Leaf Sugar Cookies with Pumpkin Spice

Cookie Cutters on colorful cookie dough

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

small leaves and acorn

Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
With mixer on low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high, beat until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. On low speed, beat in eggs and vanilla until mixed, then beat in flour, just until blended. Shape dough into four equal disks.

Add a different autumnal color to each disk. Wrap and refrigerate overnight, or freeze until firm enough to roll, at least 2 hours.

toothpick made veins

Before rolling out the dough, you can combine 2 or three colors to create a marbleized look, like colors changing on a leaf. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out with cookie cutters. You can use a toothpick to decorate the dough before baking. I used a toothpick to draw the veins of the leaves.

pretty colors

Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 F for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cut outs.

the kids make cookies with play dough

The cookies are being sold at a bake sale, proceeds going to Little J’s preschool.

pumpkin cookie

While I’m baking, the boys use the pumpkin play dough to make their own cookies.

ready for the "oven"