P is for Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are Boo-tiful (sorry couldn't miss the opportunity!). If you are looking for a simple Halloween or Autumn treat that the kids can help with, then try these.

The pumpkin flavour is subtle so even your fussiest eaters should be happy with these cookies.  I deliberately kept the spices to a minimum to suit Bear's and Bee's tastes.  You might like to use a little more cinnamon or add some nutmeg too.

The colour of the dough will be paler after baking so you may want to add a few drops of orange food colouring to enhance the pumpkin-y-ness of the baked cookies.

For this recipe I adapted the Basic Sugar Cookie recipe from Martha Stewart.

Bear cutting out shapes.

Bear decorating cooled cookies.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Makes approximately 30 depending on size of cookies.
 
Ingredients
3 cups plain (all purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 (220g) cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
Icing in various colours to decorate

Directions
1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Add pumpkin puree and mix well.
5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture.
6. Mix until combined.
7. Divide dough in half and flatten into disks.
8. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.
9. Preheat oven to 160°C and line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
10. Remove one disk of dough from freezer and let stand for 5 minutes.
11. On a floured surface, roll out dough to approx 0.5 cm.
12. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.  Make sure you dip the cutters in flour to help stop them sticking.
13. Use a spatula to transfer the shapes to a prepared tray.
14. Reroll dough scraps and cut more shapes.
15. Repeat with remaining dough.
16. Bake until edges are golden. Depending on the size of the cookies this should take 10-18 minutes.
17. Cool cookies on a wire rack before decorating with icing.

You can download a printable recipe card for this recipe from here.