These soft pumpkin cookies are thick and cakey with extra pumpkin spice flavor. The maple cream cheese icing is a delicious addition, but the cookies are just as wonderful plain. They’re quick, easy, and best of allโthere’s no cookie dough chilling required! My advice is to blot the pumpkin puree to rid excess liquid and use a cookie scoop.
Pumpkin cookies! The two most beautiful words in the baking language. Well, besides apple pie and chocolate cake.
Diving into the fall baking season feels great and these pumpkin cookies are the best place to start. I’ve been perfecting cookie recipes for years and these, along with my pumpkin snickerdoodles and pumpkin crumb cake cookies, are some of my best. If you crave chocolate, my chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies use the same delicious cookie dough as the snickerdoodles. And if you prefer oats in your cookies, you will FLIP for my brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies and pumpkin oatmeal cream pies.
Search my pumpkin recipes for more cookies because I’ve published A LOT. For even more inspiration, here are my 30+ best pumpkin dessert recipes.
One reader, Trixie, commented: “This was my first time attempting a cookie of this texture and they were AMAZING. Made the recipe as written and the icing as wellโ11/10. They were a hit at our Thanksgiving get-together. The cookies truly are better on the second day. Can’t wait to make these againโthank you for sharing this recipe with the world! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cookies
- Texture: Unlike my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies where we play with ingredients to produce a chewy cookie, today’s cookies are soft and cakey. They aren’t dense and chewy like a traditional cookie. I wouldn’t describe them as fluffy as a cakeโprobably closer to a muffin. (Like little muffin top cookies.)
- Flavor: What they lack in chew/density, they make up for in flavor. By using extra cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ground ginger, as well as using more brown sugar than regular white sugar, I guarantee these will be more flavorful than any traditional pumpkin cookie you’ve had before. We’ll also blot excess liquid out of the pumpkin so we’re left with more concentrated flavor.
- Ease: No cookie dough chilling! They’ll go from mixing bowl to oven in minutes, which is especially helpful if you’re baking with kids or if you’re as impatient as I am. This recipe joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipesโready in 1 hour or less!
Best Pumpkin Cookie Baking Tip
Blot the pumpkin puree. I discovered this trick when I worked on my brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies recipe. Pumpkin is a water-heavy ingredient. Its moisture is wonderful for quick breads and cakes, but not necessarily cookies. By removing some of the moisture, you’re left with dense and flavor-packed pumpkin without all of the excess liquid. (Think about it: you don’t usually put liquid in cookie dough, right?) Using a paper towel, blot out some of the pumpkinโs moisture. No need to squeeze it completely dry.
Blotting the pumpkin is actually one of my tricks to prevent a cakey tasting cookie. (See my chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.) Today’s pumpkin cookies are still going to be cakey because we’re using a lot of pumpkin. Still, ridding some of its moisture will improve the flavor and texture. Does this make sense?
Overview: How to Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies
The full detailed instructions are provided below, but let me guide you through the process first. Start preheating that oven now!
- Blot the pumpkin. After ridding some moisture, you’ll have a little less than 1 and 1/2 cups of pumpkinโI usually have about 1 and 1/3 cups (315g). Using anywhere between 1.33 – 1.5 cups of pumpkin is fine.
- Get your oven preheated. Prepare your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. I swear by these mats! You can learn more in my Top 5 Cookie Baking Success Tips video and here’s how to clean silicone baking mats.
- Whisk dry ingredients. You need flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ground ginger. You can use homemade pumpkin pie spice here! Pumpkin pie spice contains cinnamon and ginger, but I like adding more of both and know you’ll enjoy the extra flavor too.
- Mix the wet ingredients. You need an electric mixer for this recipe. Cream the butter and sugars together, then add the egg. Next add a splash of maple syrup to help thin out the dough, a little vanilla extract, and your blotted pumpkin. Mixture will look a little curdled at this point. Don’t fret, that’s normal.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Dough is thick and sticky, so I strongly recommend using a cookie scoop. The medium size cookie scoop is perfect because each dough ball should be around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough.
