Cut these sweet cinnamon sugar cookies into any shape you like! We chose pumpkins for some fall flare, but they’re just as good as a holiday treat or throughout the year.
With Canadian Thanksgiving just a couple days away, and the American holiday quickly approaching, we thought it was the right time to share these sweet pumpkin-shaped cinnamon sugar cookies! They’re the cutest, and so perfect for fall.
You need just 8 ingredients for these cookies, and a little time to roll out and decorate. Decorating is optional, but the most fun. It makes a pretty big batch – several dozen – so you can drop some off at a family member or friend’s doorstep, or freeze for later.
We think it’s the perfect time of year to warm up with some baking, and there’s nothing better than cute cookies when the weather gets colder. Kids love helping with decorating and it’s a great way to keep them entertained – something we all need right now!
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Ingredients
- Sugar
- Butter
- An egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose (white) flour
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
Method
Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in colour. This can also be done in a standing mixer.
Add the vanilla extract and egg, and beat again until fully combined.
Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix again until fully combined. The dough should be a little crumbly, but will come together when pressed.
Use your hands to form the dough into a rough ball, then place it onto a piece of parchment paper to roll out. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and cut out into the shapes you’d like.
Place the cookies onto a parchment lined tray (you’ll need a couple here, and bake in batches). Freeze the cookies on the tray for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven while the cookies are chilling, then bake for about 10 minutes. Repeat until all of the cookies are baked and cool fully before icing.
Tips and Notes
Freezing the cut out cookies before baking helps them to retain their shape in the oven and prevent too much spreading. We highly recommend not skipping this step, but you can if you’re not worried about the cookies holding their shape.
We used royal icing in the pictured cookies, but you can use any type you like. Cream cheese icing or vanilla buttercream are both great!
To freeze, make sure any icing you’ve added is hardened first. Place the cookies in single layers in an airtight container, with parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to a month.
Substitutions
This is a super simple recipe, so it’s not so easy to give substitutions! You could try adding extra spices, like nutmeg or cloves, or go for pumpkin pie spice.
These are made with plain white sugar, but cane sugar will work too. The texture will be slightly different but not noticeably so.
If you need a plant based version, try these vegan sugar cookies, which use a few different spices in the mix (you can use all cinnamon if preferred). Here’s a good gluten-free sugar cookie recipe.
More Festive Cookie Recipes
Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
Chocolate Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Vegan Gingerbread (shaped like Christmas ornaments)
Honey, Walnut, and Rosemary Shortbread
Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar
Recipe
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Description
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Large bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie cutters
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer) and use an electric mixer to beat on high speed for about 2 minutes. It should be fluffy and lighter in colour.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until well combined.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix again until the flour has been well incorporated and the dough is well mixed. It will be slightly crumbly but hold when pressed between finger and thumb.
- Turn the cookie dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough with a rolling pin about ¼-inch (6-mm) thick.
- Cut the dough into your desired shapes.
- Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Place the tray of cookies in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly golden. Repeat for the remaining dough.
- Remove the cooking from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the tray and let them cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
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