Oh my gosh, are you ready for the coziest baking session ever? When the air turns crisp and you start wanting everything to taste like a warm hug, you need these amazing **Pumpkin Cookies**. Trust me when I say, these are hands-down the simplest, softest pumpkin cookies you will ever make, and they come together so fast. Seriously, from start to finish, you’re nearly done before the oven even hits temperature!
This recipe actually bumped out every other fall treat we used to make. My little nephew insists on having them every year when we decorate the porch. They bake up perfectly cakey and just melt in your mouth, especially once you get that little drizzle of glaze on top. Stop fighting with complicated spice mixes—we’re keeping this easy, classic, and utterly delicious.
Why You Will Love These Soft Pumpkin Cookies
I honestly keep this recipe bookmarked year-round because it’s just too good to wait for October. If you are looking for that ultimate fall treat that delivers maximum flavor with minimal fuss, I’ve got you covered! These delicious pumpkin cookies are going to be your new go-to.
- They are incredibly soft and cake-like! We aren’t going for chewy here; we want that wonderful, pillowy texture that just cries out for a cup of coffee.
- The cleanup is super simple since we’re just using one bowl for the wet ingredients. Less time scrubbing means more time eating, right?
- The spice blend—cinnamon and nutmeg doing the heavy lifting—gives you that signature warm fall flavor without being overwhelming.
- They bake up fast—seriously, only about 10 to 12 minutes in the oven, which is perfect for those sudden afternoon baking cravings.
- They are robust enough to hold a simple glaze, but also fantastic just plain if you prefer something less sweet out of the oven.
- If you want to try pairing them with something richer, check out my recipe for chocolate chip pumpkin oatmeal cookies, but these simpler ones are pure comfort!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Pumpkin Cookies
You won’t need any specialty flours or crazy extracts for this recipe. What you need is simple, good quality stuff, and you probably have most of it sitting in your pantry already! The key to success here is making sure your butter is truly softened—not melted, but soft enough that you can gently push your finger right into it. We need 1/2 cup of that lovely unsalted butter paired with 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup of plain white sugar.
Next up is the star: we need 1 cup of pumpkin puree. And listen to me, this is important—you need 100% pure pumpkin puree! Don’t grab the can labeled ‘pumpkin pie filling,’ because that’s mostly sugar and spices already, and it will totally mess up the texture of these soft cookies. Then, just one large egg and a teaspoon of vanilla to bring it all together.
For the dry side, we are looking at 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The spice team—cinnamon (1 tsp), nutmeg (1/2 tsp), and cloves (1/4 tsp)—gives us that comforting fall profile. Oh, and if you happen to be out of nutmeg, don’t panic! You can usually substitute a little more cinnamon, but fresh is best if you have it.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Pumpkin Cookies
I really can’t stress this enough: use 100% pure pumpkin puree. It has the right density that these cookies need to stay soft and cakey rather than crumbly. If you ever run out of milk when making your glaze, you can use a splash of buttermilk for a little tang, similar to how I adjust things in my buttermilk substitution guide.
Also, if you are feeling adventurous with the spices, sometimes I add a tiny pinch of ground ginger—just a dash! For the optional glaze, those ingredients are super simple: just 1 cup of powdered sugar mixed with about 2 tablespoons of milk and that vanilla. It’s just enough to give a pretty white drizzle right when they come off the cooling rack.
Equipment Needed for Baking These Pumpkin Cookies
Don’t you hate getting halfway through a recipe only to realize you’re missing that one specific tool? Ugh, the worst! For these super simple pumpkin cookies, we are keeping the equipment list short and sweet, too. Having these few things ready means you can get these cookies into the oven before you even finish your coffee!
You definitely need a couple of good mixing bowls. I use a nice big one for whisking the wet stuff—the pumpkin, butter, and sugars—and a slightly smaller one for getting the dry ingredients ready. A sturdy whisk is great for the dry mix, but once you start mixing everything, you’ll want a hand mixer or stand mixer for creaming the butter and sugars properly.
Make sure you’ve got your standard stuff handy: measuring cups and spoons are a must for accuracy. For baking, you absolutely need at least one—but preferably two—large baking sheets. And please, please line those sheets with parchment paper! It’s the secret to easy cleanup and ensures those beautiful soft cookies don’t stick and tear when you try to move them. It’s honestly the best baking trick I learned, and you can read more about other great habits in my essential baking tips section.
Oh, and cookie scoops! While the recipe says drop by rounded tablespoons, using a medium cookie scoop (the kind about 1.5 tablespoons) makes every cookie perfectly uniform in size. That uniformity is key to them all baking evenly at the same time. So, mixer, bowls, parchment, and a scoop—that’s all you need to make magic happen!
