A Search for Great Vegan Food in San Diego

Tag Archives: halloween

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
Vegan Pumpkin Butter Cookies on Tray

 

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.

 

Pumpkin Butter Cookie Ingredients
Pumpkin Butter Cookie Ingredients

 

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!

 

Pumpkin Butter and Butter in Bowl
Pumpkin Butter and Butter in Bowl

 

Soon, I had creamed together the vegan butter and pumpkin butter.

 

Pumpkin Butter and Butter Creamed Together
Pumpkin Butter and Butter Creamed Together

 

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!

 

Adding Dry Ingredients to Pumpkin Butter Cookies
Adding Dry Ingredients to Pumpkin Butter Cookies

 

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!

 

Forming Dough Ball for Pumpkin Butter Cookies
Forming Dough Ball for Pumpkin Butter Cookies

 

I kept going, until I had created one big ball of dough.

 

Pumpkin Butter Cookie Dough Ball
Pumpkin Butter Cookie Dough Ball

 

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!

 

Pumpkin Butter Dough Formed into Pumpkins
Pumpkin Butter Dough Formed into Pumpkins

 

The cookies went on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and into the oven!

 

Pumpkin Cookie Dough on Cookie Sheet
Pumpkin Cookie Dough on Cookie Sheet

 

20 minutes later, I had warm, pumpkin butter, pumpkin shaped cookies!

 

Pumpkin Butter Cookies on Cookie Sheet
Pumpkin Butter Cookies on Cookie Sheet

 

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!

 

Pumpkin Butter Cookies in Basket
Pumpkin Butter Cookies in Basket

 

 

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Cookies
 
Ingredients
  • 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
Instructions
  1. Mix pumpkin butter and non-dairy butter together until completely combined
  2. Mix in sugar, flour, cornstarch, spices, and salt
  3. The dough might seem dry but do not add extra liquid
  4. Use hands to form dough into a ball
  5. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
  6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
  7. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
  8. Form the dough into small balls (a little smaller than a doughnut hole) and flatten the top and bottom slightly
  9. Use the side of a toothpick to create the lines of the pumpkin
  10. Then place a pumpkin seed in the top of the pumpkin
  11. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes

 

Vegan Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin butter’s festive taste and intoxicating aroma make it a fall classic.  It can be smeared on toast or muffins, eaten out of the jar with a spoon, or used as an oatmeal or yogurt topping!  Plus, it’s fun and easy to prepare.

 

Pumpkin Butter Jar with Lid Off
Pumpkin Butter Jar with Lid Off

 

I used a pumpkin butter recipe comes from a great cookbook, Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season, by Hannah Kiminsky.

 

 

First, gather the ingredients!

 

Pumpkin Butter Ingredients
Pumpkin Butter Ingredients

 

Once the maple syrup and pumpkin heat up, magic happens…

 

Pumpkin and Maple Syrup
Pumpkin and Maple Syrup

 

The mixture takes on a darker hue and delicious smells begin to waft through your house.

 

Pumpkin Butter with Spices
Pumpkin Butter with Spices

 

Tom (aka the fiancé) knows that when I approach with a mystery sample, the agreement is taste first, question second.  With the pumpkin butter, he pronounced, “It tastes like fall.”   I couldn’t have put it better myself.  In fact, I’m hoping to make a big batch in a few months for holiday gifts!

 

Pumpkin Butter in Jar
Pumpkin Butter in Jar

 

 

4.0 from 1 reviews
Vegan Pumpkin Butter
 
Ingredients
  • 1 15oz can of pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon all spice
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Place pumpkin and maple syrup in saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Stir until mixture thickens -- approximately 15 minutes.
  3. Make sure to stir continuously to avoid burning.
  4. Once thickened, turn off heat and stir in spices.
  5. Place pumpkin butter in jar. Let cool to room temperature before putting on jar lid