- Bake until the edges appear set. And here’s my tip for cooling: the longer the cookies cool, the better their flavor. It’s nearly impossible to wait before tasting one but just know that the flavors intensify after a day.
- Prepare the icing. Icing is optional, but I definitely don’t regret adding it. See next!
Maple Cream Cheese Icing
The cookies are wonderfully flavorful on their own, but I wanted to see how they’d taste with a little accessory on top. I love pumpkin and cream cheese together (hello, pumpkin cake), as well as pumpkin and maple together (hello, pumpkin scones). I tested a hybrid cream cheese frosting/maple glaze topping and definitely don’t regret it! This maple cream cheese icing is phenomenal. Give the cookies a quick dip and taste for yourself.
Note: the icing doesn’t really set so if you want to stack/transport these pumpkin cookies, skip the icing. Or for a different flavor, these cookies would also be delicious with salted caramel frosting.
These are honestly the only thing I want to eat for the entire fall season.
More Pumpkin Favorites
Super Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 32 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft pumpkin cookies are thick and cakey with extra pumpkin spice flavor. The maple cream cheese icing is a delicious addition, but the cookies are just as wonderful plain. No cookie dough chilling required!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) fresh or canned pumpkin puree
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoonย baking soda
- 1 teaspoonย salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
- 1ย and 1/2 teaspoonsย ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cupย (200g) packed light or darkย brown sugar (I use and recommend dark)
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1ย largeย egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, milk, or orange juice (see note)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Maple Cream Cheese Icing (Optional)
- 3 ouncesย (85g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- pinch ground cinnamon (about 1/8 teaspoon)
Instructions
- In this recipe, it’s best to use pumpkin that has had some moisture removed. Blot the pumpkin with paper towels to rid excess moisture. No need to squeeze it completely dry. I usually place it in a paper towel lined bowl and let the paper towel soak up some moisture. A clean kitchen towel works too, but the pumpkin can stain. After ridding some moisture, you’ll have a little less than 1 and 1/2 cups of pumpkinโI usually have about 1 and 1/3 cups (315g). Using anywhere between 1.33 – 1.5 cups of pumpkin is fine. Set aside until step 4. Or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. It can be cold when you add it to the dough.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ginger together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin and mix on high until combined. Mixture will look a little curdledโthat’s ok.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix on low speed until combined. Dough is thick and sticky. Scoop or roll cookie dough, around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes or until edges appear set. The centers will look soft. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The longer the cookies cool, the better their flavorโI like them best on day 2!
- Optional Icing: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon (about 1/8 teaspoon), then beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Taste. Add more cinnamon if desired. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into icing or spread it onto each cookie with a knife.
- Cover leftover iced cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cookies without icing can be covered tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: To make ahead, you can cover and chill the cookie dough for up to 48 hours. Bring to room temperature before shaping into balls and baking. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before shaping into balls and baking. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Itโs best to thaw the dough balls and bring to room temperature before baking. Iced cookies or cookies without icing freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Pumpkin: Do not use pumpkin pie filling; use pure pumpkin puree. While using fresh pumpkin puree is fine, I always have better results with canned. You’ll need a little less than 1 standard 15 ounce can. No matter if you use fresh or canned, blot the pumpkin as directed in step 1.
- Spices: You can use 2 teaspoons of store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice in this recipe. This is in addition to the cinnamon and ginger already called for in the recipe. Instead of prepared pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, and ground ginger.
- Maple Syrup: The 2 teaspoons of maple syrup, milk, or orange juice are really just to help thin out the cookie dough. 2 teaspoons isn’t much, but it does help. I love using maple syrup, but milk or orange juice work too. Orange is excellent with pumpkinโsee my pumpkin bread!
