Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Cookies

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I'm probably supposed to be cleaning or doing laundry right now but here I am, cosy on the couch and writing to you. Nothing too earth shattering, as usual, unless you think baking and decorating is in that realm of categories. Although not necessarily ground-breaking though, baking is definitely one of life's simple pleasures for me… And if asked (Oh did you ask? Ok!), what would you be doing if you could be doing anything? (Not including if you had a bazillion dollars), besides hiking in the forest on a glorious sunshiney day, decorating cookies and eating them, is at the top of my list.

And so, I'm thrilled to be sharing with you a new cut-out cookie recipe, gasp! Truly though, it's sweet and spicy, perfect for fall or any time really; pumpkin spice cut-out cookies.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups, 454 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup, 194 g granulated sugar
• 1 cup, lightly packed or 187 g brown sugar
• 1/4 cup, 66 g pumpkin purée or pumpkin pie filling
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp all-spice
• 5 cups, 754 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and 2 sugars together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low to medium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – for about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough. If you'd like a light and fluffy cookie, that's ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you'd like the cookie to hold its shape.
2. Add pumpkin purée and eggs while slowly mixing. Add vanilla extract and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once and mix briefly again.
3. Sift your dry ingredients together. (Flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all-spice and salt. I do not use baking powder in my cut-out cookies).
4. Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small tea towels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won't escape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the dough mixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it's ready. It's also important at this stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough).
5. Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
6. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
7. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. They will then hold their shape better when baked.
8. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C.
9. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie.
10. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!

Notes

Leftover pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin purée freezes well for future use.
I've been asked numerous times where I find my baking trays. I've bought them in different places, but my favorite source is our local restaurant supply store. If you don't have one nearby, there are options on-line. My favorite kind is Nordic Ware's Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet.
You'll notice some of the pumpkin cookies pictured are a richer, darker color than other lighter cookies (namely the foxes). I just baked the darker batch longer. Makes for a crispier cookie.
To make your cookie spicier, add more cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and all-spice.
If you'd like to see video tutorials of the decorated cookies in these photos, click on the one you're interested in… Pumpkin Cookies or Chipmunk Cookies.

Source:sweetopia.ne