Pumpkin Spice Shortbread

These Pumpkin Spice Shortbread are the perfect fall cookie! The buttery shortbread base is not too sweet and is so light it melts in your mouth. Each cookie is topped with fluffy, pumpkin spice buttercream that is flavoured with pure pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. 

What you will need to make Pumpkin Spice Shortbread:

These cookies are pretty simple to make and don’t require too many ingredients.

Unsalted Butter – Butter is used in both the shortbread and the buttercream. It gives the shortbread its classic, rich buttery flavour.

Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar gives the shortbread that delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture! It also makes for a cookie that is not too sweet.

All-Purpose Flour 

Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps keep this shortbread soft and also gives them that crumbly texture. 

Vanilla Extract 

Pumpkin Pie Spice – This is a fall essential in my opinion! If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own. Here is a recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Pure Pumpkin Purée – Just a couple of tablespoons adds a natural pumpkin flavour and colour to the buttercream. I used pure pumpkin, but pumpkin pie filling would be delicious too! 

Heavy Whipping Cream – 33% heavy whipping cream is the key to a light and fluffy buttercream.

How to make Pumpkin Spice Shortbread 

These cookies are easy to make and come together pretty quickly!

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, corn starch and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. 

Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.

Next, add the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons), scoop balls of cookie dough onto a lined cookie sheet. Space them out about two inches apart.

Flatten the cookies slightly with your fingertips or the bottom of a glass. 

Bake the shortbread for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them as the bake time can vary. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown. 

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. 

Pumpkin Spice Buttercream 

This buttercream is so delicious and pretty with the little specks of pumpkin pie spice!

Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on its own until dispersed throughout the bowl and smooth. 

Then, with the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time.

Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined. Then, whip the buttercream on high speed until it is light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.

If you find that the buttercream is a little too soft, you can chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before frosting the shortbread. 

Spread or pipe the pumpkin spice buttercream onto the cooled shortbread cookies. Feel free to top them with sprinkles or an extra sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice!

For more fall favourite recipes, check out my:

Pumpkin Spice Cookie Sandwiches 

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

White Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Tootsie Roll Fudge

Make sure to tag me @cremedelacombe on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these Pumpkin Spice Shortbread. I love seeing what you bake! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card below.

Pumpkin Spice Shortbread

Recipe by Kelsey LacombeCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

cookies

Prep time

29

minutes

Bake time

15

minutes

Melt in your mouth, buttery shortbread cookies topped with fluffy pumpkin spice buttercream!

Ingredients

• Pumpkin Spice Shortbread

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• For the Shortbread
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, corn starch and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Next, add the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
• With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
• Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon), scoop balls of cookie dough onto your lined cookie sheets. Space them about two inches apart.
• Flatten the cookies slight with your fingertips or the bottom of a glass.
• Bake the shortbread for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, they could take a little bit longer. The cookies are done when the edges are a golden brown.
• Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
• For the Buttercream
• Using a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on it’s own until dispersed throughout the bowl and smooth.
• Then with the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
• Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined. Then, whip the buttercream on high speed until light and fluffy.If you find that the buttercream is a little too soft, you can chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before frosting the shortbread.
• Spread or pipe the pumpkin spice buttercream on to the cooled shortbread cookies. Feel free to top them with sprinkles or an extra sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice!