So yesterday, Sarah and I were walking through Central Park, and she just couldn't get enough of the beautiful fall leaves. That's when her eyes lit up, and she asked, "Mom, can we make cookies that look like these leaves?" Honestly, how could I resist such a sweet request? Fall Leaf Cookies are now a delightful seasonal favorite in our home—perfectly sweet, buttery, and oh-so-fun to decorate with the kids. Plus, these cookies are a breeze to make, ensuring more moments spent sharing laughs across the kitchen table instead of fretting over the oven.

Jump to:

Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
Step-by-step instructions
Recipe tips & variations
Storage & reheating
FAQs
Recipes you may like
Fall Leaf Cookies

For those crisp autumn afternoons, these will be your go-to baking adventure. And if you're looking to add a touch of homemade charm to your celebrations, you might also enjoy crafting Gluten-Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies.

Why you’ll love this recipe

These Fall Leaf Cookies are an ideal mix of fun and flavor, bringing together the vibrant hues of autumn with the classic taste of buttery sugar cookies. Their festive appearance is a surefire hit with kids like Sarah, who loves the colors and "artistic" parts about decorating. They're also a manageable project when you're short on time, thanks to the quick prep and baking phases.

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ c. flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon meringue powder
3-4 Tablespoons water
red orange food coloring
red orange sanding sugar
yellow food coloring
yellow sanding sugar

Step-by-step instructions

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix until well combined.
Stir in the egg and mix well. Stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix for 2 minutes or until well combined.
Place the dough in plastic wrap, cover completely, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Sprinkle an area with flour and roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out leaf shapes. Place on a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart, and bake for 7-8 minutes.
Keep a careful eye on the cookies as you do not want them to brown.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Divide into 3 bowls. Color 1 bowl red, 1 orange, and 1 yellow.
Put half the icing into zip-top baggies. Snip off a corner of the baggie and pipe an outline onto each leaf. Fill in the leaf with remaining icing. Allow icing to harden for 30 minutes.
Using the icing still in the baggies, pipe on "veins" inside the cookies, doing 1 at a time, and quickly sprinkle with sanding sugar. Continue until they are completed.

Recipe tips & variations

Here's a little trick I've picked up: make the dough ahead of time and freeze it, so when Sarah wants to bake, I just have to grab it and we're good to go! You can switch up the colors to match any season, but these vibrant fall hues make the kitchen feel like the leaf-covered paths of Manhattan.

Storage & reheating

Store your Fall Leaf Cookies in an airtight container once the icing has hardened. They’ll stay fresh for about a week, though let’s be honest—they rarely last that long around here! For longer storage, you can freeze them in layers with parchment paper in between.

FAQs

How do you get vibrant fall colors on leaf cookies with royal icing?

To achieve those deep fall colors, use gel-based food coloring. It’s more concentrated, so the colors pop even with a small amount.

Can I make the cookie dough or icing ahead of time?

Absolutely! The dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also prepare the icing ahead and store it in the fridge in airtight containers for about a week.

How do I keep fall leaf cookies from spreading while baking?

Chilling the dough is key. Make sure your dough is cold before cutting out the shapes, and pop them back in the fridge if they warm up too much during the rolling and cutting process.

What’s the best way to store decorated sugar cookies to keep them fresh?

An airtight container is your best friend here. Once the icing is dry, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper to maintain their decorations.

Recipes you may like

Looking for more cookie inspiration? Try the soft and chewy Pineapple Green Smoothie or start your morning bright with a Creamy Mango Banana Smoothie. Enjoy your homey baking adventures!