Lifestyle — Food & Drink
Pumpkin Spiced Halloween Cookies: A Sweet and Spooky Treat
Molly Moore / 29 August 2024
Halloween is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some delicious, festively decorated cookies? These soft and chewy pumpkin-spiced cookies are perfect for a Halloween party or spooky movie night treat!
With a cinnamon sugar coating and a creamy frosting sandwiched in between, these cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.
How To Make These Halloween Cookies
Some baking essentials you'll need...
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Spiced Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons plant-based milk (as needed for consistency)
For the Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- Food coloring (orange, black, and white)
Instructions
Making the Cookies:
- Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.
Shape and Coat the Dough: In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating and empty it onto a plate. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then gently flatten out and use a cookie cutter to cut out your desired shape. Make sure to cut out at least 2 of each as you'll double them up for the stuffing! Gently press the shape into the plate of sugar to coat it on either side.
TIP: To make the pumpkin cookies like I did in the photo, gently flatten out the dough ball and then place additional strips of dough on top to make the ridges of the pumpkin. Only do this for one of the halves!
- Bake the Cookies: Place the shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffed. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Preparing the Frosting:
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the vegan butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla extract and enough plant-based milk to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Assemble the Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of frosting onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with another cookie, flat side down, to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Decorating the Cookies:
- Prepare the Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and plant-based milk until smooth. Divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring as desired to create orange, black, and white icing.
- Decorate the Cookies: Using a piping bag or a small spoon, decorate the tops of the cookies to resemble ghosts, bats, and pumpkins. For ghosts, use white icing to outline the shape and add spooky eyes and mouths. For bats, use black icing to create wings and eyes. For pumpkins, outline the shape with orange icing and add details with black icing, or use the round cookie as your pumpkin base and simple add the black details on top!
- Let the Icing Set: Allow the icing to set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Tips for Perfect Cookies
- Chilling the Dough: If you find the dough too sticky to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling it into balls.
- Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the assembled cookies for up to 3 months—just let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Happy baking, and enjoy your spooky sweets!
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