Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt

Royal Icing Ingredients

4 large egg whites
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups of confectioner’s sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and orange zest. Stir in the pumpkin. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Decorate with frosting or candy.

Royal Icing Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. If the consistency seems too thick, add a little water; if it seems thin, add a little sugar. Load into piping bag with an icing tip, or in a pinch, a ziptop bag with a corner snipped off.The icing dries very quickly, so use immediately or store in an airtight container.

The icing dries very quickly, so use immediately or store in an airtight container.