In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to low speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Beat till the mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg, pumpkin and vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any of the remaining flour.

Divide the cookie dough into three portions. Tint one portion with orange food coloring and one portion with green (leave remaining portion plain). Cover and chill the cookie dough for at least 3 hours or till it's easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough, one portion at a time, to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut into shapes and decorate as you like (ideas follow). Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or till edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 24 to 36 cookies.

Marbled Leaves: Gently combine doughs to marble; roll out. Cut with leaf cutters and arrange on cookie sheets. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake as above.

Patchwork Pumpkins: Roll out the white portion of the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Roll out the orange and green portions to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut the orange and green portions into 1-inch strips. Lay the orange and green strips over the white dough forming a loose lattice design. With your rolling pin, lightly roll over the strips to gently press the strips down into the dough. Cut dough into pumpkin shapes. Use dough scraps to make Marbled Leaves.

Polka Dot Pumpkins: Roll a portion of the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a pumpkin cutter, cut out cookies. Place cutouts on ungreased cookie sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Using small cutters, make smaller cutouts in chilled cookies. Fill each opening in the cookie with another color of dough.