This Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies Recipe is a soft and spiced recipe, which is made with real pumpkin puree and butter. It’s a great recipe for holiday baking, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes before decorating.
Jump to RecipeSpiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- 3 cups Unbleached All-purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Allspice
- 1/8 tsp. Cloves
- 3/4 cup Salted Butter, Cut Into Chunks
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin Puree
- Royal Icing, Unflavored, for decorating
How To Make Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and pumpkin puree, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
- Mix the dough: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions. Mix only until the flour is just incorporated after each addition. The dough will be a little sticky.
- Chill the dough: Scrape the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form it into a disk, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate the dough for at least 20–30 minutes to firm up.
- Roll and cut: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a well-floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 1/4-inch thickness with a floured rolling pin. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes.
- Freeze and bake: Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheet. For best results, freeze the cookies on the sheet for 5–10 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape. Bake for 10–12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool and decorate: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, decorate with royal icing as desired.

Recipe Tips
- Why is the dough so sticky? The pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture, making the dough stickier than a standard sugar cookie dough. Chilling it for at least 20-30 minutes is a crucial step to make it firm enough to roll out.
- How do I keep the cookies from spreading? This recipe has several steps to ensure sharp edges. Chilling the dough before rolling, using a well-floured surface, and, most importantly, freezing the cut-outs for 5-10 minutes right before they go into the oven will help them hold their shape perfectly.
- Can I use pre-made pumpkin pie spice? Yes, absolutely. In place of the individual spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves), you can substitute 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of a store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Don’t overwork the dough: When you re-roll the scraps, handle them as little as possible. Overworking the dough can make the cookies tough instead of tender.
What To Serve With Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies
These cookies are a delightful treat on their own, or you can enjoy them with:
- A tall glass of cold milk
- A hot cup of coffee or tea
- A festive mug of hot apple cider
How To Store Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies
Room Temperature: Store the cookies (either plain or decorated with hardened royal icing) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Placing a piece of parchment paper between layers can prevent sticking. Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked dough disk for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling. You can also freeze the unbaked cut-out cookies on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 150kcal
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 12g
Nutrition information is estimated per cookie, without icing, and may vary based on size and thickness.
FAQs
Royal icing is recommended because it dries hard, making the cookies easy to stack and transport. You could also use a simple powdered sugar glaze or a cream cheese frosting, but they will remain soft.
Yes. The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days before rolling and baking. Make sure it’s wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
These cookies are designed to be soft and slightly cake-like due to the pumpkin, rather than crisp like a traditional sugar cookie. If they are overly cakey, you may have slightly under-baked them or added too much leavening.
Try More Recipes:
Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy3
servings40
minutes12
minutes150
kcalSoft, warmly spiced pumpkin cut-out cookies that hold their shape beautifully, making them perfect for fall and holiday decorating.
Ingredients
3 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, various spices (cinnamon, ginger, etc.)
3/4 cup salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
Royal Icing for decorating
Directions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and spices.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars, then beat in the egg and pumpkin.
- On low speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Chill the dough for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut out shapes.
- Freeze cut-outs on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before decorating with royal icing.
Notes
- The dough will be sticky before chilling; this is normal due to the pumpkin.
- Chilling the dough and then freezing the cut-outs before baking is the key to preventing the cookies from spreading.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding the flour, as this can lead to tough cookies.
- Store decorated cookies in a single layer or with parchment paper between layers to protect the icing.