Holiday baking wouldn’t be complete without a batch of sugar cookies, but these Christmas pumpkin sugar cookies come with a healthier twist.
Instead of white flour and refined sugar, they’re made with wholemeal flour and coconut sugar, which adds a subtle caramel-like flavor. The substitutions boost the cookies’ nutritional value, so they’re the perfect snack for kids or just if you’re trying to focus more on whole ingredients.
The pumpkin puree helps keep things soft and moist, so you don’t have to worry about overly dry cookies either. Plus, the festive frosting and sparkling red and green sugar turn them into the perfect cookie swap treat!
What You’ll Need
For the cookies themselves, you’ll need a simple mix of wholemeal flour, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, butter, and spices.
The frosting is a classic cream cheese and butter base, lightly sweetened with powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla.
And for the festive finish, grab some red and green sugar sprinkles (store-bought or DIY with food dye).
How to Make These Christmas Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Start with the dry ingredients: whisk together wholemeal flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. This will be the base of your cookies.
In another bowl, cream softened butter with coconut sugar until smooth. Add in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract, beating until everything is well combined. (If you’re using an electric mixer, this step goes quickly, but you can also do it by hand – it just takes a little more elbow grease and the mix won’t come out as smooth.)
Next, combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture to form a thick, sticky dough. If it feels too wet to roll, sprinkle in a little more flour until it becomes more manageable.
For shaping, roll the dough into small balls between your hands. I used a heaped teaspoon for each cookie but you can make the bigger if you want.
Roll each ball lightly in coconut sugar before placing them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the cookies are set and the tops spring back lightly when pressed. Let them cool completely before decorating.
While the cookies cool, whip up the frosting by beating together softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread a thin layer of frosting on each cookie, then sprinkle generously with red and green sugar.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comes with a healthier twist: Wholemeal flour and coconut sugar make these cookies a little more nutrient-friendly without sacrificing flavor.
- It’s festive and fun: Brightly colored sugar sprinkles turn a simple cookie into a Christmas showpiece.
- The cookies still come out soft and chewy: Thanks to the pumpkin puree, the cookies stay tender and moist.
- Great for sharing: This recipe is perfect for cookie swaps, holiday parties, or edible gifts.
- Kid-friendly: The cookies are super easy to decorate, and little helpers will love rolling the dough balls in sugar.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature butter and cream cheese for smooth frosting.
- Don’t overbake – the cookies should be soft in the center, not crunchy.
- Adjust cinnamon based on your preferences: go lighter for more subtle flavor or heavier for a spicier punch. You can also swap cinnamon for pumpkin spice if you prefer.
- Chill the dough for 20 minutes if it feels too sticky to roll easily.
- Decorate just before serving if storing cookies in layers, so the sprinkles don’t bleed into the frosting.
📌 Christmas Pumpkin Sugar Cookies (Recipe Card)
Ingredients (Makes about 20 cookies)
Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2–1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar + extra for rolling
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 small egg
- 1/2–1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Dash of vanilla extract
Decoration
- Red and green sugar sprinkles
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Plate for sugar
- Hand or stand mixer (optional)
- Whisk and spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- In another bowl, cream butter with coconut sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla, mixing well so that it comes out nice and smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients into a thick dough. Add a little flour if it looks too sticky.
- Roll dough into small balls using your hands, coat lightly in coconut sugar, and place on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until tops bounce back. Cool completely.
- For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Spread frosting on cooled cookies, sprinkle with red and green sugar, and serve.
