Autumn Sugar Cookies

It's still autumn, but after Thanksgiving Day the pumpkins go away and the Christmas greenery goes up! That's the same for treats and desserts. Many of the autumn flavors are replaced by more Christmasy ones like peppermint and gingerbread. I thought I would make some autumn sugar cookies before I started my holiday baking, and I decorated them with candy pumpkins and candy corn from a bag of Brach's Autumn Mix. I also decorated some with Hershey's kisses, which you can use if you don't have any Autumn Mix. You may just want to enjoy some of these autumn cookies this weekend before you begin your holiday baking, too!

AUTUMN SUGAR COOKIES by Cottage Flavor, adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Makes about 42 (3 1/2 dozen) small cookies

• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

• 21 candy corns and 21 pumpkin candies from Brach's Autumn Mix (or use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or pumpkin spice Hershey's kisses) 

• NOTE: To make chocolate sugar cookies, reduce the amount of flour to 1 cup and add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder when mixing the dry ingredients into the batter.  

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In medium bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until well-blended. Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Add flour and mix until a dough forms. 

Scoop out slightly rounded teaspoons of dough and roll into balls (chill dough briefly, about 10 to 15 minutes, if it becomes too soft to handle). Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. 

Bake at 350˚F for 10 to 11 minutes, until edges are firm and cookies are dry to the touch (do not let cookies brown; bottoms of cookies should just be barely browned). 

Remove from oven; gently press a candy corn or pumpkin candy into the center of each cookie (surface of cookies may crack slightly). Cool on sheets 1 minute; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy these cookies and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!