Add As A Trusted Google SourceThese pumpkin cookies are my favorite fall cookie! They’re soft and chewy, filled with warm pumpkin spice and cinnamon.
The Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies I Can’t Stop Baking
I’ve made five batches of these pumpkin cookies so far this season, and my family keeps asking for more! We love the soft and chewy texture, the cozy pumpkin pie spice flavor, and the cinnamon-sugar coating. Even the dough smells amazing before you bake it, like pumpkin and caramel.
Through a lot of testing (and a lot of taste-testing by my family), I landed on four tricks for keeping these soft and chewy instead of cakey. I melt the butter instead of creaming it, which makes for a denser, chewier cookie. I blot the extra moisture out of the pumpkin so the cookies don’t puff up like a muffin. I use one egg yolk instead of a whole egg for richness without the extra water. And I cut the baking soda back to just 1/2 teaspoon, with no baking powder, so they stay chewy instead of turning cakey. I think you’ll love them!
Ingredient Notes
- Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). I do not recommend using fresh pumpkin in this recipe because freshly roasted pumpkin has too much moisture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to measure the flour carefully to avoid packing in too much flour. If you have a kitchen scale, use the weight measurements provided in the recipe. If not, use the spoon and level method: Fluff the flour in your container, lightly spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I use my homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe. You can also use store-bought.
- Cinnamon: For more warm spice flavor.
- Baking Soda: As I mentioned above, we’re using just 1/2 teaspoon so the cookies don’t get too puffy.
- Salt: Brings out all of the flavors.
- Butter: For richness and flavor. We need 3/4 cup, which is 1 1/2 sticks of butter.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: I use more brown sugar than granulated sugar in this recipe, both for its rich caramel flavor and because it helps to produce a chewier cookie.
- Egg Yolk: We’re using just the yolk, not the white.
- Vanilla: For warm sweetness.
- Cinnamon Sugar: We roll the cookie dough balls in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies
Blot the pumpkin: Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels. Spread the canned pumpkin out on top (don’t spread it too thin or it will be difficult to transfer later). Blot the top with a paper towel or two, then let it rest for about 10 minutes to wick out most of the moisture.
Make cookie dough: Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt). Use an electric mixer to mix together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, then mix in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Roll and bake: Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to scoop portions of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake at 350° F for 9-11 minutes, until tops are set and bottoms are light golden brown. The cookies may be slightly puffy when you take them out of the oven and will flatten more as they cool on the baking sheet.
Tips for the Best Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
- Use canned pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin puree has too much moisture for this recipe.
- Blot the pumpkin dry. You don’t have to be too particular about removing every last bit of liquid from the pumpkin, but the more moisture you remove, the chewier and less cakey the cookies will be.
- Chill the dough. Since we’re using melted butter, chilling the dough is necessary to firm the dough back up.
- Don’t add too much flour. (See my notes above about measuring the flour accurately.) The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky, but chilling it makes it workable to roll into balls.
More Pumpkin Recipes We Love
Try one of these favorite pumpkin recipes next!
- Pumpkin Cake. A tender spiced cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
- Pumpkin Pie. My easy recipe is perfectly spiced and creamy.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. Such a favorite! My kids gobble these up.
- Pumpkin Pancakes. Perfect for a fall breakfast.
Did you make this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120g) canned pure pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)*
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour*
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, (1 ½ sticks of butter)
- 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Rolling
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Remove excess moisture from the pumpkin: Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels. Spread the canned pumpkin out on top (don't spread it too thin or it will be difficult to transfer later). Blot the top with a paper towel or two, then let it rest for about 10 minutes. The moisture from the pumpkin will wick out onto the paper towels.½ cup (120g) canned pure pumpkin puree
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour*, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Melt the butter, either in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
- Combine wet ingredients: Use an electric mixer (stand mixer or hand held mixer) to mix together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Add the pumpkin puree, egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium-low speed until combined.1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl in two parts, mixing on low speed until well combined. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.
- Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make cinnamon-sugar coating: Mix together the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small wide, shallow bowl.¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Roll cookies: Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to scoop portions of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. (If the dough has been chilled overnight and is too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling.) Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets, about 3 inches apart.
- Bake one pan of cookies at a time, for 9-11 minutes, until tops are set and bottoms are light golden brown. (The cookies may still be slightly puffy when you take them out of the oven and will flatten more as they cool on the baking sheet.)
Notes
- Pumpkin: I do not recommend using fresh pumpkin in this recipe because freshly roasted pumpkin has too much moisture.
- Be sure to measure the flour carefully to avoid packing in too much flour. If you have a kitchen scale, use the weight measurements provided in the recipe. If not, use the spoon and level method: Fluff the flour in your container, lightly spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off.
