These Autumn Sugar Cookies combine everything you love about a classic sugar cookie with a creamy, seasonal twist. Each cookie is soft and buttery with a rich white chocolate ganache center, lightly tinted orange for a charming pumpkin look. Whether you’re baking for a fall party, a cozy weekend treat, or simply to fill your kitchen with the scent of homemade cookies, this recipe brings all the warmth of the season to your table.

Why You’ll Love These Autumn Sugar Cookies

1. They’re cozy and festive.
Each cookie captures the essence of fall, buttery, sweet, and filled with creamy white chocolate ganache tinted the perfect pumpkin orange.

2. Simple ingredients, big flavor.
You don’t need anything fancy to make these; just pantry staples like butter, sugar, flour, and white chocolate come together for a bakery-quality treat.

3. They’re fun to make and decorate.
Creating the little pumpkin indents and swirling on a green royal icing “stem” makes these cookies as fun to look at as they are to eat.

4. Perfect for any fall occasion.
From cozy weekends at home to Halloween parties or Thanksgiving dessert tables, these cookies fit every autumn moment.

5. Great for all skill levels.
Whether you’re a beginner baker or have been making cookies for years, this recipe walks you through each step with simple instructions and helpful tips for perfect results.

🧈 Ingredients & Their Purpose

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose / Why It’s Important
Salted butter (softened)	1 cup (2 sticks)	Adds richness and moisture; the salt enhances flavor and helps balance sweetness.
Sugar	1 ¼ cup	Sweetens the cookies and helps create a light, tender texture.
Egg	1 large (room temperature)	Binds ingredients together and adds structure and moisture.
Vanilla extract	1 tbsp	Adds warmth and depth to the flavor.
All-purpose flour	2 ½ cups	Provides the base structure of the cookies, giving them body and shape.
Baking soda	½ tsp	Helps the cookies rise slightly and spread evenly.
Baking powder	½ tsp	Works with baking soda to give a soft, puffy texture.
Cornstarch	1 tsp	Creates a softer, more tender crumb in the cookies.
Salt	¼ tsp	Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the cookie.
White chocolate chips or bar	1 ¾ cup (roughly 300 g)	Forms the base of the ganache filling — smooth, creamy, and sweet.
Heavy cream	½ cup	Adds richness and helps create a silky ganache texture.
Orange gel food coloring	A few drops	Gives the ganache a festive pumpkin color.
Green royal icing (optional)	As needed	Used for decorative “pumpkin stem” details on top.

How to Make Autumn Sugar Cookies with White Chocolate Ganache

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C) and lining your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks light, pale, and fluffy.

This step is called creaming — it incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies bake up soft and tender.

Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure everything is evenly mixed.

Step 2: Add the Egg and Vanilla

Add in your room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, then mix again until fully combined.

Using room-temperature ingredients helps everything blend smoothly and prevents the dough from separating.

Once mixed, scrape down the sides one more time to make sure no bits of butter or sugar are hiding at the bottom.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.

This ensures all your leavening agents are evenly distributed before they hit the wet ingredients.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into your butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.

Stop as soon as the flour disappears — overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of soft.

Your dough should be soft, easy to handle, and not sticky. If it feels sticky, you can chill it for 10–15 minutes before shaping.

Step 4: Scoop and Bake

Use a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons of dough) to portion the cookies. Roll the dough balls between your hands and slightly flatten the tops so they spread more and give more space to make an indent. Place each scoop about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12–13 minutes, or until the cookies have puffed up, the edges are just starting to set, and the centers still look slightly soft and gooey.

They’ll continue to bake a little on the sheet after you remove them from the oven, which helps them stay soft in the center.

Step 5: Create the Pumpkin Indent

Right after taking the cookies out of the oven, while they’re still warm and soft, use the back of a small spoon to gently press an oval-shaped indent in the center of each cookie.

Be careful not to press too hard, or the cookie might crack. If it does break, that’s your perfect excuse for a taste test! 😉

Indenting while warm makes it easy to shape without breaking the cookie.

Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before filling them.

Step 6: Make the White Chocolate Ganache

In a heat-safe bowl, add your white chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave the mixture in 30-second intervals, stirring each time with a spatula, until smooth and creamy. This usually takes around 90–120 seconds total.

Once melted, add a few drops of orange gel food coloring and stir until the color is evenly distributed.

White chocolate can be finicky, short heating bursts and frequent stirring prevent it from burning or turning grainy.

