Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

 

A great vegan cookie recipe. I made these Halloween for my daughter with allergies and died them dyed them differed colors. I didn’t make the frosting for this recipe.

 

Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookie (~from minimalist baker)

Ingredients

COOKIES

1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance // softened* // 1 stick yields 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup organic cane sugar (plus more for topping)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup pumpkin puree*

1 1/2 heaping cups unbleached all-purpose flour (sub up to 1/3 whole-wheat pastry)

1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (for thickening/binding)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

FROSTING (optional)

1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance // softened* // 1 stick yields 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin butter* (optional // or use store-bought)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice

1 splash non-dairy milk

Instructions

·        Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer for 1 minute.

·        Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and beat for 1 more minute. Add pumpkin and mix once more.

·        Set your sifter over something that will catch fall out and add dry ingredients. Use a spoon to briefly stir, then sift over butter and sugar ingredients, to combine.

·        Mix until incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Then add almond milk and mix until a soft dough is formed. Freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes (or chill overnight), preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C), and position a rack in the center of the oven.

·        Scoop out heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place on a clean baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Dip a glass into cane sugar and then gently smash the cookie ball down into a disc (see photo).

·        Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or very slightly golden brown.

·        Let rest on pan for a few minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Prepare frosting in the meantime.

·        FOR FROSTING: Wipe/rinse your mixing bowl clean and add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla, spices, and pumpkin butter (optional) and mix once more.

·        Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non-dairy milk to thin. You want this frosting to be pretty thick so it will hold its shape once on the cookies, so only add a little milk and add more powdered sugar if it gets too thin.

·        Once cooled, frost cookies and top with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a few days. Freeze for longer-term storage.

Notes

·        *Vegan butter sticks are best for baking, as the tubs can often contain water to ease spreading, which can affect the final product. I prefer Earth Balance buttery sticks for baking.

·        *If you are trying to speed-soften your butter, simply cut it into thin slices from the stick and it will soften much quicker.

·        *Pumpkin butter can be subbed for pumpkin puree, but hold back 1 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) of cane sugar.

·        *Loosely adapted from my Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes!

·        *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional frosting.