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Close-up of round, golden-brown pumpkin cookies with cracked surfaces, arranged in a grid pattern on a light-colored background.

Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

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This pumpkin cookies recipe makes soft, cake-like cookies with real canned pumpkin and warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. An easy pumpkin cookies recipe you stir together by hand for fall and holiday baking.
Course Dessert
Keyword canned pumpkin cookies, easy pumpkin cookies recipe, pumpkin cookies recipe, soft pumpkin cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 24 minutes
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 128
Author Gina Dickson

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Mix Wet Ingredients:

  • In a large bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir well with a wooden spoon until smooth.
    ⅓ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    A glass bowl containing brown sugar, melted butter, and an egg on a light surface. A wooden spoon lies beside the bowl.
  • Add in the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
    1 egg, ½ cup pumpkin purée, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    A clear glass bowl contains a mixture of ingredients including bright orange pumpkin puree and brown spices. A wooden spoon rests in the bowl, ready for mixing. The background is a light mottled gray surface.

Prepare Dry Ingredients:

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
    1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
    A glass mixing bowl containing flour, baking powder, and spices sits on a light gray countertop. A metal whisk with a black handle is placed next to the bowl.
  • Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Gently mix until everything is well incorporated, but avoid over-mixing.
    A white sifter with a handle is placed over a glass mixing bowl, containing sifted flour on a slightly textured gray surface.

Chill the Dough:

  • Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. If you're short on time, you can freeze it for 20-30 minutes until it's firmer and easier to handle.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Scoop and roll the dough into balls using a 2-inch cookie scoop. Place them on the lined baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
    A baking tray lined with parchment paper holds six evenly spaced balls of cookie dough, prepared for baking. The dough balls have a light brown color and are placed in two rows.

Bake:

  • Bake in the preheated oven for 14 minutes, until the tops lose their shine and the edges start to turn golden.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Measuring Pumpkin: Use a flat spoon to level off the pumpkin puree in the measuring cup for accuracy.
  • Chilling the Dough: Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much, giving them a better texture.
  • Mix-Ins: Stir 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1/2 cup chopped pecans into the dough before chilling. Once the dough is cold, it's too firm to stir them in.
  • Make Ahead: Keep the dough in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days before scooping and baking.
  • Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
  • Freezing Dough Balls: Place scooped dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and label with the date. Freeze for up to 2 months. When you want fresh cookies, place the frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake right away.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1620IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
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