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Alright, let’s get these amazing pumpkin cookies baked! I always start by getting the oven humming—preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) right away. While it heats up, line your baking sheets with that wonderful parchment paper we talked about. Preparation makes everything so much smoother, trust me!
Mixing the Wet Ingredients for Your Pumpkin Cookies
Grab your big bowl and get that softened butter in there along with your brown and granulated sugars. Beat them together until they look nice and creamy. This is what gives us that good structure! Once that’s looking fluffy—it only takes a minute or two—beat in your cup of pumpkin puree, the egg, and that splash of vanilla extract. Just mix until everything looks totally combined. Don’t worry if it looks a little looser than typical cookie dough at this stage; the pumpkin keeps things soft!
Combining Dry Ingredients and Forming the Pumpkin Cookies Dough
Now, switch to a separate, medium bowl and use a whisk to stir up all your dry stuff: flour, baking soda, salt, and all those warm spices. Whisking them separately is key because it distributes the leavening agent evenly. When it’s ready, add the dry mixture to the wet stuff gradually. Mix on low speed, or fold gently by hand, just until you see the last streaks of flour disappear. Seriously, stop mixing the second it comes together! Overmixing is how you end up with tough cookies, and we want soft ones!
Baking and Cooling Your Delicious Pumpkin Cookies
Time to scoop! Drop rounded tablespoons of that soft dough onto your prepared sheets, leaving about two inches between each one so they have room to spread out their cozy deliciousness. Bake them up for just 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. You’re looking for the edges to just be set; they might still look a little soft in the middle, but that’s perfect for that cakey texture we love!
Here’s the crucial cooling part! Let them sit right there on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This lets that still-warm center firm up just enough so they don’t crumble when you touch them. After those 5 minutes, carefully move them over to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re topping them with that sweet glaze (which you should!), make sure they are totally cool first—otherwise, the glaze just slides right off! For more baking fun, check out my recipe for extra yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!
Tips for Achieving the Best Pumpkin Cookies Texture
You followed the steps, but are you chasing that *perfect* texture—that divine balance between soft and structured? I totally get it. Texture is everything in baking, right? Sometimes the difference between a good cookie and a mind-blowing cookie comes down to tiny adjustments you make before you even turn the oven on. Here are the things I check every single time I bake these **Pumpkin Cookies**.
First up, let’s talk temperature. When the recipe calls for softened butter, it means it! If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream correctly with the sugars, and you’ll miss out on those essential air pockets that keep things light. But conversely, if it’s greasy and melty? Your cookies will spread way too much and end up flat and greasy. Same goes for the egg—let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes before you use it. Room temperature eggs blend smoother into the batter, creating a more uniform crumb.
My absolute biggest texture pet peeve is dry cookies, usually caused by too much flour. Please, please don’t scoop the flour right out of the bag with your measuring cup! That packs it in tight, and you end up tossing in way too much. Instead, take a spoon, lightly fluff up the flour in its container, carefully spoon it into your dry measuring cup until it’s overflowing, and then use a straight edge (like the back of a knife) to level it off. It seems fussy, I know, but it makes a huge difference in density!
And finally, the cardinal rule: watch the oven like a hawk! These cookies are meant to be soft, almost cakey. If you bake them until they look deeply golden brown on the edges, you’ve waited too long. Pull them out when the edges look set and maybe just a tiny bit puffy in the center. They continue baking on the hot sheet pan, so trust the process. If you want all the best long-term advice, check out my guide on baking tips to make you a better baker!
Variations for Your Favorite Pumpkin Cookies
The base recipe for these soft pumpkin cookies is already a winner, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with them! Baking is all about making things your own, and these cookies are super happy to adopt a few new friends into the dough. Switching things up is easy, especially since the base is so reliable.
My absolute favorite twist, and one that my family demands every single time, is stirring in some chocolate chips. Think about it: warm, spiced pumpkin mingling with melted pockets of rich chocolate? Yes, please! About a cup of semi-sweet chips tossed in right at the end works perfectly. If you love that combination, you absolutely must check out my dedicated recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies—it’s slightly different in texture but equally amazing!
If you’re more of a nuts person, chopped pecans or walnuts are fantastic additions. They add a nice little crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, cakey dough. Fold in about 1/2 cup of your favorite nut right before you start scooping them onto the baking sheets. Make sure they aren’t frozen, though; cold nuts can change the temperature of your dough!
Don’t be afraid to play with the spices, either! If you want a little more zest, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to the existing mix. Or, if you’re really feeling autumnal, swap out the cloves for a tiny bit of allspice. Just remember that since we aren’t adding bulky mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, you don’t need to adjust the baking time at all. Keep that 10 to 12 minutes, and you’ll have perfect, personalized pumpkin cookies!
