dough and form into a cone shape.
- Press each cone-shaped stem onto the top of each pumpkin.
- Use the paring knife to add two small slits to the stem (if desired).
- Bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned, but not dark.
- Cool completely on a baking rack.
- Continue the same process with the remaining dough.
- This recipe makes approximately 3½ dozen cookies.
- 2 sticks butter softened (I use salted butter)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- orange gel food color
- green gel food color
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
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Blend in the beaten egg and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and all-purpose flour.
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Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and blend until a soft dough forms and the ingredients are completely blended.
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Remove ¼ cup of the dough to a small bowl and add a few drops of green gel color. Mix well.
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Add a few drops of orange gel color to the large bowl and mix until well combined and no streaks remain.
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Scoop the orange dough out by the tablespoonful (or use a small scoop) and roll into balls approximately the size of a golf ball. Roll each ball into the remaining granulated sugar to coat.
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Place the orange sugared balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper (optional), and use a glass with a flat bottom (or a measuring cup) to flatten each ball into a disc.
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Press a small dimple into the top of each pumpkin (where the stem will go), and use a paring knife to carefully cut four rounded slits onto each pumpkin.
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Use the green dough to form a small cone shape for each pumpkin and press the narrow end into the area at the top of each pumpkin for the stem.
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Use the paring knife to carefully cut two small slits on each pumpkin stem (optional).
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Bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes (or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned, but not dark).
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Cool the cookies on a wire rack and repeat the same process with the remaining dough.
Tools and equipment:
stand mixer or hand mixer, 1 large bowl, 2 small bowls, spatula or wooden spoon, a tablespoon or small scoop, baking sheets, parchment paper (optional), orange and green gel food color, measuring cups, measuring spoons, cooling rack (optional)
I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe for Pumpkin Shaped Sugar Cookies For Thanksgiving as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions for me regarding this recipe, or anything else you see here on my site, please don’t hesitate to contact me or leave me a comment in the comment section below. It is always my pleasure to get back to you with a reply just as soon as possible.
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Kudos Kitchen by Renée ~ Where food, art, and fun collide each and every day!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
**The post above includes affiliate links. When I find a great product or service, I like to share it with my readers. Sometimes I use affiliate links so I can earn a small commission for my recommendations. As always, I thank you for your support!
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There is something so simple and tasty about sugar cookies!
They’re the best! I agree!
These are so festive and I love them!
I’m glad you do. Thank you!
Love your idea!
Thank you so much. That makes me happy!!
Your treats are always so pretty and colorful! These cookies are adorable!
The end of the year always begs for colorful treats 🙂 Thank you, Anna.
These are such pretty cookies and I really love your step by step instructions!
Thank you so much. I love adding all the photos. I’m glad you find them helpful.
What a great idea! Looks so good!
Glad you like them, Catalina. Thank you.
I feel like I can eat these cookies every day!
Well, I wouldn’t stop you. LOL
Such perfect little works of art!
Thank you. They’re easy too!!
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Thanks for the inspiration
I’m all about the inspiration. You’re welcome. Now, have fun baking, and make them your own!
I love recipes that you can do with your little ones. Thank you for your creativity!!
These cookies would delight the little ones! I’ll bet they’d have a blast making these in the kitchen!
So good and cute for a Fall themed party, love these!
Yes, they would be perfect for a fall themed party, Justine. Glad you think so.