Healthy Candy Corn Sugar Cookies
These cookies are so cute and fun! Perfectly soft sugar cookies with classic, pumpkin spice, and chocolate cookie dough – all naturally dyed! – that are layered, shaped, and sliced to look like candy corn. They taste buttery and rich, and they’re perfect for fall! Leftover cookies will keep for up to one week (if not more!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They freeze well too!
Ingredients
FOR THE CLASSIC COOKIE DOUGH
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp (82g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ⅜ tsp cornstarch
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter - melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tbsp (15mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk - room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp butter extract
- ⅜ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup - room temperature
FOR THE PUMPKIN COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup + 6 tbsp (165g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
- ¾ tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter - melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp butter extract
- 1 ¼ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- 7 tbsp (107g) pumpkin purée - room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup - room temperature
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup + 6 tbsp (165g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp (55g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter - melted and cooled slightly
- 3 tbsp (45mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk - room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp butter extract
- 1 ⅛ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (31g) pumpkin purée - room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- 6 tbsp (90mL) pure maple syrup - room temperature
Instructions
- To make the classic cookie dough, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, almond milk, vanilla extract, butter extract, and liquid stevia. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a long that’s 1 ½” in diameter and approximately 4 ½” long. Tightly seal inside of plastic wrap. Lay the wrapped cookie dough inside of a jar (I used this one, which is about 6” tall and 3 ¼” in diameter!) to prevent the bottom from flattening, and place in the freezer while making the pumpkin cookie dough.
- To make the pumpkin cookie dough, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, vanilla extract, butter extract, and liquid stevia. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a rectangle that’s approximately 4 ½” tall and 6 ½” wide. (I just use my hands and moisten them with a bit of water if the cookie dough is too sticky!) Remove the classic cookie dough from the freezer, and remove its plastic wrap. Reshape it into a cylinder, if necessary. Lay it on the pumpkin cookie dough rectangle, and gently roll the pumpkin cookie dough around the classic cookie dough to form a log shape (it should kind of look like a burrito!). Pinch the edges of the pumpkin cookie dough to seal it shut, and gently roll it back and forth a few times to smooth out the seam and any other cracks in the cookie dough. Tightly seal inside of plastic wrap. Lay the wrapped cookie dough log inside of a jar (I used a larger one about 6 ⅜” tall and 4 ¼” in diameter – see my blog post above!) to prevent the bottom from flattening, and place in the freezer while making the chocolate cookie dough.
- To make the chocolate cookie dough, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, almond milk, vanilla extract, butter extract, and liquid stevia. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a rectangle that’s approximately 4 ½” tall and 10 ¼” wide. (I just use my hands and moisten them with a bit of water if the cookie dough is too sticky!) Remove the cookie dough log from the freezer, and remove its plastic wrap. Reshape it into a cylinder, if necessary. Lay it on the chocolate cookie dough rectangle, and gently roll the chocolate cookie dough around the log of classic and pumpkin cookie doughs. Pinch the edges of the chocolate cookie dough to seal it shut, and gently roll it back and forth a few times to smooth out the seam and any other cracks in the cookie dough. Tightly seal inside of plastic wrap. Lay the wrapped cookie dough log inside of a jar (I used the same larger one – see my blog post above!) to prevent the bottom from flattening. Refrigerate for at least 20 hours or up to 4 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough log from the refrigerator. Peel off the plastic wrap. Reshape the log into a cylinder, if necessary.
- Place it on its long side. Using a serrated knife, slice off a disc from one end. Reshape the log into a cylinder again, if necessary, and place it upright (to prevent the long side from flattening).
- Reshape the disc into a circle, if necessary. Using a filet knife, slice the disc into 6 wedges. If the two sides of any wedge spanning all 3 layers aren’t even (aka not the bottom chocolate edge!), then gently nudge those sides to form a more even triangular shape. Place each wedge onto the prepared baking sheet. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap or a clean, dry towel over the top to prevent the cookie dough from drying out.
- Repeat Steps 9 and 10 for the rest of the cookie dough log. Other than the first and last disc, each disc should be approximately ⅜” wide. (The first and last will most likely be thicker, to account for the uneven edges!) At any point, if the cookie dough log starts to get too soft and the bottom flattens a lot when slicing discs with the serrated knife, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until it’s firmer and easier to work with.
- Bake each tray of cookies at 350°F for 5 minutes. (Do not overbake!) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For the best results, follow the recipe exactly as written, especially the chilling periods. Don’t rush – take your time! Your cookies will have a much better texture and appearance if you do.
