Vegan Pumpkin Butter Cookies
I don’t know of a better fall activity than getting cozy in my apartment and baking a pumpkin treat. So once I had whipped up pumpkin butter (see previous post: www.thefussyfork.com/vegan-pumpkin-butter), I knew I had to make Pumpkin Butter Cookies. Why? Because nothing welcomes the holiday season like pumpkin shaped cookies!
Vegan Pumpkin Butter Cookies on Tray[/caption]The recipe for the cookies (like the pumpkin butter) can be found in the cookbook, Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season by Hannah Kiminsky.
First, I gathered my ingredients.
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Pumpkin Butter Cookie Ingredients[/caption]Ideally, you want the vegan butter you are mixing in to be room temperature. If this is not possible, be extra vigilant for hidden lumps!
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Pumpkin Butter and Butter in Bowl[/caption]Soon, I had creamed together the vegan butter and pumpkin butter.
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Pumpkin Butter and Butter Creamed Together[/caption]It was then time for the dry ingredients. Remember to add the dry ingredients in increments, so they don’t puff up into a cloud once the mixer is turned on!
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Adding Dry Ingredients to Pumpkin Butter Cookies[/caption]After blending the ingredients together, I ended up with a crumbly, dry mixture. I was worried I had done something wrong. However, I found that when I used my hands to knead the dough, it stuck together!
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Forming Dough Ball for Pumpkin Butter Cookies[/caption]I kept going, until I had created one big ball of dough.
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Pumpkin Butter Cookie Dough Ball[/caption]After the dough spent 30 minutes in the refrigerator, it was the moment of truth. Would I be able to create anything that even closely resembled a pumpkin?
I took a small piece of dough, a little smaller than the size of a doughnut hole, and formed it into a ball. I then gently flattened the top and bottom of the ball and used the side of a toothpick to create vertical lines like those found on a pumpkin. Finally, I placed a pumpkin seed in the top of the cookie to act as a stem. The end result was a cookie that actually looked like a pumpkin!
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Pumpkin Butter Dough Formed into Pumpkins[/caption]The cookies went on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and into the oven!
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Pumpkin Cookie Dough on Cookie Sheet[/caption]20 minutes later, I had warm, pumpkin butter, pumpkin shaped cookies!
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Pumpkin Butter Cookies on Cookie Sheet[/caption]These cookies aren’t just for looks – they are dense, soft, and rich. They pair well with a cup of tea or non-dairy milk!
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Pumpkin Butter Cookies in Basket[/caption]
- ½ cup pumpkin butter (see recipe at www.thefussyfork.com/vegan-pumpkin-butter)
- ½ cup non-dairy butter (like Earth Balance)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 and ⅔ cup flour
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pumpkin seeds
- Mix pumpkin butter and non-dairy butter together until completely combined
- Mix in sugar, flour, cornstarch, spices, and salt
- The dough might seem dry but do not add extra liquid
- Use hands to form dough into a ball
- Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
- Form the dough into small balls (a little smaller than a doughnut hole) and flatten the top and bottom slightly
- Use the side of a toothpick to create the lines of the pumpkin
- Then place a pumpkin seed in the top of the pumpkin
- Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes