Spooky-Fun Pumpkin Jack-O’-Lantern (Printable Version)
Soft pumpkin-shaped cookies with bright orange dough and fun black icing faces, great for holiday sharing and treats.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 -
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
02 -
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 -
1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 -
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
05 -
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 -
1 large egg, room temperature
07 -
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Coloring and Decoration
08 -
Orange gel food coloring
09 -
Black decorating icing, store-bought or homemade
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly butter them.
02 -
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly mixed.
03 -
Using a mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
04 -
Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing until fully combined and fragrant.
05 -
Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir in orange gel food coloring, mixing thoroughly until the dough reaches a vibrant pumpkin hue.
06 -
Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls, flatten slightly, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Optionally, smooth the tops with the bottom of a glass.
07 -
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are just golden. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
08 -
Once fully cooled, pipe jack-o’-lantern faces onto the cookies using black decorating icing. Use thin lines for details and let icing set before serving.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
For firmer shapes during baking, refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before shaping. Use a toothpick to sketch faces lightly before piping icing.