Description
Delightful mini pumpkin-shaped cookies with a tender buttery texture and festive orange color, perfect for fall celebrations. These charming cookies are easy to make, featuring a soft dough flavored with vanilla and brightened with orange food coloring. Each cookie is topped with a mini pretzel stem for an adorable finishing touch.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 & 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (65g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Orange food coloring, gel or liquid (amount varies, see notes)
Decoration
- Mini pretzels, broken into small 1/2 inch stem-shaped pieces
Instructions
- Combine butter and vanilla: In a large bowl, mix the softened butter and vanilla extract until smooth and well incorporated. This can be done by hand or with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Make the dough: Add the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt to the butter mixture. Stir until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Add food coloring: Gradually mix in the orange food coloring a little at a time until the dough reaches your desired pumpkin-orange shade.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
- Prepare the baking sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Shape the cookies: Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a tall oval shape. Place the shaped dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Create pumpkin ridges and stems: Using a skewer or toothpick, press vertical indentations around each oval to mimic pumpkin lines. Insert a small pretzel stem piece into the top of each cookie.
- Freeze the shaped cookies: Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until the dough feels firm to the touch.
- Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the cookies: Bake the partially frozen cookies in the center rack for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown along the edges and bottom. Expect slight spreading and flattening.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving to ensure they set properly.
Notes
- Start with a small amount of orange food coloring and add more gradually to achieve your preferred shade without over-coloring.
- Mini pretzels are used to create authentic pumpkin stems, breaking each pretzel into approximately three 1/2 inch pieces.
- Freezing the shaped dough before baking helps maintain the pumpkin shape and prevents excessive spreading.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American