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Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Delight in these festive pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies topped with vibrant royal icing, perfect for fall celebrations.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

for the sugar cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, but recommended)
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
for the royal icing
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5–6 tablespoons warm water (more as needed)
  • orange gel food coloring
  • green gel food coloring

Method
 

  1. Cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg and extracts.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients separately, then gradually add to wet ingredients to form a dough. Chill for at least 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out dough, cut into pumpkin shapes, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
  4. Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and warm water to make royal icing. Divide and color with food gels.
  5. Pipe orange outline and flood with orange icing. Once set, pipe pumpkin ridges and green stems. Let dry overnight.

Notes

Chill the dough thoroughly for clean cuts and decorate once the icing is fully dry.