Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookie Recipe tastes like a cozy slice of pumpkin pie wrapped in a buttery sugar cookie with crunchy toasted pecans in every bite. It suits fall bakers who want a fun cut out cookie project that takes about 1 hour of active time plus chilling. I baked a test batch at 10 p.m. and ate three on the couch while “checking texture,” so you can trust the recipe testing process.
Why Make This Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookie Recipe at Home
You control the pumpkin spice level, the pecan crunch, and the cookie thickness, so every batch fits your taste. Store bought pumpkin cookies often taste too soft or too sweet, while this recipe lands in that perfect chewy yet crisp-edged zone.
You also cut the cookies into any shapes you like, from classic leaves to pumpkins to simple circles. Kids love to help with the cutters, and adults love to help with the eating.
These pecan pumpkin spice cut out cookies taste like fall in cookie form, with crisp edges, soft centers, and warm spices that keep everyone hovering near the cookie jar ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
Dry ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- Use a standard grocery brand like King Arthur or Gold Medal for consistent results.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup (55 g) finely chopped toasted pecans
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant, then cool.
- Use pre chopped pecans from the baking aisle if you want a shortcut.
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- I like European style butter for richer flavor, but any good quality unsalted butter works.
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80 g) canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- Use Libby’s or a store brand labeled “pumpkin puree” only.
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Optional glaze or icing
Use one of these if you want to decorate the pecan pumpkin spice cut out cookies.
-
Simple vanilla glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
-
Maple icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- Pinch of salt
You can also use store bought royal icing or cookie icing pouches if you want a faster decorating option.
Equipment list
- Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters of your choice
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Baking sheets
- Wire cooling racks
- Airtight containers for storage
Tips & Mistakes
- Chill the dough at least 1 hour so the cookies hold their shape and bake with neat edges.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment so it does not stick and you avoid extra flour.
- Keep the dough thickness around 1/4 inch so the cookies stay soft in the center and crisp at the edges.
- Toast the pecans first to deepen the flavor and keep them crunchy inside the cookie.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, since pie filling contains sugar and spices that throw off the balance.
- Do not overmix after you add the flour or the cookies turn tough instead of tender.
- Watch the bake time closely and pull the cookies when edges just start to turn golden so they stay soft.
- Cool cookies completely before icing or the icing melts and slides off.
- Work with half the dough at a time and keep the rest in the fridge so it stays firm and easy to cut.
- Dust cookie cutters lightly with flour so they release clean shapes without tearing the dough.
How to Make Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookie Recipe
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to a medium bowl. Whisk until the spices blend evenly into the flour. Stir in the finely chopped toasted pecans and set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugars
Place the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once so everything mixes evenly.
Step 3: Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla
Crack the egg into the butter mixture and beat until it blends in completely. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and beat again until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. The batter may look slightly curdled from the moisture in the pumpkin, but it smooths out once you add the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Add half of the flour pecan mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix again on low until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
Step 5: Chill the dough
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Flatten each portion into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours so the dough firms up and the flavors develop.
Step 6: Roll and cut the cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Unwrap one dough disc and place it between two sheets of parchment. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, then peel off the top parchment and cut shapes with cookie cutters.
Gather the scraps, press them together, and roll again to cut more cookies. Transfer the cut out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes while you roll the second dough disc, so the shapes stay sharp.
Step 7: Bake the cookies
Slide the chilled baking sheet into the hot oven. Bake the pecan pumpkin spice cut out cookies for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on size, until the edges look set and just start to turn light golden. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven heats unevenly.
Check one cookie by gently touching the center; it should feel set but still soft. Pull the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Mix the glaze or icing
While the cookies cool, whisk your chosen glaze or icing ingredients in a small bowl. Start with less milk, then add drops until the mixture reaches a drizzle or piping consistency. If the icing looks too thin, add a spoonful of powdered sugar and whisk again.
Step 9: Decorate
Once the cookies cool completely, drizzle or spread the glaze over the tops. You can also pipe outlines and fill them in if you like more detailed designs. Sprinkle a few extra finely chopped pecans on top of the wet icing for extra crunch and a hint of decoration.
Let the icing set at room temperature until it firms up, usually 30 to 60 minutes. After it sets, stack or store the cookies.
Variations I've Tried
I swapped half the pecans for chopped walnuts and loved the deeper nutty flavor, especially with a maple icing drizzle. I also added mini chocolate chips to one batch and the chocolate played really well with the pumpkin spice. I tried a version with a little orange zest in the dough and that bright citrus note lifted the warm spices nicely. I also cut some cookies thicker, closer to 3/8 inch, for extra soft centers that tasted almost like pumpkin spice cookie bars.
How to Serve Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookie Recipe
Serve these pecan pumpkin spice cut out cookies with hot coffee, tea, or a big mug of hot chocolate for peak cozy vibes. Pack them in lunch boxes or snack boxes since they travel well and hold their shape. Add them to a holiday cookie platter with chocolate chip cookies and classic sugar cookies so everyone finds a flavor they love. You can also wrap a few in clear bags with ribbon for easy edible gifts that people actually finish.
How to store
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
- Keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days if your kitchen runs warm or humid.
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a sheet pan, then move them to freezer bags for up to 2 months.
- Freeze unbaked cookie dough discs, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling.
- Reheat cookies from room temperature or fridge in a 300°F oven for 4 to 6 minutes to refresh the texture.
- Warm frozen cookies in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or let them thaw on the counter and then crisp them for 3 to 4 minutes in the oven.
Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice until evenly combined. Stir in the finely chopped toasted pecans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once during mixing.
- Add the egg to the butter mixture and beat until fully blended. Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy; the mixture may look slightly curdled but will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.
- Add about half of the flour-pecan mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks, avoiding overmixing.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place one dough disc between two sheets of parchment and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness. Peel off the top parchment and cut out shapes with cookie cutters, rerolling scraps as needed.
- Arrange the cut out cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between cookies. Chill the filled baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes while you roll and cut the second dough disc.
- Bake the chilled cookies for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on size, until the edges look set and just start to turn light golden. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if needed. The centers should feel set but still soft when gently touched.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- For the simple vanilla glaze or maple icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, flavorings, and most of the milk in a small bowl. Add more milk a few drops at a time until you reach a drizzle or piping consistency, adding a little extra powdered sugar if it becomes too thin.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle, spread, or pipe the glaze or icing over the tops. If desired, sprinkle a few extra finely chopped pecans on the wet icing. Let the icing set at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before stacking or storing the cookies.
Notes
Approximate per cookie (about 36 cookies, without glaze): 140 calories; fat 8 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 16 g; fiber 0.5 g; sugars 8 g; protein 2 g; sodium 80 mg. Adding glaze or icing will increase sugar and calories. Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients, brands, and cookie size.