Halloween baking just got adorable and a little spooky with these Mummy Pumpkin Cookies. Flaky, buttery pastry meets spiced pumpkin filling, then gets wrapped in pastry strips and given two candy eyes. They look festive, bake quickly, and make great party treats.
How these mummy cookies came to be — a playful kitchen moment
A baking mishap turned into a seasonal favorite. A leftover piece of pie crust looked like a tiny wrapped figure and sparked the idea. Swapping apple for pumpkin created a new dessert: pumpkin-filled cookies with a mummy appearance. Simple, creative, and perfect for family baking sessions.
Ingredients: what to buy and what you can shortcut
For the pastry crust
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons ice water, added as needed
- OR: one package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts) for a time-saving option
For the pumpkin filling and the topping
- 3/4 cup reduced pumpkin puree* (see tip below)
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 1/2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon for sprinkling
- Small candy eyes for decorating
Tip: To make a thicker filling, place 1 cup pumpkin puree on paper towels and press to yield about 3/4 cup reduced puree.
Step-by-step recipe: build the mummies
- Prepare the crust: combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add ice water a tablespoon at a time and bring the dough together. Split into two disks, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Make the filling: beat cream cheese with granulated and brown sugar. Stir in reduced pumpkin, spices, egg yolk, and vanilla. Chill briefly.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- On a floured surface, roll one dough disk into about a 13 x 11-inch rectangle. Trim edges and cut into rectangles. Aim for nine 4 x 3-inch pieces, or adjust size as preferred.
- Roll the second disk thinly and cut into 1/2-inch strips to create the mummy bandages.
- Place pastry rectangles on the sheet. Spoon 1 1/2–2 tablespoons filling onto each, leaving a small border.
- Brush borders with the egg white mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water. Lay strips across each filling to mimic mummy wrappings. Pinch and seal edges, then trim excess strips.
- Brush the pastry strips with egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mix.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let cool, then press candy eyes onto each cooled cookie.
Baking shortcuts, swaps and troubleshooting
- Shortcuts: Use store-bought pie crust to cut prep time in half.
- Keep butter cold to ensure a flaky, tender crust.
- If strips tear while assembling, press gently to reseal. Small cracks add character.
- For vegetarian or allergy-friendly eyes, use tiny icing dots instead of candy.
- Smaller rectangles yield more cookies; larger ones make impressive showpieces.
- Store cookies in an airtight container up to 3 days at room temperature.
Timing, yield and a quick nutrition snapshot
- Prep time: about 40 minutes (plus 1 hour chill)
- Cook time: about 20 minutes
- Total time: roughly 2 hours including chilling
- Yield: around 9 mummy cookies
- Category: Dessert — oven-baked, American-style
- Approximate per-cookie nutrition: 380 calories, 24 g fat, 38 g carbs
Fun serving ideas and recipe variations
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an autumn twist.
- Swap cream cheese for mascarpone for a richer filling.
- Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the filling for deeper fall flavor.
- Turn them into mini hand pies by cutting smaller shapes and sealing fully around the edges.
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Health advocate and wellness researcher, Dr. Monroe brings clarity to confusing health trends with science-backed advice. Her mission is to help readers live vibrantly, from the inside out.