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pumpkin oatmeal cookies on a white plate

Soft-Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Sally
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 15-18 cookies
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These flavorful and moist pumpkin oatmeal cookies are super soft without being cakey. Truly one of my favorite ways to enjoy the fall!


Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
  • 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree*
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 cups total add-ins* (chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pepitas, chopped pecans, or a combination)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together. Fold in the oats. Set aside.
  3. Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium size bowl. Whisk in the molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Once combined, whisk in the egg. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and whisk until thick and combined completely. Pour into dry ingredients and gently mix. The dough will be very thick, heavy, and sticky. Keep mixing until just combined, no more. Fold in your add-ins.
  4. Scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. About 2 or 3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie. Slightly flatten the help the cookies spread in the oven. Do not flatten completely. See my photo above for a visual. If desired, press a few of your add-ins onto the top of the cookie dough balls for looks.
  5. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges, and still appearing soft in the centers. My cookies took 14 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. The cookies’ flavor is best on day 2. Cookies remain fresh and soft stored in an airtight container for 10 days.

Notes

  1. Freezing Instructions: Cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Large Cookie Scoop
  3. Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice. This is in addition to the 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon—you will still add that.
  4. Pumpkin: This recipe is tested with Libby’s pumpkin puree, which is much less “watery” than other brands (such as Trader Joe’s). More water in your pumpkin = cakey cookies. If you think your pumpkin puree is too moist, add a paper towel to a bowl. Top with 3/4 cup pumpkin puree. Top with another paper towel and “blot” the pumpkin to remove some moisture.
  5. Add-Ins: Use 1 and 1/2 cups total add-ins. For example, 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of pecans, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries.
  6. Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.