- Optional Add-Ins: Feel free to fold 1 and 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries into the dough after you mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I managed to mostly follow the recipe! I went with orange juice instead of maple syrup this time because I donโt have any maple syrup.
Made this with some pumpkin I had leftover. Wanted to try a new recipe. They were a hit. I used molasses instead of maple syrup, added a tablespoon more of brown sugar and a sprinkle more pumpkin spice. It was such a soft warm cookie. My only complaint how sticky it is. I recommend you use a cookie scooper. Cause using a tablespoon and rolling it was impossible.
Absolutely awesome. I did add Tollhouse Pumpkin Spice Chips to the dough and they are fantastic.
I made these pretty much exactly as you said, and they’re delicious! I added white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries. I wanted to comment about chilling the dough…I’ve found that if I roll the the dough into balls and put it on my cookie sheet, it doesn’t actually need to be chilled beforehand. This may not work for super sticky cookie dough but this particular dough rolled in my hands nicely and didn’t get a bunch on me. This cuts out that extra 30 minutes if you’re in a time crunch. ๐ The cookies also come out nice and round; you don’t need to flatten the dough ball at all. Thanks again for a great recipe!
I have made these cookies a minimum of four times so far for different events this fall and every single time people canโt stop raving about them! Got one comment that it was the best pumpkin anything theyโve ever had! So easy and delicious!
Why was this just completely lacking in flavor? Texture was good, no baking issues. Followed recipe perfectly, used fresh smelling spices, but there was very little flavor in the cookies and little flavor in the icing. Neither cookie or icing was very sweet.. itโs ok if one or the other isnโt sweet but not both. I will make again but for cookies Iโd use SO much more pumpkin spice and add cloves, but the icing I wonโt try again
I agree. Quite disappointing. Usually Sallyโs recipes are terrific but this was just ok
Hi, Can you include the nutritional value. So I know how much sugar I should put, because usually I go little lesser than what the recipe calls for. thank you
Hi Kelly, We donโt usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
These turned out great with subbing 1:1 gluten free flour!
These are the best cookies Iโve ever made! Thanks for the helpful tips throughout. I double the seasonings because I like my pumpkin spicy! Amazing recipe!
These are delicious but I ended up with 46 cookies! Maybe my scoop was too small, but they are a nice size!
My cookies where thin and super soft and almost soggy. They don’t stand up like the ones in your pictures and they are not nearly as thick as they should be.
Hi Jade! It sounds like there may have been too much moisture in your dough, or the butter was too warm, causing the dough to spread. Did you blot the pumpkin puree?
youre my goto sally.
bought pumpkin pie filling first time around for the cookies. loved them. second time got the correct pumpkin pulp in your recipe. liked the first one better-sweeter, no need for frosting.
reub.
I made these and they came out great. In fact, folks said this was their favorite cookie I’ve ever made…right behind the chocolate krinkles. But…I noticed that when I stored them in tupperware, I laid wax paper and the cookies appeared to get a little moist on top? I did get all the moisture out of the pumpkin by using the cheesecloth method, so I know that isn’t the issue. They were also very soft, but I bake until edges were set per the instructions. Is this normal or do you think they may have been underbaked.
Hi Jay! This is normal. The moisture from the pumpkin and icing will condensate a little after the first day. So glad you enjoyed them!
Added in chopped pecans. No need to then use icing. Delicious fall treat.
Took these soft pumpkin cookies to an adult Halloween party and they disappeared quickly. Reading others reviews I did use Mrs butterworths syrup and 1/2 tsp salt with salted butter 15 minutes cookies were perfect. But I chose Betty Crocker brown butter frosting recipe.
Are you KIDDING me! Mouth drop drool everywhere these are amazing! I have officially added this recipe to my fav recipe book at home. The texture is like a cross between a muffin and a cookie. Wonโt lie I added chocolate chips. LOVE! Thanks for sharing these! Made them to take to work tomorrow for Halloween. There will be some VERY happy medical professionals tomorrow.