Pumpkin-Shaped Sugar Cookies

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.

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This simple cookie recipe celebrates the pumpkin, but not the ingredient itself. It's all about the look and shape, and not about a pumpkin spice flavor.

**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. OR click on the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.

The ingredient list:

**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned

• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• butter
• egg
• baking soda
• cream of tartar
• kosher salt
• pure vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• green and orange gel food color

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• hand mixer or stand mixer
• mixing bowls
• measuring cups and spoons
• baking sheets
• parchment paper
• wooden spoon or spatula
• small cookie scoop
• flat bottom glass
• paring knife
• gel food color

Do some kitchen equipment upgrading:

Wilton Navy and Gold Kitchen Collection

How this recipe came to be:

Every year for Christmas it's a tradition for me to make my family's favorite sugar cookie.

I've shared the recipe 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 as a special surprise they didn't see coming!

Needless to say, the cookies were gobbled up quickly. 🙂

When is the proper time to color the dough?

After the cookie dough is thoroughly mixed, divided the dough into two pieces. One large, and one small.

The larger section of dough should be colored orange for all the pumpkin bodies, and the smaller piece of dough I colored green for all the pumpkin stems.

What is cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is a leavening agent similar to baking powder.

The cream of tartar combined with the baking soda will give the pumpkin cookies a nice little lift, and will balance the flavor of the cookies.

Can the colored cookie dough be frozen before shaping and baking the cookies?

Yes!

Wrap the colored dough well in cling wrap and freeze, unbaked, for up to 2 months.

When ready to make the pumpkin cookies, thaw the dough completely, shape the cookies as instructed, and bake.

Can these pumpkin sugar cookies be frozen after baking?

Yes!

Store them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Additional fall pumpkin-free desserts:

*Acorn Cookies with Peanut Butter and Banana (pictured below)

"These acorn cookies are just as cute as can be! They have a delicious peanut butter and banana flavor, and I promise you’ll go NUTS for them."

*Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes from Crayons and Cravings

*Easy Apple Pie Wedges (pictured below)

"You’re going to love how easy and delicious these apple pie wedges are to make…and eat. With store-bought or homemade pie crust, apple pie wedges are utterly delicious!!"

*Cranberry Pear Galette from Hearth and Vine

*Chocolate Covered Shoestring Haystacks (pictured below)

*Cinnamon Bundt Cake from The Greedy Gourmet

*Pumpkin-Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies (pictured below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!

How to make pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies:

• 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.

Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies.

If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating in the recipe card, along with a comment if you're so inclined. I thank you most sincerely! 🙂

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed this recipe for pumpkin free pumpkin cookies as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.

**Note - The post above includes affiliate links. As always, I truly thank you for your support!