Description
These soft and chewy pumpkin cookies are the ultimate fall treat, bursting with warm spices and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Quick to make and easy to customize, they’re perfect for cozy gatherings or a sweet pick-me-up on chilly days.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling; drain excess moisture)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (use gluten-free 1:1 blend if needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves (optional)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for coating (optional)
- Extra cinnamon for rolling (optional)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)
Instructions
- Place pumpkin puree on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and blot gently for several minutes to remove excess moisture. You should have about 1/2 cup thickened pumpkin left.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy (about 1 minute). Add pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined and slightly lighter in color (another minute).
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until spices are evenly distributed.
- Using a spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into wet ingredients. Stop mixing once you see no streaks of flour.
- Fold in chocolate chips, nuts, or dried cranberries if desired.
- Scoop dough using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons per cookie) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. If rolling in sugar, gently roll each ball in cinnamon-sugar before placing on the sheet.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- If cookies spread too much, chill the dough for 20 minutes. If they seem dry, check that you haven’t removed too much moisture from the pumpkin. For a crackly top, roll generously in sugar.
Notes
Blotting pumpkin puree is key for chewy texture. Melted butter (not softened) gives the best results. For gluten-free or vegan adaptations, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and coconut oil/flax egg. Cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Rolling in cinnamon-sugar adds crunch and sparkle. Bake until just underdone for soft centers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, soft pumpkin cookies, chewy pumpkin cookies, fall dessert, easy pumpkin cookies, autumn baking, pumpkin spice cookies, gluten-free pumpkin cookies, vegan pumpkin cookies