Happy Halloween!!

*please vote for me here, I would really appreciate it, every vote helps!
Do you like these pumpkin sugar cookies? Good, then read below for the ingredients and recipe.
Today is Halloween and let me be honest about my decorations around my house. There is a fake medium sized pumpkin that I threw some glitter onto, a mini pumpkin completely covered in glitter that has bite marks in it because Kip thought it was a toy. He ended up with glitter all around his nose. It was pretty hilarious and I have a jar of peanuts and Indian candy corn, you know the brown, orange and white ones to snack on. That is the extent of my Halloween decorations. Tonight, the front porch light will be turned off and I will be munching on all the Halloween candy I said I was buying for the kiddos but in reality, it is all for me. Frankly, my dogs go bonkers when the door bell rings so it is just easier and more quiet to not give out candy tonight. Although I will be playing Monster Mash in the background, for some reason it doesn't feel like Halloween day until I hear Monster Mash. 
In honor of Halloween, I have a pumpkin cut-out cookie for you today. 
That is my treat for you all, no tricks involved!
First, gather together your ingredients:
*I cut this recipe in half, but the ingredients listed below are for a full patch of cookies.
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) butter, room temperature, 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon), 5 cups AP flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder.

For the frosting, you need:
8 oz cream cheese, softened, 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.

To make the cookies, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In your mixing bowl, cream the butter.

 Then add in the sugar and powdered sugar and cream together until light and fluffy.



Next, add in the eggs, one at a time and beat between each egg addition.


Then add the vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest.


Once all the wet ingredients are added, now it is time to add in the dry ingredients. Pour in two cups of flour and the baking powder and then mix.
Lastly, add in the remaining flour and mix the dough thoroughly.



You can make the cut-outs either now or up to a week. I prefer now of course, who wants to wait?
I sprinkled powdered sugar in my counter and rolling pin but you can use flour as well.
I like thicker cookies so I made my dough somewhat thick. I used the pumpkin cookie cutter and spaced the cookies evenly on a baking sheet. Be careful, these cookies will spread out a bit.




Put the cookies in the oven for 7-8 minutes BUT no longer. You don't want hard and somewhat burnt cookies.
Let the cookies cool completely before you frost them.


To make the frosting, this is a two step process. It is unlike any frosting I have made before and in my case, I should have read the instructions before I made the frosting. Good thing I have an extra half of a block of cream cheese.
In your mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract.




 Mix these three ingredients well, then scoop the entire contents of the mixing bowl into another bowl. Clean out the bowl and the attachment, and then whip up the heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. Then scoop the cream into the other bowl that has the cream cheese.
Mix these two together and there you have your frosting.

I added some food dye to make my frosting orange for pumpkins, although the frosting doesn't appear orange in my photos.


Spread the frosting onto the cookies.
I added chocolate chips for the eyes, and the stem is half of a gummy Lifesaver. You can decorate your cookies however you like.

Then serve, eat and enjoy these cookies! Happy Halloween everyone!


51 comments:

la petite fashionista said...

aw, i so want to make these with my boyfriend tonight while we're giving out candy to trick or treaters!

REBrown said...

We have zero halloween decorations! We live out in the sticks so we don't normally get any trick or treaters.

Rachel said...

These look delish!! I couldn't leave them laying around though, I'd have to gift them. They would be gone in minutes!!

Rachel said...

Voted!

The Tiny Button said...

Yum! These are so cute!! Happy Halloween!!

Katie {Miss Dixie} said...

There's nothing like a good sugar cookie! These are so cute!

Unknown said...

yummmmmmy! Wish I could sneak into your kitchen and steal one right now! Happy Halloween! xo

Sarah said...

Those look yummy Meg! And I have to say you have more decorations up then I do. I have that one monster wreath on my door, and THAT'S.IT.

Ashley said...

I love these cute pumpkins... you've got me wanting a stand mixer! You're always making such great baked goods. Happy Halloween!

Emily {Isnt That Charming} said...

These look so delicious!
Isn’t That Charming.

Johanna said...

My neighbor just dropped off similar ones. I've been eating so much junk food lately...thank goodness Halloween is almost over :)

Sara said...

These are too cute! Definitely something for me to do while I stay at home with a cold tonight. ;) Happy Halloween!

Helene said...

sooo cute!! and p.s. i am using my husband's computer so I voted again!

Kara Renee said...

Hahah they are too cute! I am in love with baking and finding new recipes to try! Thanks for sharing. :)

Always Maylee said...

I love the pumpkin cookies, they are so cute. I actually love giving out halloween candy to the kiddies. We get so many kids in our neighborhood and it's fun to see what the little ones are dressed up as. Plus, I just give a piece a candy out, eat one myself, give one out, eat one myself... it's a pretty good night! :)

xo, Yi-chia
Always Maylee

Unknown said...

So cute! My sister and I love to make sugar cooks for all the different holidays!

chantal marie said...

The cookies look delish!! Happy Halloween!

Denise Pacurar said...

I voted for you!! These cookies look delicious!

Happy Halloween!

<3 Denise

http://allthingsnew-denise.blogspot.com/

Simply LKJ said...

Yum! So sweet.

Amy said...

oh my gosh...delicious, i want these! :)

Amy said...

AND i voted for you, your outfit was CUTE!

Leslie H. said...

Can I vote more than once?
Your cookies look delicious! Usually someone at work bakes some but not this year. I was so sad when I came into work and there wasn't any cookies... LOL

Sarah Alway said...

Since we're trying to sell our condo I couldn't put out any decorations this year, it was very sad. But I'm looking forward to next year when I'll have whole house to decorate! :-)

Jaime @ laviejaime said...

These look so yummy! i wish i had made a festive treat. happy halloween!

Lala said...

I voted! Hope you win :) and yummmmmmmm to those cute little cookies. Thanks for visiting my blog

meme-and-he said...

I heard Monster Mash on the radio today and CRANKED it. cute cookies!

Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted said...

You are such a little baker! Cute!

Kathryn said...

Cute! I love decorating cookies!

Unknown said...

Now don't these look delicious! I think I need to did into my Halloween candy to satisfy my sweet tooth now :)

www.daisyraeboutique.com
www.kacieskloset.blogspot.com

MICHELLE CURRY said...

Those look so good!! I need to start practicing for Christmas cookies.

Ashley said...

SO cute! i am too lazy to cook so I will have to send this to my mom...i guilt her into baking for me when i visit...I'm swear I'm not as bratty as that sounds!

Miss Southern Prep said...

So cute! Happy Halloween!

Lauren said...

so cute! I've never been all that great at sugar cookies, I think I need to work on my technique! Happy Halloween!

Kate @ Daffodils said...

We made sugar cookies this week too!

helen said...

YUM! i love sugar cookies, and am always scouting for a great sugar cookie recipe. thanks a bunch, and hope you had a happy halloween!

Nicole Shea said...

I voted! :) And these cookies look super yummy and cute!!!

Ashley @TheCreamToMyCoffee said...

Mmm. I love sugar cookies! These look great - I love the pumpkin cookie cutter :)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - so glad to have seen yours!

erica said...

Awww these look so cute!!! xx

Sarah @ The Not Quite Military Wife said...

Haha, these are just so cute! My husband will LOVE them!

Nikki | The Ginger Diaries said...

These are looking so pretty! And I can imagine how good they taste as well... x

The Olive Tree Blog said...

awww those are cute! and they sound yummy!

Unknown said...

these are so cute!

xo Jackie
...livingaftermidnite

Emma Vogelsang said...

Very nice, you used a lot of pictures what I like?

Emma
http://emmavogelsang.blogspot.com

Rachel said...

I have never thought to make sugar cookies for Halloween, how silly of me! I can't wait to bake with my toddler during the holidays.

Kristin said...

look delish! will make this weekend! just not a pumpkin shape :)

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Ohh... that frosting looks too good!! :)

Rach said...

Aww, cute little pumpkin cookies!

Emily {All You Need is Love} said...

oh my gosh - so stinkin cute!! i have to make those -- although, now halloween is over!! :( maybe i'll make them into christmas trees?? ;)

Andrea H. said...

These cookies are awesome! I need to invest in Halloween cookie cutters and try this next fall :)

Natalie said...

These look yummy!

Cat said...

These are so cute and look very yummy. Thanks for popping by to say hi it was lovely to meet you:) Enjoy your day.