Soft Pumpkin Cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked to perfection are a favorite in the fall season! The cake-like texture, warm spices and light pumpkin flavor are delicious!
Easy pumpkin cookies are a fall ‘must make’. The cakey pumpkin cookie is a sweet treat without going overboard on the ‘sweet’. They may remind you of a less dense version of pumpkin bread.
The delicious pumpkin cookies bake up similar to pumpkin snickerdoodles in looks and with the cinnamon sugar outer coating.
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Why you’ll love these cookies
- Full of warming fall flavors
- The cakey texture of the baked homemade pumpkin cookies is soft and wonderful
- The cinnamon sugar exterior adds more cinnamon sweetness
- They are easy to make
Recipe Ingredient Notes
All Purpose flour. Regular or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend can be used. For gluten-free baking we use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Unsalted butter. Start with softened room temperature butter.
Pumpkin puree. Use canned pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. Homemade pumpkin puree can also be substituted.
How to make Pumpkin Cookies – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
STEP 1. Make the cookie dough
In a large bowl, beat together the wet ingredients on medium speed: butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy (photo 1). A hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment can be used.
Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat to combine (photo 2).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice (photo 3). Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine (photo 4).
STEP 2. Chill dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
STEP 3. Bake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the granulated sugar, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball between your hands.
Roll the cookies in the sugar mixture and place on a prepared baking sheet (photo 5). Press each cookie down slightly with your fingers (photo 6).
Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
STEP 4. Cool
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely (photo 7).
Why chill the cookie dough?
The dough is soft and sticky. Chilling firms it up and takes away the stickiness temporarily. You’ll notice when you roll the dough before putting it in the cinnamon sugar coating it will become slightly sticky again due to the warmth of your hands.
If baking the cookies in multiple batches, keep the dough in the refrigerator between batches.
Adding a Glaze – Iced Pumpkin Cookies
We love these yummy cookies just as they are BUT you can certainly add a glaze too!
Mix together:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
When the cookies are on the cooling rack, place the rack on a foil or parchment lines rimmed baking sheet (to catch and easily clean up extra glaze). Spoon the glaze over the cookies and let them sit until the glaze hardens.
Maple syrup can replace the milk for a maple glaze too.
Pro Tips
Use a cookie dough scoop. This measures out the exact amount of dough every time and makes the work of rolling the cookie dough balls much faster and more exact. For this recipe a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop works perfectly. https://amzn.to/3m9YGMn
Don’t skip chilling the dough. This makes scooping and rolling the cookies into a ball much easier and less messy.
Frequently Asked Questions
After the cookies cool they can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature (if it’s cool) for 2 days. They can be refrigerated for up to 7 days.
Yes! Allow them to cool fully. Place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature for best flavor when serving.
Yes! Homemade pumpkin puree is the same as canned pumpkin puree. The color may differ based on the pumpkins used to make it but that’s it. Do not use pumpkin pie filling which has been sweetened with spices added.
How to Store
Once the cookies have cooled store in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
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Recipe
Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
For the Coating:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and beat to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the coating ingredients: sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or scoop with measuring spoons) to scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball between your hands. Roll the cookies in the sugar coating mixture and place on a baking sheet. Press each cookie down slightly with your fingers.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Matt says
These are so moist and fluffy! Love the holiday flavors.
Lisa Spencer says
Why can’t I find this recipe on your site when I do a search for it??????
Toni Dash says
Sometimes the search engine on my site lags after a new recipe is added. I just manually synchronized it and when I entered ‘pumpkin cookies’ in the search box and return it’s the first recipe that comes up.
Natalie says
These cookies are delicious. Perfectly spiced and super sweet. Thanks!
Wajeeha Nadeem says
These cookies look so good, perfect for weekend baking with the kids. Would it be okay to use homemade pumpkin puree? Thanks! 🙂
Toni Dash says
That should be fine. Over only used canned pumpkin purée but homemade should work the same unless it’s very watery.
Katie says
I usually do pumpkin chocolate chip everything, so these cookies are a fun twist in my regular baking! Perfect texture every time.
Kara says
We loved the cinnamon sugar coating on the outside. So yummy!
Sharon says
These pumpkin cookies are like my favorite snickerdoodles, but with a pumpkin upgrade.
Stephanie says
These are so good! I love how the sugar gets a little crispy on the outside:)
Erika says
These pumpkin cookies are amazing! Love the cinnamon and sugar on top!