The Best Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe for Cozy Fall Baking

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Few cookies capture the spirit of fall quite like Pumpkin Spice Cookies. With their rich orange hue, warm aroma, and soft, pillowy texture, they feel like autumn in every bite. These cookies are tender yet chewy, perfectly balanced between sweetness and spice. Whether you’re baking them for a weekend treat, a Halloween party, or just to fill your home with cozy seasonal scents, they never fail to impress.

What makes these Pumpkin Spice Cookies so special is their harmony of flavors. The pumpkin puree brings natural moisture and softness, while the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves creates that unmistakable warmth we associate with fall. Each cookie has a slightly crisp edge, a melt-in-your-mouth center, and an irresistible aroma that lingers long after they’ve left the oven.

Beyond their delicious flavor, these cookies are also incredibly versatile. You can roll them in cinnamon sugar for extra texture, drizzle them with maple glaze, or sandwich them with cream cheese frosting for an indulgent twist. They make a delightful addition to any dessert spread — from Thanksgiving tables to festive Halloween pies.

These Pumpkin Spice Cookies aren’t just cookies — they’re the embodiment of comfort, nostalgia, and fall happiness baked into a single bite.

Ingredients Information

To create the perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies, you need a mix of everyday baking ingredients and a few autumn essentials. Here’s what goes into making them irresistibly soft, chewy, and flavorful:

• All-purpose flour: Provides the base structure for your cookies. Measure carefully to avoid dry or dense dough.
• Baking soda: Helps the cookies puff slightly and stay tender in the center.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the spice profile.
• Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves: The essential pumpkin spice blend that gives these cookies their signature warmth.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter adds richness and helps achieve a slightly crisp edge.
• Brown sugar: Adds deep caramel notes and keeps the cookies chewy.
• Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create that golden-brown finish.
• Pumpkin puree: The star ingredient. Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, to control sweetness and texture.
• Egg yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough without making it too cakey.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor with a subtle sweetness.
• Optional additions:
  • Maple syrup or molasses for added depth.
  • Cream cheese frosting or maple glaze for decoration.
  • Chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
  • White chocolate chips for a sweet contrast to the spices.

The beauty of these cookies is how well the ingredients work together. The pumpkin brings moisture, while the butter and brown sugar ensure a tender crumb. The spices add warmth, creating a balance of flavor that feels like a cozy blanket on a crisp autumn day.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This ensures that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the cookies.

Step 3: Cream butter and sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the dough and ensures a soft, chewy texture.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients

Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined. The mixture should be creamy and slightly thick.

Step 5: Combine wet and dry mixtures

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing — this keeps the cookies soft rather than dense.

Step 6: Chill the dough (optional but recommended)

For thicker, chewier cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes. Chilling helps solidify the butter and enhances the flavor.

Step 7: Shape and coat

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them between your hands. For a beautiful finish, roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar before placing it on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Step 8: Bake

Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool, keeping the centers soft and chewy.

Step 9: Cool and enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Once cooled, drizzle with maple glaze or sandwich with cream cheese frosting if desired.

Storage Information

One of the best parts about Pumpkin Spice Cookies is how well they store and even improve over time as the spices deepen in flavor.

• Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Refrigerator: Store frosted cookies in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

If you’ve added glaze or frosting, layer parchment paper between cookies to prevent sticking.

Helpful Tips

1. Use pure pumpkin puree. Avoid pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices that can throw off the balance.
2. Don’t overmix the dough. Stop as soon as the flour disappears to keep the cookies tender.
3. Chill the dough for the best texture. It helps the cookies maintain their shape and enhances chewiness.
4. Use high-quality spices. Fresh cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger make a noticeable difference in aroma and flavor.
5. Add texture. Mix in chopped nuts, white chocolate, or toffee bits for variety.
6. Perfect your bake. Remove cookies when the edges are firm but the centers still look soft. Overbaking can make them dry.
7. Try a sugar coating. Rolling the dough in cinnamon sugar before baking creates a sparkling finish and extra sweetness.

Variations

These cookies are delicious as-is, but a few creative tweaks can make them even more special:

• Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Cookies: Spread or pipe cream cheese frosting over cooled cookies for a bakery-style finish.
• Maple Glazed Pumpkin Cookies: Drizzle with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Fold in semisweet or white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: Replace part of the flour with rolled oats for a hearty, chewy version.
• Pumpkin Pecan Cookies: Add chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch and depth.
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The flavor remains just as rich and satisfying.
• Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies: Place a dollop of frosting between two cookies for an indulgent treat reminiscent of whoopie pies.

Each variation brings a slightly different texture or flavor, but all highlight that irresistible pumpkin spice character that defines fall baking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Related Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re in love with these Pumpkin Spice Cookies, you’ll definitely want to try other comforting, fall-inspired recipes:

• Cinnamon Sugar Cookies – Sweet and buttery with a hint of warmth, perfect for cozy evenings.
• Red Velvet Cookies – Soft, chewy, and festive for holidays or special occasions.
• Gingerbread Cookies – Classic spiced cookies that bring nostalgic winter charm.
• Maple Oatmeal Cookies – Chewy and hearty with maple sweetness in every bite.
• Sugar Cookies – The perfect blank canvas for seasonal decorating.

Together, these cookies make an incredible dessert platter that blends flavor, texture, and color — a true showstopper for holiday gatherings or Halloween parties.

Share the Love on Pinterest

Pumpkin Spice Cookies are the ultimate fall treat — comforting, aromatic, and undeniably delicious. They’re easy enough for a weekday bake yet elegant enough for a dessert table centerpiece.

If these cookies bring a little extra warmth to your season, share the love by saving this recipe on Pinterest. Whether you’re planning Halloween desserts or Thanksgiving spreads, this recipe is one you’ll want to return to every autumn.

Pin it, bake it, and let every bite remind you why fall is the most delicious time of year.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

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Soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies made with real pumpkin puree and warm autumn spices. These cozy cookies are topped with a creamy glaze for the perfect fall treat.

• Author: Luna
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins
• Total Time: 27 mins
• Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

– 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
– 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
– 1 large egg yolk
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Optional Add-ins:
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup or molasses
– 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
– 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

For the Cream Cheese or Maple Glaze:
– 4 oz cream cheese, softened
– 1 cup powdered sugar
– 2 tablespoons milk
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or maple syrup

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy.
4. Add pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
6. Fold in maple syrup, nuts, or white chocolate chips if desired.
7. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough on the baking sheets.
8. Bake 10–12 minutes or until edges are set.
9. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
10. For glaze: beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Notes

Use pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling). Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze them unglazed for up to 2 months.