The cookie doughs are supposed to be fairly stiff and on the drier side. It’ll take some effort to fully incorporate all of the dry ingredients, especially for the pumpkin and chocolate cookie doughs, so be patient! This is intentional; it helps the cookies hold their shape, preserve the layers, and prevent them from spreading while baking.
It’s really important to be precise when forming each of the layers. Try to make the rectangles of pumpkin and chocolate cookie dough as even as possible to ensure your candy corn shapes turn out correctly. Reroll the log as necessary during Steps 4 and 6, as well as before slicing each disc in Step 9. See the step-by-step photos in my blog post above for a guide!
I also highly recommend chilling the cookie dough log for at least 20 hours, as specified in Step 6. This ensures that the cookie dough to be really stiff, which makes it easier to slice into thin discs in Step 9. I’ve also found that the cookies turn out perfectly flat if you chill the cookie dough for at least 20 hours, whereas you’ll sometimes see raised bumps on top of the cookies after baking (that look like air bubbles!) if you only chill the cookie dough for a few hours.
I highly recommend wiping your knives with a damp paper towel in between each cut to preserve the layers!
Do NOT overbake these cookies! If you do, the tops will look dry and almost scaly, and you’ll lose distinction between the classic and pumpkin layers.
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and cocoa powder using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out your cookie dough. Too much cocoa powder will also make the chocolate layer taste bitter.
If your cookie dough is too dry and it’s impossible to incorporate all of the dry ingredients, add any type of milk ½ teaspoon at a time until you’re able to mix in all of the dry ingredients.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour may also be substituted, but your cookies may have a slight wheat-y flavor. Oat flour (gluten free, if necessary) will also work, but be extremely careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours.
CORNSTARCH NOTE: This makes the cookies softer. I haven’t tried substituting another starch, so I’m not sure how that will turn out. If you’re staunchly against using cornstarch, replace it with flour.
PUMPKIN NOTE: Pumpkin purée is also called “100% pumpkin.” It’s often sold in cans (like this) or aseptic packages on the baking aisle. I haven’t tried using homemade pumpkin purée to make these cookies.
CINNAMON NOTE: I love Saigon cinnamon, and I buy it online here. It has a stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor. If you’re a huge cinnamon fan (like I am!), increase the cinnamon to 1 ½ teaspoons.
COCOA POWDER NOTE: I don’t recommend substituting Dutched or “special dark” cocoa powder. Those have different acidity levels, which will affect the taste and texture of your cookies. I use Hershey’s regular unsweetened cocoa powder the most!
BUTTER NOTE: Compared to the tub-style variety, I’ve found stick-style vegan butter melts better and yields a better texture in cookies. (I really like Earth Balance!) Although coconut oil will also work, it can impart a subtle coconut flavor. I love the buttery taste of sugar cookies, so I use unsalted butter the most.
MILK NOTE: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Regardless of what milk you use, make sure it’s at room temperature! Cold milk will immediately re-solidify the melted butter.
BUTTER EXTRACT NOTE: I highly recommend using the butter extract! It gives your sugar cookies that sweet, rich, indulgent bakery-style taste. I use Watkin’s, and I’ve found it on both the baking aisle of grocery stores and the wedding aisle at Walmart.
If you can’t find butter extract, then you can substitute additional vanilla extract, but your sugar cookies won’t have quite the same rich buttery flavor.
MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
STEVIA NOTES: Liquid stevia is one of my favorite ingredients (you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!), and I buy it online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found. You cannot substitute pure maple syrup, honey, agave, or any type of sugar (coconut, brown, granulated) for the liquid stevia because these cookies require a precise balance of wet and dry ingredients. (See my blog post above for more information!)
For the best results, I highly recommend using the same liquid stevia that I did. Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not always a 1-for-1 substitute for one another.
KNIVES NOTE: For the best results, use a serrated knife (also called a bread knife) to slice the log into discs. Use a filet knife to slice the discs into wedges. For each knife, clean the blade by wiping with a damp paper towel in between each cut.
GLUTEN FREE VERSION: Use a good store-bought gluten-free flour blend (this is my favorite!), and make sure it includes xanthan gum. (Xanthan gum imitates gluten’s structural properties, so it helps give your gluten free cookies the same soft and chewy texture!) Alternatively, use gluten free oat flour. Regardless of which option you use, be extremely careful when measuring your flour!
EGG FREE, DAIRY FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use the stick-style vegan butter option. (I really like Earth Balance!) In a pinch, coconut oil may be substituted (but see “Butter Note” above first!).
HOW TO STORE: Store the fully cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for one week, if not longer.
{dairy free, egg free, vegan, gluten free, clean eating, low calorie, lower sugar}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.