Description
These Jack-O’-Lantern Pumpkin Cookies with Royal Icing are the ultimate fall treat spiced, sweet, and decorated with adorable Halloween faces. Perfect for parties, cozy baking days, and making sweet memories.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 6–8 tbsp warm water
- Gel food coloring (orange, black, green)
Instructions
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a bowl.
- Cream butter with both sugars until fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée; beat until smooth.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
- Divide dough, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour (or 30 minutes in freezer).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll dough to ¼ inch thick and cut with pumpkin cookie cutters.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until edges are just golden. Cool completely.
- Beat meringue powder and powdered sugar with 6 tbsp warm water until thick and glossy.
- Add more water 1 tsp at a time until icing ribbons off a spoon.
- Divide icing and tint with orange, black, and green gel food coloring.
- Pipe outlines first, let set 10 minutes, then flood with more icing. Add faces with black icing.
- Let cookies dry at least 6 hours before stacking.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze undecorated cookies up to 3 months. Let royal icing fully dry before stacking. Fun tip: use a glass to cut circles if you don’t have cookie cutters!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American