Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

So, since I'd been so focused on writing recipes for my children's cook book (due out next summer - I'll keep you posted) I decided to look one up on the good ol' Internet for pumpkin sugar cookies. I googled "pumpkin sugar cookies." Instead of getting a bunch of cookie recipes, all I got were sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins - unacceptable! I wanted sugar cookies made with pumpkin not just made to look like pumpkins. So, I took it as a challenge and viola!

Aren't they cute? I did make a couple that looked like pumpkins because it's close to Halloween and I let the kids pick the cookie cutters. I frosted them with a cream cheese frosting with a twists. I added 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon to the frosting for an extra special flavor. It was really good and I think I might do the same thing on a pumpkin bunt cake recipe I've been playing with. Hope you like these!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies 

Makes 24-30 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pumpkin

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

5 cups flour

Directions:

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar.

2. Add the eggs and the vanilla, beat well.

3. Add the baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and sour cream. Beat until smooth.

4. Add the flour one cup at a time until the dough is thick and smooth. It will be sticky but it should not be runny.

5. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap them in saran wrap and chill in the fridge overnight. This is an important step as it allows the flavors to mature and the dough to firm up for rolling.

6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Lightly dust the counter with flour and coat your rolling pin. Leave one half the dough in the fridge while you work with the other half. Roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place cookie dough cut outs on cookie sheets.

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are cooked through. If you rolled your dough out thicker, it will take longer for the cookies to cook.

9. remove cookies form cookie sheet to wire racks to cool.

10. Once cool, frost with cream cheese/cinnamon frosting and decorate.

T is for train

Ever since Rub found the train cookie cutter in the pantry, he has been begging to make them for school. They aren't my best work, but they work.



The WB stands for WonderBugs. It's the name of his preschool. He was thrilled with the result. (That's why I do what I do.) When I went to pick him up, all the kids had red frosting around their mouths. It was cute.

"A" is for Apple

Preschoolers ROCK!



Thursday was "A" day in Rub's preschool class. Each week they bring a show-and-tell item that begins with the letter of the week. Rub was not satisfied with any toy or item I proposed. EVERYONE was bringing an airplane or alligator. When in a pinch, I ALWAYS turn to baking. So, I recommended making apple cookies. He was all over it.

I mixed the dough. (My mother’s sugar cookie recipe – thanks Mom!) Rub helped to roll it out and proved to be very good at using a cookie cutter. He even made sure to place the cutter on the edge to save space and conserve dough.

Contemplating frosting, I asked if he wanted red or green apples. He said, "We'd better do green, because, green apples taste better than red ones." When I added the green food coloring he actually giggled.

I wanted to frost them to look like an apple that had been cut in half, but when I finished the first one, Rub said it didn't look like an apple... Oh well, I included it in the picture anyway in case your kids are less picky.

Picky or not, I had one happy Rub bounding up the steps to school with a basket full of apple cookies.