Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are absolutely amazing! Deliciously soft sugar cookies, full of pumpkin fall flavor! This easy pumpkin cookies recipe is bound to become a family favorite!
This is a pumpkin cookie recipe that you all have really enjoyed, so I thought I would add a video to it and update the photos. The post was written in September 2015 and the photos were just updated August 2017.
This week marked the five year anniversary of Elliot’s death.
What is so weird/tricky/frustrating/maddening about grief is that you don’t really know how or when it will strike. Four years ago, when we should have been celebrating Elliot’s first birthday, everyone was bracing for us to struggle through September 9th, the first anniversary of his death. But it was September 1st, when we should have been taking pictures of him shoving cake in his mouth, that really floored me.
And this year while I was really anticipating Elliot’s birthday to be rough, it was the anniversary of his death that was hard.
I have never really talked about his death publicly. Probably because we had to make the unbearable decision to take him off life support, and I know that that is controversial. We did so with a lot of counsel from his doctors. And when I say counsel, I mean I asked them what they would do if it was their own child and watched their eyes fill with tears at the mere thought. They made it very clear to us that our options were very limited, and were so kind in helping us come to a decision.
I will never forget watching Gavin say goodbye to Elliot . . . though he didn’t entirely understand what that meant.
I will never forget Elliot squeezing my finger and second guessing myself and having his nurses reassure me that this was common in patients with only lower brain functioning.
And I will never forget Nathan and I promising Elliot that we would never look at this life as a tragedy. So many people have asked me how I possibly made it through losing a child, and honestly the answer to that question is a work in progress. But what I come back to over and over and over is that moment when I was holding him and he was taking his last breaths and he was all unhooked from machines and I was promising him that I would not let his death be a black mark on my life.
Just before school started this fall, and I promise this relates, Quinn drew a picture of me with something giant. I asked her what it was and she said it was me . . . sad because I missed her because she was at school and with a giant sandwich.
She gets me. I’m an emotional eater. Lol!
So . . . . I made these cookies on the anniversary of Elliot’s death this year. The foundation of these cookies are these perfect sugar cookies that I made 7.2 million times while my mom was dying. They are my ultimate comfort food. Scratch that. The cookie dough for these cookies is my ultimate comfort food.
I had had a conversation with Cathy just a few days before making these pumpkin sugar cookies and she mentioned these cookies, and the ratio she used of pumpkin and eggs to make the perfect cookie. She was dead on! I used it to make the pumpkin sugar cookies and it resulted in what might be the best damn cookie I’ve ever eaten. I’m not kidding.
So I’m not going to say that these soft pumpkin cookies fixed the anniversary of Elliot’s death. But if I’m being 100% honest, they totally did make it a little easier.
WATCH ME MAKE THESE PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar + more for rolling
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 14 TBSPS unsalted butter 1 3/4 stick at room temperature
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- With your mixer on medium, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg yolk, then vanilla, then pumpkin until well combined.
- Slowly mix in the flour mixture until well combined, with your mixer set to low. Scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and refrigerate the cookie dough for 20 minutes.
- Roll the dough into one inch sized balls. Roll in sugar. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or silicon mat and press down slightly. Space the cookies about two inches apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking. (I baked mine in three batches)
- Let cool on the pan for about two minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
did you make this
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Other Great Pumpkin Recipes:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Jamie says
These sound good! I want to make these for my son’s birthday party. Can the dough be made ahead of time ?
You could make the dough about two days ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until baking
Natasha says
your story touched my heart
I wasn’t expecting to cry when I opened up this recipe but I’m sitting here with my sleeping 15 month old and I just couldn’t imagine. Your strength is incredible.
I’m going to make these this afternoon xo
Thank you so much Natasha!
Amanda says
These are AMAZING. I stuffed them with carmel and did not use the sugar for an outside coat. Wonderful recipe…I will be using it as the fall continues on! xx
Oooooooo, that sounds amazing Amanda! So glad you liked them!
Lindsey says
Tonight marks three months since I delivered my stillborn daughter. Lately I’ve thrown myself into cooking as a distraction and I’m looking forward to using this recipe tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your story. XOXO
Lindsey, oh, I’m so sorry for your loss. I know that there aren’t words that I can say that will make it better. Just know that I have been where you are now and it does get easier. Please reach out to me whenever you want! And I think that baking is a GREAT distraction. One I’ve used many times.
Lily says
Hi there,
May I know if this cookies is soft or crunchy type cookies?
Very soft, with just the slightest crisp outer texture
Donna says
Do you think this cookie would hold its shape if it was rolled out and cut? Thanks.
Definitely not Donna, sorry :/
Stephanie says
These cookies sound amazing!! Going to make them now. Your story breaks my heart, I can’t imagine what you have went through and still continue to go through everyday. You will be in my prayers.
Thank you so much, Stephanie! And I hope you like the cookies!
Lisa says
You are a strong person to share with others. As your words go out they are received with compassion while helping us all. Thank you. Lisa B
Thank you so much Lisa!
Ginny Muccari says
I can’t even imagine how you can get through the loss of a child. Sending you hugs and blessings. These cookies do look amazing, I can’t wait to try them!
Thank you so much Ginny!
Gloria says
Seeing that I’m reading this a year later, I hope that this year was somehow better for you and your family. :-)
My neighbour gave us a pumpkin the other day, and I’ve been wondering what to do with it. You used puréed pumpkin. Was the pumpkin cooked beforehand? How would you purée raw pumpkin?
Thank you Gloria! I used canned pumpkin and what I have heard from professional cooks is that there is virtually no difference between fresh and canned pumpkin. But! If you want to cook it, cut it in half, discard the seeds, place it on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) and bake at 350 for about an hour or until it is fork tender. Pull out the the inside of the pumpkin and smoosh it with a fork. Discard the skins. You’ll have a lot left.