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image of a cute pumpkin pie sugar cookie that's been decorated with royal icing to look like a slice of pumpkin pie
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5 from 1 rating

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies

These pumpkin pie sugar cookies are flavored with pumpkin spice and decorated to look just like a slice of pumpkin pie.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 44 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 120kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
  • 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temp 113g
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300g
  • 1 large egg, room temperature 56g
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 390g
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice, optional
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Maple Royal Icing (adapted from Wilton)

  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or a 1 lb. box
  • 3 Tbsp meringue powder 28g
  • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp water, room temp 75g
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 15g
  • 1 tsp maple extract (optional) 5g
  • additional water to bring to a thick flood consistency
  • brown, yellow, and orange gel food coloring

Instructions

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment until smooth.
  • Next, add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for about a minute, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
  • Add in 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour (use a scale or fluff the flour in the bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it), 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder.
  • Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed until it is just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
  • At this point, the dough should still be pretty thick and sticky. Divide the dough in half and wrap each portion of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. I like to flatten the dough out into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch thick to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled.
  • Chill the dough in the fridge for about 2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes. It can also be chilled overnight. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough, and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Take one piece of dough out of the fridge, leaving the other in there to continue to chill. If you put the cookie dough in the freezer, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften up a bit before trying to roll it out. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and make cutting out the cookies easier. Dust both sides of the cookie dough and your rolling pin with flour.
  • Roll the chilled dough to be 1/3 inch thick (these rolling pin rings help a ton with getting a consistent thickness) and use a 5- or 6-inch round cookie cutter to cut out a couple of large circles. If you don't have that size of cutter, you can use a plate that's similar in size as a template and cut the dough with a paring knife. Use a sharp knife to cut each circle into 6 slices (see pictures above). The cookies don't spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1/2 inch apart.
  • Chill the cut-out cookies one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.
  • Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for about 13-15 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the size and thickness of the dough). Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown.
  • Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps and rewrap them in plastic wrap. Place them back in the fridge to chill.
  • Pull out the second chilled portion of dough and repeat the steps above, then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Maple Royal Icing

  • While the cookies cool, make the royal icing. If needed, the plain icing can be made up to a day ahead and stored airtight. Re-mix it before using, then color and thin it shortly before decorating because royal icing can separate as it sits.
  • Whisk together 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp of meringue powder in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp maple extract (optional). Mix on low speed with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer to incorporate the liquid, then increase to a medium speed and mix until stiff peaks form (see picture above). It's ok to stop the mixer and check the stiffness! I usually check a few times before it's ready. This usually takes me about 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 2 minutes with a stand mixer. Scrape around the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is properly mixed together.
  • We will be using this stiff peak consistency for both the whipped cream decoration on top of the cookie and the crust. Scoop 1/2 cup of stiff peaked white icing into a large piping bag fitted with a small French piping tip. Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip and set aside.
  • Scoop another 1/2 cup of icing into a small bowl and color it a light tan color with a small drop of both brown and yellow gel food coloring. Remember, you can always add more food coloring, but you can't take it back! Start with a little, and add more until you get the color you're after. Scoop the icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, like a Wilton 5. You can also just cut a small, 1/2 cm opening at the base of the bag if you don't have that size of piping tip. Set aside.
  • Next, mix in additional water 1 tsp at a time into the remaining icing until a thick flood consistency is reached. It sounds silly to add it by the teaspoon, but it really helps you get the consistency just right, and you'll thank yourself for that when it's time to ice the cookies. I usually use 2-5 tsp of water, but it can vary from batch to batch. To test the consistency, count how many seconds it takes for a drizzle of icing to settle and become smooth. A good thick flood consistency usually takes between 10 and 15 seconds to settle. If the icing settles too quickly (under 10 seconds), it's too thin. If it takes longer than 15 seconds or falls off the spatula in a clump, it's too thick.
  • Once the icing is thinned to this consistency, add a generous squirt of orange gel food coloring and mix until the icing is evenly colored. Pour it into a large piping bag and seal the top. We will eventually cut a 1/8-inch opening at the base of the bag, but wait to do this until you're ready to ice the cookies. Set aside.

Decorate the Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies

  • When you're ready to decorate the cookies, cut the tip of the piping bag with orange icing to create a small opening (about 1/8 of an inch). You can always cut the opening wider, but you can't make it smaller once you cut it. I find it's a lot easier to control the icing as you decorate the cookies if you have a small opening.
  • Pipe an outline along the edges of the cookie with orange icing, and leave about a 1 cm border on the rounded edge (see pictures above). Repeat this on all the cookies. By the time you've finished, the icing on the first cookie should have hardened.
  • Next, fill the inside of each triangle with orange icing. I like to start piping around the outside edge, then slowly work my way in.
  • Let the orange icing sit for about 30 minutes to firm up, then use the tan icing to pipe a squiggly border above the orange icing. Pipe it so that it slightly overlaps the orange icing to look like a pie crust. I like to make mine look kind of whimsical by piping it like an uppercase M, if that makes sense! Then pipe a dollop of white icing on top of the orange icing to look like a dollop of whipped cream.
  • Let the cookies dry for a few hours or overnight until the icing is firm to the touch. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Video

Notes

 

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Please refer to the Key Ingredients & Substitutions section in the post above for ingredient variations.

 

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips

Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer. If frozen, let them thaw completely to room temperature in the sealed container before opening it to help prevent condensation from bleeding the icing.
Place parchment paper between layers if stacking the cookies.
The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container. Move it to the fridge the night before you plan to roll and bake it.
Baked, undecorated cookies can also be frozen for up to 1 month. Let them thaw completely before decorating.
If you want a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe and use half of a beaten egg. I don't recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial-size mixer.

 

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies

  • Cream the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar thoroughly to help the cookies bake up soft and tender.
  • Don't overwork the cookie dough.
  • Roll the dough to a consistent 1/3-inch thickness so the cookies bake evenly.
  • Don't skip the chill time. It helps the cookies hold their shape.
  • Don't overbake the cookies. They continue to firm up on the hot pan after they come out of the oven.
  • Keep royal icing covered or sealed in piping bags so it doesn't crust.
  • Color and thin the icing shortly before decorating because it can separate as it sits.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg