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Perfect Mini Pumpkin Pie Cookies for Halloween Treat Bags

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These mini pumpkin pie cookies taste like a slice of fall, hold up beautifully in treat bags, and come together with simple ingredients. They have a buttery, slightly crisp edge with a tender center, making them the perfect portable Halloween treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Orange food coloring (optional)
  • Sprinkles or sanding sugar (for decorating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars together: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once halfway through.
  3. Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until combined. Then add the pumpkin puree and mix on low speed until just incorporated. The mixture might look slightly curdled—this is normal.
  4. Whisk the dry ingredients together: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  6. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Portion the dough: Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out rounded tablespoons of dough. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should look set and lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone.
  9. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
  10. Make the glaze: While the cookies cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add orange food coloring if desired.
  11. Glaze the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over them using a small piping bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Add sprinkles immediately before the glaze sets.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Do not overmix the dough. Let cookies cool completely before glazing. These cookies taste better the day after baking. For dairy-free, use plant-based butter and oat milk. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum and chill dough for 45 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cookies, mini pumpkin pie cookies, Halloween cookies, fall cookies, pumpkin dessert, treat bag cookies, kid-friendly cookies

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