As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, there's no better place to be than in a warm kitchen, filling the house with comforting, autumnal scents. This month, we're embracing the fun of the spooky season with a simple bake that's perfect for making memories with your little ones (or just for yourself!).
These Orange & Pumpkin Face Cookies are sweet, zesty, and so wonderfully creative. They are the perfect little treats to enjoy with a strong cup of tea after a long day or to pack up for a trip to the pumpkin patch. We think you'll love giving each cookie its own little personality!
What You'll Need for a Batch of Autumnal Joy
(Makes about 20 small cookies)
For the Cookies
- Plain flour: 250g
- Baking powder: 1 tsp
- Bicarbonate of soda: tsp
- Cinnamon: 1 tsp
- Mixed spice: tsp
- Ginger: tsp
- Salt: Pinch
- Soft light brown sugar: 125g
- Butter (softened): 125g
- Pumpkin purée (from a can is perfect!): 100g
- Egg (large): 1
- Orange zest
For the Icing & Decoration
- Icing sugar: 150g
- Orange food colouring: a tiny drop
- Lemon juice: 1-2 tbsp
- Chocolate chips
- Tubes of icing, or black writing icing for the faces
A Conversational Method
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Prep the Oven: Get your kitchen cosy by heating the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
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The Dry Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, bicarb, and those wonderful autumn spices (cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, and salt). Set this aside.
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The Creamy Base: In a separate, larger bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is beautifully light and fluffy. Now, crack in your egg and beat again until everything is smoothly combined.
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Add the Autumnal Flavour: Gently fold in the pumpkin purée and that vibrant orange zest. Your kitchen should be smelling delightful already!
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Bring it Together: Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mix until you have a lovely, soft cookie dough. Take care not to overmix!
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Shape & Bake: Spoon small amounts of the mixture (about a dessertspoonful) onto your prepared trays, leaving a good amount of space between each one—they will spread out a little. Bake for 10–12 minutes until they are lightly golden around the edges.
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Cooling Down: Once baked, leave them on the tray for a couple of minutes to set before moving them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. This is the hardest part!
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The Faces (Our Favourite Bit!): Now for the creative fun! Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. Add a drop of orange food colouring and enough lemon juice (about 1–2 tbsp) to make a thick, smooth icing. Spread this onto the cooled cookies. Before the icing sets, use your chocolate chips or writing icing to give your pumpkin cookies their wonderfully spooky faces.
We hope you enjoy this simple, joyful bake! If you give these cookies a go, please share a picture with us—we would love to see your creations.