Embossed Pumpkin Spice Shortbread cookies
Ah November. When it’s officially acceptable to start baking holiday cookies every day. I could not get into pumpkin spice season earlier this fall, because well, this year everything feels a little weird. But the second Halloween passed, I am all about those fall spices and baking. These Pumpkin Spice Shortbread cookies taste as good on the inside as they look on the outside, thanks to this beautiful embossed rolling pin.
I received this embossed rolling pin earlier this year right before Covid hit from Embossed Co. and am so glad I finally got around to testing it out. Shortbread is not usually a go-to cookie of mine, but after seeing how beautiful this super fast and simple recipe came out, I am definitely going to be baking up a lot more rolled shortbread this winter.
Two tips when using an embossed rolling pin that were helpful after my several failed attempts on earlier recipes. 1) Do not use any leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. I am usually pretty heavy handed with those, but then the cookies puff up so much you lose the design.
2) Leave the dough relatively thick before you roll it with the embossed pin so that you can press down with some decent pressure to the design. Also when you use a cookie cutter, don’t twist it. Just press it down to cut it and then lift the cookie out with a spatula.
This rolling pin is the Floral Print pattern. If you’re looking for holiday patterns, I love this Snowflake Pattern or I could definitely see making delicious rolled gingerbread cookies with this fun Reindeer rolling pin. Whatever the pattern, these pumpkin spice embossed shortbread cookies will taste delicious on your holiday table (or on the couch, let’s be real, anything goes in 2020!). Bake up a batch and enjoy!
Embossed Pumpkin Spice Shortbread cookies
A cookie just as beautiful on the inside as on it's embossed outside.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on a medium speed until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well mixed.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the dry ingredients. Mix together the flour and pumpkin spice, and then slowly add to the wet batter while mixing on a low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or overnight, wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a sil-pat.
- On a well-floured surface, take half of the dough and roll it to about a 1/2 inch with a regular rolling pin. If you have an embossed rolling pin, press down firmly to roll the design across once. Final cookie height should be between a quarter and half inch before you bake.
- Using a round cookie cutter, carefully twist to cut the shortbread cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet. These won't spread so you can put them a little closer with about a half inch in between. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-13 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