Storing and Keeping Your Pumpkin Cookies Fresh
The biggest problem you’ll face—and honestly, it’s a great problem to have—is figuring out how to store these soft pumpkin cookies once you’ve made a huge batch! Because they are so wonderfully cakey and moist, they tend to dry out faster than a crisp cookie if you leave them exposed to the air. So, we need a strategy!
The rule in my kitchen is that they must be completely cool before they go into any container. If you try to seal them up while they are even a little warm, the steam gets trapped, and you end up with soggy spots, which just ruins that delicate texture we worked so hard to achieve!
Once they are totally cooled down, the best place for them is definitely an airtight container. That’s the secret to keeping that softness locked in. Stored this way on your counter at room temperature, these homemade pumpkin cookies will stay wonderfully fresh for up to four days. If you try to put them in the fridge, sometimes they actually get a little firmer than I like, so I usually skip the fridge unless I’m storing them with a cream cheese glaze that I’m worried about.
Now, what if you made a double batch? Because of all that moisture from the pumpkin, these freeze like a dream! You can absolutely freeze them. Just stack them with wax paper or parchment paper squares in between each cookie—you don’t want them touching directly once frozen. Pop them in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they should last beautifully for about two to three months frozen!
When you want one later, don’t even bother thawing them first sometimes! Just pull out a cookie or two, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes, and it’s just like it came fresh out of the oven. They reheat beautifully, which is just another reason why this recipe is fantastic for fall baking!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Cookies
I know when I bake something new, even if the instructions seem clear, questions always pop up while I’m standing there with my mixing bowl! That’s totally normal. Here are the top things folks ask me about getting these soft pumpkin cookies just right, especially since we want that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture every time.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree in these Pumpkin Cookies?
Oh, I see this question a lot, especially around the holidays! And honestly, the answer is a firm no for this recipe. Remember how I mentioned we loved keeping this recipe simple? Pumpkin puree is just pure ground pumpkin—that’s it, beautifully dense. But pumpkin pie filling is already loaded up with sweeteners and spices. If you swap that in for the puree, you’ll end up with way too much sugar and liquid, and your cookies will totally lose their structure. They’d either spread into a puddle or get super sticky and weird because the recipe won’t balance correctly. Stick to the 100% pure stuff!
Why are my Pumpkin Cookies flat?
That’s frustrating when you expect a nice, fluffy cookie and you get a pancake instead! There are usually three culprits when soft pumpkin cookies go flat on you. First, check your creaming step: did you beat the butter and sugars for too long until the mixture looked almost white and really thin? Over-creaming incorporates too much air, and when it hits the heat, that air escapes too fast, collapsing the cookie structure.
Second, check your oven. An oven that isn’t fully preheated at 350 degrees F won’t set the outside edges fast enough, letting the dough spread before it has a chance to firm up. Third, and this is a big one for any soft cookie, is using too much liquid. Did you accidentally use pumpkin pie filling? Or maybe your butter was a little too melted? If your dough seems really loose and runny right before scooping, chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes—that usually saves the day!
If you’re ever looking for something a bit denser and you don’t mind a little extra fuss, check out my other ideas on pumpkin cupcakes with caramel cream cheese frosting for a totally different texture experience. Sometimes playing with batter styles helps you figure out what you really prefer!
Estimated Nutritional Information for Pumpkin Cookies
Look, I’m a baker, not a nutritionist, so take these numbers with a little grain of salt—or maybe a little sprinkle of cinnamon! Baking should be about joy and flavor, but if you need a general idea of what’s in these beautiful little treats, here is the breakdown. We calculated this based on 24 cookies yielding from this recipe, so the serving size is one cookie. Keep in mind these are just estimates based on standard pantry ingredients, but they give you a good starting point!
These cookies do use a good amount of brown sugar and butter, so you can see that sugar and fat content is where most of the calories come from, which is typical for a delicious, soft cookie like this. The pumpkin does add a little bit of fiber, which is a nice bonus!
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Approximately 160
- Sugar: About 15 grams
- Fat: About 7 grams (with 4 grams being saturated fat)
- Sodium: Around 110 mg
- Protein: About 2 grams
- Carbohydrates: Roughly 23 grams
I always tell my friends that if you’re worried about the sugar, you can totally skip the optional glaze! That glaze adds a solid 5 extra grams of sugar per cookie, so leaving it off makes them much lighter. Either way, these are meant to be enjoyed as a special little fall treat, so don’t stress too much about the numbers—just enjoy the warm spice and soft texture!
Print
Simple Pumpkin Cookies
- Total Time: 27 min
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A straightforward recipe for soft pumpkin cookies, often topped with a simple glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy.
- Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a glaze, mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 110
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 23
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 25
Keywords: pumpkin cookies, fall baking, spiced cookies, soft cookies, pumpkin dessert