Glittering pumpkin sugar cookies for a fall office treat, a harvest themed party, kids’ lunchboxes, and of course Halloween celebrations!
Sparkly pumpkin sugar cookies aren’t just for kids! Taste testers raved, and then walked away with the samples! It’s the perfect sugar cookie dough that bakes up with the ideal crisp outside/tender inside texture. A little bit of pumpkin spice and a sparkling sugar topping in fall’s best hues make these cookies stand out among the crowd on the harvest dessert table or bake sale spread. The sugar topping is not only festive, it adds a delicious sweet crunch to these pumpkin cookies.
This easy recipe proves that creative holiday baking projects don’t have to be complicated!
Related: Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
what you’ll need for pumpkin sugar cookies
This sugar cookie dough is the perfect consistency and easy to work with. It rolls out easy, doesn’t stick, and it doesn’t crack. Hooray!
- all purpose flour
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- baking powder, and salt
- cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove
- you can use a premade pumpkin spice if you prefer.
- vanilla
- decorator or sparkling sugars
- in one or various colors. Decorator or sparkling sugar is a coarse large-crystal sugar used for decorating cookies, cakes, and pastries. It adds a crunchy texture and brilliant sparkle. Unlike regular granulated sugar, decorator sugar keeps its shape and color even when baked.
My cute trio of pumpkin cookie cutters
They’re from Ann Clark, you can find them here.
- Jack-o-Lantern: 4″ x 4″
- Tall Pumpkin: 4″ x 3″
- Pumpkin Gourd: 3.5″ x 3″
Any pumpkin shaped cookie cutter you’ve got will work for this recipe. If yours is on the smaller side, just bake them for a little less time.
how to coat your sugar cookies with decorating sugar
You’ll be coating the cookies before baking. This easy technique is quicker and simpler than frosting your cookies, and the effect is so pretty. I do think coarse sugar is more appealing and flavorful than sprinkles or messy frosting.
- After cutting out your cookies, gently press in the sugar with your fingers to help it adhere.
- Don’t hold back, load it on! Some sugar will inevitably fall off after baking, so load it on for good coverage.
- It helps the sugar to adhere if the dough has had a minute or two to warm up after being in the fridge.
- Try mixing some of your sugars together for a speckle-y look.
buying resources for decorator sugar and pumpkin cookie cutters
Sure, you could just go with whatever decorating sugar you can find at the supermarket, but the colors will be limited, probably just the primary colors. I think the fun of these cookies is curating your own fairytale pumpkin palette! Here are some resources for decorator sugars:
1. Your local bake shop
- Why it’s great: local bake shops often have a great selection and unusual offerings you won’t find in the big box stores. And it’s smart to support your local small businesses.
- Availability: check the listings in your area. If no local business is available you will usually have a large chain craft store nearby like Michaels, Joann, and Hobby Lobby.
2. Whole Foods 365
- Why it’s great: I particularly like this line because they’re easily available and the colors are very pretty. They have a nice chunky texture and they bake up well on my pumpkin sugar cookies.
- Availability: in all Whole Foods stores, and online, here.
3. Wilton
- Why it’s great: Wilton is a trusted brand in the baking world, offering a wide range of colored sanding sugars in various sizes. They have vibrant colors and are readily available in craft stores, baking sections of grocery stores, and online.
- Availability: Widely available in stores like Michaels, JoAnn, and online through Amazon.
4. DIY colored sugar
- Why it’s great: You can buy plain white sparkling sugar and color it yourself like I did with my Holiday Sugar Cookies and DIY Colored Sugar. The sky’s the limit as to the unique colors you can create for your pumpkin sugar cookies, and you’ll save a lot of money, too.
- Availability: plain white decorator sugar is available in your regular supermarket and anywhere cake decorating supplies are sold. Use gel food coloring for best results.
want to create your own custom colors?
How to Make Colored Decorator Sugar:
Add Sugar and Food Coloring: Place about 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a resealable bag or bowl. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring. If you have gel food coloring, use a toothpick to add a very small amount. You can create subtle realistic colors for your pumpkin sugar cookies, or mix colors as you like to get custom effects.
Mix: Shake the bag or stir with a fork until the color is evenly distributed. Add more color if needed.
Dry: Spread the sugar on waxed paper and let it air dry for 15-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent clumps.
Store: Once dry, break up any clumps and store in an airtight container.
more fall cookies
- Ginger Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- Chocolate Walnut Shortbread Cookies
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- White Chocolate Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
- Cardamom Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer
- cookie cutters you can buy mine here.
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp clove
wet ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
for decorating
- sanding or sparkling sugar, in various colors
Instructions
- To make the dough, whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for a minute or two until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides once or twice as needed.
- Add in the egg and vanilla, and blend to combine.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until the dough just comes together. You might want to finish by hand with a silicone spoon to make sure everything is evenly incorporated, but don't over-mix.
- Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper cut to the size of a large baking sheet. You may want to sprinkle with a little extra flour to prevent sticking. Roll out the dough to about 1/4-1/3" thick.
- Slide the dough on the parchment paper on to the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or another piece of parchment paper, and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F while the dough is chilling.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and slide it off the baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with another piece of parchment paper for baking. Cut out your cookies with your pumpkin cookie cutters.
- Before placing on the baking sheet, gently press each cookie into the colored decorating sugar. You can do all one color, or a mix. If the sugar isn't sticking well, try giving it a minute or two to warm up just slightly and make sure you are gently pressing it into the sugar to adhere. You can sprinkle a bit more sugar on top by hand and gently press it in, as well.
- Place the decorated cookies on baking sheets, about 1-2 inches apart (you may need two baking sheets, or do them in two batches), and bake for about 12-14 minutes. I like to do a test cookie first to troubleshoot any issues. If yours seems to be spreading, chill them in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan before gently removing them to a baking sheet to cool completely.
I made these for my daughter’s Halloween party last year and this year we made them to celebrate back to school, they’re a favorite!