These pumpkin spice cookies are soft, chewy and perfect for fall. They’re filled with flavor thanks to the pumpkin, vanilla extract, & fall spices. Then they’re rolled in cinnamon sugar for a delicious coating that’ll remind you of snickerdoodles.Â
Can you believe we’re already almost half way through September??? Have you been hopping on the fall bandwagon? Raking leaves & picking apples?
Last weekend I spent Saturday enjoying the sunshine (and getting a sunburn). Then Sunday arrived and  fall came overnight. The air was crisp, the leaves were yellow & orange, baristas were in full force making pumpkin spice lattes, and everyone made the wardrobe transition from cutoffs to cable knit sweaters. Seriously, the fall-ness was in overdrive.
Now, when it comes to fall – I always feel like there’s 2 groups of people: the ones rejoicing and the ones dreading the end of summer. I typically fall into the latter, but I love fall because it’s the perfect excuse to get back in the kitchen and start baking. I’ve been slacking.
Plus, there’s so many delicious fall flavors for inspiration: pumpkin, apples, zucchini, sweet potato… pumpkin… maple…. pumpkin. Everything tastes warm, cozy & delicious.
So to start off the autumn inspired treats (even if you’re still lounging by the pool)- today we’re making pumpkin cookies. Soft, chewy, never cakey, pumpkin cookies that are filled with vanilla, spices and brown sugar goodness.
Think of them like pumpkin snickerdoodles. Or the fall cousin of soft & chewy ginger molasses cookies. Seriously, the flavor is off the hook.
So what makes these pumpkin spice cookies so delicious you ask????
First, we’re starting with real butter (not margarine or shortening) for the most flavor. Then we’re using a combo of brown sugar and white sugar. Whenever I can use brown sugar in baking, I almost always opt for it because it adds a delicious caramel undertone and creates super chewy cookies. A total win-win.
Then we’re adding lots of vanilla (no skimping here), and a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg & ground cloves. The star of the show is obviously pumpkin – but it’s the brown sugar, vanilla & spices really make it shine. It’s a fall party of flavors. And me & my cable knit sweaters, fall booties and plethora of scarves are joining in on the fun.
One of the really important things I wanted in these cookies was for them to be chewy & cookie-like in texture. We add a lot of moisture with the pumpkin, so we need to be careful. To combat the extra moisture/water added with the pumpkin – you’ll notice that there’s only 1 egg in the batter. And we’re using cornstarch and cream of tarter to keep them soft and chewy.
Problem solved.
Then the cookie dough is chilled prior to baking, and we’ll form the dough into balls and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Could you honestly think of anything better???? The cinnamon sugar adds a delicious coating, extra cookie texture, and that perfect snickerdoodle-esque appearance. Seriously, the deliciousness factor of these pumpkin cookies is off the chain.
If you love pumpkin – make sure to try these favorites too:
- Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts – I could honestly eat these cake doughnuts for breakfast from September 1st – December 1st
- Pumpkin Cheesecake – An awesome alternative to pumpkin pie.
- Pumpkin Bread – I made this for Jay’s work and it was gone before noon….
What’s on your fall baking to-do list?
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- â…› teaspoons ground cloves
- ¾ cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg & ground cloves.
- In a separate large bowl beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low then beat in the egg, vanilla and pumpkin.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture. The dough will be very sticky.
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- When ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl whisked together the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Form the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons in size, then roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and flatten slightly
- Place the cookies on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the tops look just set.
Nutrition
Wendy
Do these need to be stored in the refrigerator, or are they shelf stable?
Fiona
They can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 4 days.
Peter Heinisch
So I made these today and followed your recipe to the letter. Wow. These are great. Not to sweet not to hard not to bland just the right amount of spices. Will definitely make them again. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Debbie S
These were a hit in my house and with the grandkids. I didn’t let them chill long enough but they turned out great!! Between batches, I kept returning the dough to the freezer. Next time I will chill them overnight! Just enough spice flavor… not overpowering! Definitely a keeper.
Deborah Johnson
Good cookies to make in the fall with the pumpkin and warm spices. I especially enjoyed them with my cup of coffee. Thanks for posting.
Fiona
Thanks so much, Deborah! I think that sounds like a great fall treat to me!
Kiara
These cookies are so delicious! I have some extra dough that was made and I’m not sure if I’ll be using it any time soon. How long would you recommend keeping the dough in the freezer until I’m ready to bake more?
Fiona
I would form the dough into balls (but not roll in cinnamon sugar), then place it in a ziploc freezer bag and squeeze out the air from the bag. They cookie dough will last in the freezer for about 2 months. Then when you’re ready to bake, roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and bake for about 1-2 minutes longer (From frozen).
Jamie
These are super yummy! Pumpkin cookies can get really cakey so i was a little nervous, but these were perfect! The pumpkin and spice flavors are spot on without being overpowering. I cooked mine 12 min and some actually still seem a tad undercooked, but that’s likely just my oven. I forgot to roll one batch in the cinnamon and sugar before baking, so i sprinkled it on top when they had a few minutes left. Can’t tell! I really recommend these!!
Tricia
I have made about 4 batches of these for family, friends + co-workers and everyone love love loooooooved them. Thank you so much! 🙂
Fiona
I’m so glad they were such a hit!
Ann
This is absolutely fab! These pumpkin spice cookies are filled with wonderful flavor. They’re just perfect for fall. I make mine following similar recipe. The first time I tried to make them, I failed miserably. But then really nailed it! My husband and kiddos are simply obsessed with these.
Thank you for sharing this cute idea Fiona! I’m sure your recipe will inspire many of your readers. Look forward to your new awesome ideas!
Diane
This recipe sounds great from all the reviews, however, not a single comment says how many cookies the recipe makes. How many cookies does this recipe make?
Fiona
Hi Diane,
This recipe makes around 30 cookies. If you look in the recipe card right below where it states the Prep Time, Cook Time, etc – you’ll see it makes 30 cookies along with all the other specifics about the recipe.
Kelly
These are the most amazing cookies I have ever had!! I’m not usually a fan of pumpkin but these will become a staple recipe!