Let the ganache sit for about 15–30 minutes, just until it thickens slightly. It should be creamy and pourable but not runny. Cover the top with plastic wrap, with the wrap physically touching/covering the ganache so a film does not form over the ganache.

Step 7: Fill the Cookies

Transfer the cooled ganache to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (around size 13 works great).
Carefully pipe the ganache into each cookie indent until filled and smooth on top.

If your ganache is too thin and spreading too much, let it cool for a few more minutes. If it’s too thick to pipe, microwave it for just 5–10 seconds to loosen it again.

The goal is a smooth, glossy pool of ganache that settles nicely into the center.

Let the filled cookies sit at room temperature until the ganache sets. You can also speed up the process by chilling them briefly in the fridge.

Step 8: Decorate (Optional)

Once the ganache has set, use green royal icing to pipe a little swirl or stem on top of each cookie to make them look like mini pumpkins.

You can use store-bought royal icing since you’ll only need a small amount, it’s quick, easy, and pipes perfectly for this detail.

Step 9: Enjoy & Store

Once your cookies are set and decorated, snap a photo of your adorable creations, then enjoy!

To store:

Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can refrigerate them for up to a week (just let them come to room temp before serving).
Unfilled cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Just thaw and fill when ready to enjoy.

Extra Tips for Perfect Cookies

Use softened, not melted butter — melted butter can make cookies spread too much.
Don’t skip the cornstarch — it keeps the centers soft even days later.
For extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a warm autumn touch.
If you want bakery-style cookies, use a cookie scoop for evenly sized rounds.
Always let cookies cool completely before adding the ganache; warm cookies can melt the filling.

Common Barriers & How to Fix Them

Even simple cookie recipes can throw a few curveballs, especially when you’re working with butter, chocolate, and oven temperatures. Here are a few common issues you might run into while baking your Autumn Sugar Cookies, plus quick fixes to help you get perfect results every time:

1. Cookies spread too much
What happened: Your butter may have been too soft, or the dough was a bit too warm going into the oven.
How to fix it: Chill your dough for 15–30 minutes before baking. If your kitchen is warm, even a short chill can help the cookies hold their shape.

2. Cookies cracked or broke when indenting
What happened: You may have waited too long to make the indent or pressed too hard.
How to fix it: Make your indent as soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they’re still warm and pliable. Press gently with the back of a small spoon to form the pumpkin shape.

3. Ganache turned grainy or separated
What happened: The white chocolate was overheated, or the cream was too hot.
How to fix it: Reheat the ganache in short 5-second bursts and stir gently until smooth. Next time, melt the chocolate and cream slowly in 30-second intervals and stir often to prevent burning.

4. Ganache too thin or runny
What happened: It’s still too warm or has a bit too much cream.
How to fix it: Let the ganache cool for 15–20 minutes before piping. If it’s still loose, stir in a few extra white chocolate chips until it thickens slightly.

5. Ganache too thick to pipe
What happened: It cooled and firmed up too much.
How to fix it: Microwave it for 5–10 seconds, stir, and it should return to a smooth, spreadable consistency.

6. Cookies turned out dry
What happened: They were baked a minute or two too long.
How to fix it: Next time, remove them when the edges look just set and the centers still look soft; they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.

How to Store Autumn Sugar Cookies

To keep your cookies fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your kitchen is warm, you can also refrigerate them — just bring them to room temperature before serving so the ganache softens again.

For longer storage, place the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container, then freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Avoid stacking the cookies if possible, as the ganache tops can smudge or lose their shine.

Make-Ahead Tips

If you love getting a head start, this recipe is perfect for it! You can make the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance — just cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.

The white chocolate ganache can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to use it, warm it gently in the microwave for 5–10 seconds at a time, stirring until smooth and creamy again.

You can even bake the cookies fully, freeze them plain (without the ganache), and fill them later when you’re ready to serve — perfect for saving time before a holiday party or fall gathering!

Final Thoughts

There’s just something special about baking during the fall: the cozy aromas, the golden colors, and the comfort of something sweet straight from the oven. These Autumn Sugar Cookies bring all of that together in one perfect bite: buttery, soft cookies filled with creamy white chocolate ganache and a touch of pumpkin-inspired charm.

If you make these cookies, I’d love to hear how they turn out! Leave a comment below or share a photo and tag me — nothing makes me happier than seeing your baking creations come to life in your kitchen.

Autumn Sugar Cookies