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
Ashley says
Wow! These cookies are perfect. I was worried they would be bland or not have enough pumpkin flavor, but oh no. I would not change a thing. Better than expected.
I’ms o glad to hear that Ashley!
Whitney says
Hi! I made these cookies for the Thanksgiving holiday with fresh pumpkins from our garden! I also added a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips. They were simple, easy, and delicious!!! The perfect recipe for a busy momma. And I really didn’t have to modify for high altitude. I added a pinch more flour but that was it. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m so glad that you liked them Whitney!
Donna Hixon says
If I made these, and then froze the dough after rolling, would it be OK?
I haven’t tried that, but I Think it would be fine!
Anna says
Thank you for your story..you give us all strength. My grandpa’s name is Elliott. I k re I just had to try your recipe. They are the best sugar cookies I have ever made. When you’re right, you’re right!
Than you for your kind words Anna! I love that so many people are reading about my Elliot and thinking about him.
Loretta says
Batter in refrigerator as we speak. Prayers for your continued strength and love. It’s about celebrating what you had now. My moms passing will be tomorrow..my siblings are coming here as she would of course hosted while here on earth. Thank you for sharing your story and recipe. Ya see the love you still continue to share and pass on~don’t ever stop. Cheers Loretta
Thank you Loretta! And sending you love. I lost my mom as well, and I miss her just about every day.
Punam Paul says
Never thought of such cookies. You really amazed me!
Olivia says
I absolutely loved these cookies. I’ve made them a couple times and I have found that if I add about a 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, the flavor is a little bolder. Thank you s ok much for the recipe!
So glad you like it Olivia!
Kathy says
These cookies sounded so good I had to try them. I did, however substitute one fourth of a cup of brown sugar for one fourth of a cup of the granulated sugar for a little more flavor.. Also, I added some cinnamon to the sugar to roll them in. They turned out fantastic!….like really good snicker doodles. Also, the little unbaked balls freeze really well.
Ashley says
Hi Lisa! I first tried this recipe around Halloween when I had a ton of pumpkin puree leftover from a (failed) smoothie recipe…. wow, these are amazing! They baked up so perfectly. Never in my life have I personally baked such a perfectly cooked cookie. My husband and I ate the whole batch in three days….
So, now I have decided to make these as part of a work gift for my coworkers! I wanted to ask you — would it still bake up just as well if I prepared the batter mix a day ahead and refrigerate so that the following evening all I have to do is bake the cookies? I plan to double the recipe.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Yeah, I think that it would work great keeping it in the refrigerator over night. Make sure you cover the dough and if you pull it out and find it hard to scoop, I would just give it a few minutes.
Bee says
Wow! These look good, Lisa! They just made the top spot on my “must make” list! ????
I hope you love them!