How to Use them for Super Cute Fall Themes!

These leaf cookie cutters are so adorable, I got a bunch in different sizes and shapes for use in baking and decorating. They really bring the fall theme to life!

I hope you try some of these ideas with your kids- your family and friends will love them! 

Note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on the links, you’ll go right to the products.

COOKIES. Duh, you obviously use these to cut out sugar cookies. But look how amazing these look decorated with lively fall colors. A little basket or box of these would be the best surprise for a loved one, teacher, the mailman…whoever you’d like to brighten their day! These sprinkles in fall shapes and colors add the perfect touch.

An idea I had recently was to add some nice autumn spices to plain sugar cookie dough. I do use pre-made dough to save time and aggravation, but whether you buy or make it from scratch, just let it sit out at room temperature so you can work with it. Put it into a bowl, throw in some cinnamon, clover, nutmeg, or whatever you like. Then shape it into a ball, and just cover and put back into the fridge until ready to use. These cookies are simply delicious with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

PIE CRUST. I am not a fan of it, personally (of anything very doughy for that matter). So a few years ago when I was asked to bring a pie to a Thanksgiving dinner, instead of covering the top with a traditional crust, I cut maple leaf shapes out of standard store-bought pie crust sheets, and arranged them like so.

It was delicious if I don’t say so myself, but I think MORE delicious without big mouthfuls of crust. I felt the apples flavor came through much cleaner. Give it a try, just follow any fruit pie recipe you enjoy!

Similarly, make mini-pies with these adorable ramekins.

Same recipe as a full sized pie, but just mini versions. I opted for the smaller cookie cutters, and two leaves fit perfectly on one pie. This, to me, is a more creative way of serving pie, almost like you’re at a banquet where dessert is served individually.

Whatever way you’re serving this (full or mini pies), set out a tray of toppings like ice cream, whipped cream, and nuts. The fall themed sprinkles look so cute on top!

Anything that has a crust works with this idea, including savory dishes. Think quiches, frittatas, pot pie, and shepherds pie. Make a couple varieties of quiches with the beautiful leaves on the top. It’s a great breakfast when my kids are home!

CHEESE. These days you can get every variety of cheese in small, flat sheets, because they’re meant to be used in sandwiches. When you buy it this way, it is just perfect for using our wonderful leaf cookie cutters. Use the small ones to cut a variety of cheeses for your autumn charcuterie! Use the bigger cookie cutters to top dishes like lasagna (it would look great with leaves of mozzarella). Check out the leaf on top of the onion soup I made the other day (look out for an upcoming blog on Fall Soups my Adult Children Love to Make)!

BREAD/SANDWICHES. Again, the flat nature of bread, lunchmeat and cheese makes it so easy to cut out into leaves for a special theme. I see these as a fun item in your child’s lunchbox. With some apple/caramel dip maybe? 

COFFEE. I was thinking the other day of how the baristas decorate your coffee with those luxurious designs in the milk froth on lattes, and how they usually use leaf designs this time of year. Naturally, Amazon sells a kit for you to make them at home– I am planning to get it! But in the meantime, I thought, “I wonder how to recreate that using these cookie cutters?” Just for fun! At first, I thought I could just fill one with cold foam creamer and kind of dump it on top, leaving the design, but that didn’t work at all. So then I thought, I wonder if a put out a bowl of cinnamon sugar, wet and dip the cutter in and then transfer that to the coffee cup? Yep, it worked. See?  

This just gives you the outline of the leaves, but I bet if you take a thin toothpick you could drag that through the cinnamon to make the veins of the leaves, if you want a more authentic look. I figured cinnamon would be a good contrast color against the milk foam, and I think it is. Try this with a cinnamon flavored coffee syrup.

I cannot wait to try this with my daughters!

PAPER. When the girls were small, we cut out leaves and made a “thankful tree” (more about this in my How to Teach Children to Give Thanks post). It’s fun to let them trace these cutters onto different colored paper and cut them out- it’s just a cool and relaxing activity. If you don’t mind ruining a cookie cutter, use one as a stamper by pressing it into an ink pad. Stampers are such a cute touch for the back of invitations or thank you notes.

When you have the cut-out leaves, you can do so many things with them. Hang them by strings to decorate a room or for a fall-themed party (even Thanksgiving). I personally love the idea of making them into notecards or gift tags (home-made holiday gift idea?). See the photo at the top of the post. I would love to see the happy faces of friends or loved ones receiving a box of beautiful fall leaf cookies with a little leaf notecard!

I hope my dad loves it! Let me know if you have any clever ways of using leaf cookie cutters in your fall festivities! I’d love to hear.