1-First, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth, then add the granulated sugar and mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the pumpkin puree on paper towels and blot excess moisture thoroughly before adding it to the butter mixture and mixing well.

2-Next, incorporate the egg yolks and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined, resulting in a thick dough. Divide the dough in half and roll out each portion between sheets of parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness, then refrigerate on baking sheets for at least 1½ hours.

3-After chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut out cookies using a 3-inch pumpkin-shaped cutter, re-roll the scraps as needed, and place them on the prepared sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the tops are set, then cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

4-Once cooled, decorate with sugar cookie icing or royal icing and let them dry. This recipe takes about 1 hour for prep, 1 hour 30 minutes for chilling, and 12 minutes for cooking, totaling around 2 hours 42 minutes. Remember to blot the pumpkin puree carefully to keep the dough from becoming too soft, as noted in our tips for success.