Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites
Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites are fun 3-ingredient Easy Halloween Treats that are perfect for fall gatherings and easy to make with kids. These cute little bites turn ready-to-eat cookie dough into a festive dessert without any baking or complicated decorating.
Cookie dough pumpkins are a cute way to add something a little different to your fall sweets. Their small size makes them easy to grab and enjoy, and the playful pumpkin look is sure to get some attention when you set them out.
Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites are one of those treats that are really all about the look, and I’m good with that. Sometimes a cute seasonal idea is enough to make dessert more fun. Around the same time of year, we enjoy these Air Fryer Chocolate Glazed Apple Hand Pies with a Vanilla Caramel Apple Latte. Personally, I could devour a few of these Pumpkin Spice Biscotti with my coffee.
Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites
These cookie dough pumpkins are made by shaping ready-to-eat cookie dough into small balls and pressing ridges into the sides to create their familiar shape. Orange sanding sugar adds color and texture to some of the bites, while pretzel pieces make the stems.
The recipe comes together quickly and can be made ahead, then kept chilled until serving. Since the dough is already prepared, most of the work is shaping and decorating each bite.
Timesaving Tips and Variations
These easy cookie dough pumpkins require very little preparation, which makes them great for a last-minute fall treat. A few simple tips can make shaping and decorating them even easier.
- Make sure you are using refrigerated, ready-to-eat cookie dough that is specifically labeled safe to eat without baking.
- Divide or portion the cookie dough before you begin so all 12 pumpkins are close to the same size.
- Chill soft cookie dough for a few minutes before rolling if it becomes difficult to shape.
- Place the orange sanding sugar in a shallow bowl so the cookie dough balls are easier to coat.
- Roll all of the pumpkins in sanding sugar or leave some plain for a mix of colors and textures.
- Make the cookie dough pumpkin balls earlier in the day and keep them refrigerated until serving.
If you’re making them with young kids, you can shape the dough ahead of time and let them help with the sugar and pretzels.
What to Serve With Cookie Dough Pumpkins
Since they’re small, you can serve them alongside a few other treats without needing full-size desserts. Drinks and salty snacks are also good choices to balance the sweetness.
- Halloween Popcorn Candy Balls
- Caramel Apple in a Jar
- Candy Dipped Pretzels
- Apple Cider Punch
- White Chocolate Strawberry Pumpkins
Arrange the little pumpkins on a platter or serving board with a few of these choices around them. They’re also a cute addition to an Easy Halloween Charcuterie Board.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Use packaged cookie dough that is clearly labeled safe to eat raw or edible cookie dough made specifically for snacking. Traditional refrigerated cookie dough should not automatically be considered safe to eat without baking. Check the package before using it for this recipe.
Start by rolling the dough into a smooth ball, then use a toothpick to make several vertical indentations around the outside. These grooves create the ridged shape of a pumpkin without cutting through the dough. Add a small piece of pretzel to the center for the stem.
Yes, follow the storage directions on the edible cookie dough package and keep the finished bites refrigerated until you’re ready to serve them. Return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly rather than leaving them at room temperature for an extended period. Store them in a covered container.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
You don’t need special decorating equipment to make this sweet treat. Most of what you need is probably already in your kitchen. A small tray or baking sheet also makes it easy to move the finished treats into the refrigerator.
ForPro Disposable Nitrile Exam Gloves, 4 Mil, Medical Grade, Food Safe | Extra Protection, Multi-Purpose Gloves | Powder-Free, Latex-Free, Non-Sterile, Ambidextrous
HillSpring 3 Sizes of Glass Prep Bowl Sets, Clear Small Pinch Bowls for Salt, Spices and Chopped Ingredients, 1.5oz/2.5oz/3.5oz, Set of 12WOWBOX 4-Pack Reusable Plastic Serving Trays for Snacks, Fruit and Parties | Kitchen Pantry Organization, Grilling Prep, Food Presentation, Everyday Dining, Holiday Hosting and Outdoor EntertainingGoodCook Everyday Shake-A-Pick Toothpicks with Dispenser, 200 PicksReynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll, 45sq ft | Chlorine-Free, Nonstick Baking Parchment Paper, Microwave and Oven Safe To 425F, Fits Standard Baking Sheets, 12 in x 45 ftVtopmart 8 Pack Glass Food Storage Containers with Airtight Lids | Meal Prep Lunch Containers, Leakproof, Leftover Storage, Take-out, Microwave, Oven, Freezer and Dishwasher Safe, BPA Free
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites
Only three ingredients are needed to make these cute little fall treats. I tend to keep a package of the cookie dough in the freezer for impromptu cravings for cookies or these simple bites.
- Edible Cookie Dough: Use pieces of packaged cookie dough that is labeled safe to eat without baking.
- Orange Sanding Sugar: Coats some or all of the pumpkins, adding an orange color and a slightly crunchy texture.
- Pretzel Sticks: To make small pumpkin stems.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites
Put on food-safe gloves and roll the edible cookie dough into 12 balls. Press 4–6 ridges into each ball with a toothpick. Roll some or all of the bites in orange sanding sugar. Break the pretzel sticks in half and add one piece to each bite for the stem. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I like to chill them for a couple of hours before serving, although they have a habit of disappearing before then.
If you’re craving a fall dessert made with real pumpkin, try these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars. They’re soft, easy to make, and loaded with chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites
Equipment
- small tray or baking sheet
Ingredients
- ● 12 pieces of safe to eat cookie dough (Pillsbury makes an edible one)
- ● Orange sanding sugar
- ● 6 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Put on food-safe gloves and roll each piece of edible cookie dough between your hands to form 12 smooth balls.
- Using a toothpick, gently press vertical lines around each cookie dough ball in 4 to 6 places to create the ridges of a pumpkin.
- Pour the orange sanding sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll some or all of the shaped cookie dough pumpkins in the sugar until the outside is coated.
- Break each pretzel stick in half. Gently press one pretzel piece into the center of each pumpkin to create the stem.
- Arrange the finished Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve them.
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Enjoy!
