Pumpkin Butter cookies

PREP TIME 20

Chill 1

TOTAL TIME 1 20

15 -18 cookies

These Pumpkin Butter Cookies bring a twist to my French Butter Cookie recipe. Crisp edges, buttery centers, and that sugar sparkle you just cannot miss

Crisp pumpkin butter cookies stacked on a wooden board, coated in sugar and baked until golden.

Ingredients

For the cookies

½ cup (113 g) butter, at room temperature (see note 1)
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
2 tablespoons (30 g) pumpkin or butternut purée (see note 2)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (135 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
¼ teaspoon salt (use the same amount for salted or unsalted butter) (see note 3)

For rolling edges

¼ cup (50 g) white granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice or ground cinnamon

Instructions

Beat butter and sugar: In a medium bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add flavorings: Mix in the pumpkin purée, vanilla, and pumpkin spice (or cinnamon) until combined.
Add flour: Stir in the flour and salt until no dry spots remain. The dough should be soft and easy to handle.
Chill briefly: Place the dough it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm up, this makes it easier to handle and roll into logs in the next step.
Shape into logs: Divide the dough in half and roll each portion into logs about 4 inches (10 cm) long and 1 inch (3 cm) thick. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap.
Chill or freeze: Chill for 1 hour in the fridge, or freeze for 30–45 minutes, until firm enough to slice.
Coat in sugar: Mix the granulated sugar and spice. Roll the chilled logs in the mixture to coat the edges.
Slice: Cut into ½-inch (15 mm) thick rounds. If any sugar falls off, roll the edges of the sliced cookies again to coat.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C fan about 8–10 minutes before baking.
Place the sliced cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.
Don’t worry, they keep their shape and won’t spread while baking.
Bake 15–18 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
Cool: Remove from the oven but leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing: The dough logs can be frozen for up to 2 months, great for planning ahead. Wrap well in parchment and plastic wrap.
When ready to bake, let the logs thaw at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, or just until firm enough to slice, then bake as directed.

Recipe Notes

1. Butter: Get it out the fridge about an hour before baking. It should be soft but still cool, not shiny or melted.

2. Pumpkin purée: You can use 100% pure canned pumpkin or make your own. I steamed and strained butternut to remove excess water, then blended it until smooth. It’s naturally sweet, silky, and very similar to canned pumpkin. Avoid pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices that change the flavor and texture of the cookies.

3. Salt: Use ¼ teaspoon salt whether using salted or unsalted butter. It enhances flavor and balances sweetness without making the cookies salty. The amount is small enough that it won’t taste salty even with salted butter.

See the post above for step-by-step photos — they’ll help you follow along easily.

There’s also a short video in the post if you’d like to see how it’s done.

Nutrition