Crafting Delightful Faux Pumpkin Cookies with Polymer Clay

Hey there! I hope y'all are doing well.  I once read that broken cookies have no calories.  Well, I have an absolute calories free cookie for you today!

As the autumn breeze starts to whisper through the air (remember, just not in Texas right now), the season of pumpkins and cozy gatherings is just around the corner. If you're looking to add a touch of seasonal charm to your decor, why not try your hand at crafting faux pumpkin cookies out of polymer clay? This delightful DIY project allows you to create everlasting pumpkin-themed goodies that can be cherished year after year. In this blog post, I'll guide you through the step-by-step process of making these adorable and lifelike faux pumpkin cookies using polymer clay.

If you're not crafty and want to purchase these cookies, check out my Etsy Shop!

Materials You'll Need

1. Polymer clay, I used air dry but will be trying the baked version soon.
2. Rolling Pin
3. Waxed or Parchment Paper
4. Knife or clay cutting tools
5. Craft Paints
6. Paint brushes
7. Antique Glaze
8. Toothpick
9. Cookie Cutters - I have this one and the larger one is vintage and no longer available.
10. Baking sheet and oven (for the clay that needs to be baked).
11. Gloss glaze (optional, for a shiny finish).
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    FUN FACT: I used to collect cookie cutters when my boys were small, so I dug into my stash and found the cutter on the right hand side. It's marked .69 cents. You can not find them that cheap any longer, unless you thrift one. Actually, they are no longer available in stores.
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    Shape the Pumpkin Body: Condition the clay by kneading it until it's soft and pliable. I just stored mine in the garage where it stays warm constantly, day and night. Roll it into a ball and then flatten it slightly to form the base of your pumpkin cookie. You can use your fingers or a rolling pin roller for this step. I placed my clay between two pieces of parchment paper and rolled it out with a rolling pin.
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    Create the Pumpkin Cookie: After you roll out your clay to about a 1/4" thick, cut out your cookie shapes. I used my large cutter to cut out the pumpkin shape and then the smaller cutter with the plunger to make the face and other lines.
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Add Textures:

For a realistic touch, I used this cutter from Michaels, it was a perfect face and details. Of course, you can also use a knife and cut out your own face and create your own lines, which is what I did on my trial run before the fancy cutters.

Form the Layers: You will need one layer with a face (top) and one layer plain (bottom). In essence you need two cut outs for each cookie.

Create the Face:

Take a knife and carefully cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Smooth rough edges with your fingertips.

Add Layers Together: For a realistic looking cookie, you want it to be thick, so adding the cutout layer to the plain layer will create the illusion of a real cookie. Use your fingertips to smooth out the seams.

Form the Details: After you have the seams smoothed out and looking the way you want it, you can use a toothpick or needle tool to make the small lines around the edges, this also helps to seal the two layers and adds to the realism.

Bake or Air Dry the Clay: Air Dry for 2-3 days. If you use the baking clay, preheat your oven according to the instructions on your polymer clay package. Place your pumpkin cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them according to the recommended temperature and time. Be cautious not to overbake, as it may cause the clay to darken.

NOTE: My air dry cookies take 3 days inside the air conditioning to dry, I'm currently trying a batch in the hot garage to see how long that takes them out there.

Choose Your Paints: These are the paints I chose to create my baked cookie look. I used Orange for the eyes, nose and mouth. I mixed the Lite Mocha and Golden Sunset to achieve the cookie color and then finished everything up with the Waverly Wax in Antique to arrive at the baked look.

Painting the Cookies:

You will need to experiment and practice to arrive at the finished look. It's a process. Mix your paints until you like the look, but remember the antique wax will darken the end results.

Adding the Wax:

For a realistic look, I added the wax in small amounts around the edges making sure to get it down in the crevasses. Using a flat paint brush, gently press the wax into the all the fine lines around the pumpkins. The edges will be darker than the center.

Finishing Touches: Using a damp cloth, buff out the remaining wax to achieve the just right baked look you want. I felt like the eyes, nose and mouth were a bit too bright, so I toned them down with a dry brush method using the antique wax. Perfection!

Crafting faux pumpkin cookies out of polymer clay is a wonderful way to embrace the beauty of autumn and infuse a touch of creativity into your decor or accessories. With just a few simple materials and a little patience, you can create lifelike pumpkin cookies that will last for years to come. Whether you're an experienced clay artist or a beginner looking for a fun project, this DIY endeavor is sure to bring joy and a sense of accomplishment. So, gather your materials, unleash your imagination, and start crafting your very own pumpkin-inspired treasures!

Also, they will never go bad and they are definitely calorie free! Heehee!

If you're not crafty and want to purchase these cookies, check out my Etsy Shop!

1. For more fun Fall ideas, go visit my Instagram. I post every single day. Find me @TexasBlueBunglaow on Instagram.

2. If you loved any of these ideas and want to save them for later, be sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board.  I have a Pinterest board set up for all kinds of Fall Decorating ideas and it's called Fall Decor to Try.  I'm pinning something new on Pinterest every day. Won't you join me?

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