Pumpkin crumb cake cookies are like your favorite pumpkin coffee cake, in hand-held cookie form! A soft and chewy pumpkin cookie cradles a buttery, spiced crumb topping, and a dash of pure maple flavor seals the deal: this will be your new favorite fall cookie!
Pumpkin cookie season is my specialty. My brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies are a personal and fan favorite because they’re made with ultra-flavorful brown butter. Then there are my frosted and super soft pumpkin cookies, which are always a hit! And if you love the combo of pumpkin and chocolate, you’ll adore these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
I have a recipe for crumb cake cookies in my book, Sally’s Baking 101, and wanted to try a pumpkin variation for the fall. With all that pumpkin cookie know-how, and with what I learned while developing the crumb cake cookie recipe for the cookbook, I thought this would be a piece of [crumb] cake!
Boy was I wrong! Today’s recipe went through so many tests, my team and I actually lost count when we got into the double digits… 15 or 16, maybe? The perfect pumpkin crumb cake cookie had to be soft and chewy, packed with pumpkin spice flavor, and topped with crumbles that held their form.
When we finally got it right, there were cheers (and maybe also some tears?) throughout the kitchen. I can now say this with complete confidence: this recipe for pumpkin crumb cake cookies is one you’re going to want to make on repeat all season long.
One reader, Don, commented: “Thanks to you and your team for the many test batches needed to perfect this recipe! These cookies are PERFECT for the fall season! Cookie exteriors but crumb cake centers and the warm spice flavors. I’m going to be making lots of friends happy this fall with these tasty treats! The only addition I made was sprinkling some pecan chips on the top of the crumbs before baking. Can’t wait to try your next experiment! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Grace, commented: “Amazing! A little time intensive with blotting the pumpkin and chilling the dough, but SO worth it. Not difficult, just takes some time. Very soft cookies, definitely a bit of a cake-like texture. Probably some of the best cookies I’ve ever made. Already sending pictures and the link to everyone I know. ★★★★★“
Stock Up on These Ingredients:
- Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to use the can labeled “pure pumpkin puree,” not pumpkin pie filling. (By the way, here’s a list of recipes to make with leftover pumpkin puree!)
- Flour: You need all-purpose flour to create the structure of the cookie.
- Baking Soda: The leavening that will help the cookies puff up and spread just enough in the oven.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice, Cinnamon, & Salt: The seasonings these cookies need for that delicious pumpkin spice flavor you crave. You can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice. (I recommend making a batch of the homemade stuff now… because you’re going to want to make these cookies again soon!)
- Melted Butter: As you know from chewy chocolate chip cookies, melted butter makes cookies ultra chewy.
- Brown Sugar: More brown sugar than white sugar makes for chewy cookies with that deep molasses-y flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: A little white sugar to help the cookies spread just right.
- Maple Syrup: This deepens the overall flavor and made for the very BEST batch (out of many, many batches). It also helps the cookies spread.
- Egg Yolk: Pumpkin acts like an egg in cookie dough, which is something I learned when testing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies over a decade ago. Testing today’s pumpkin crumb cake cookies, however, proved that an egg—or at least part of an egg—is necessary. Use just 1 large egg yolk because that little extra bit of fat makes a difference.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the delicious flavors in these cookies.
The crumb topping is made from ingredients you’ll also use in the cookie dough, so you don’t need anything extra just to make it.
Before You Begin, Blot the Pumpkin
Blotting moisture out of pumpkin puree is remarkably useful when making cookies.
Pumpkin is approximately 90% water by mass, which isn’t really useful in a chewy cookie recipe. (Think about it—there isn’t usually liquid in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, is there?) Using a paper towel, blot out some of the pumpkin’s moisture, so all that’s left is the flavor:
Blot the pumpkin. More moisture = cakier cookies. To prevent overly cakey cookies, blot a lot of the moisture out of the pumpkin. I know it sounds odd, but gently soaking liquid out of the pumpkin puree with paper towels works.
Don’t be afraid to swap for quite a few new paper towels as they become saturated. You want the amount of pumpkin to be fully reduced by half.
After you’ve blotted your pumpkin, the rest of the steps are quick and easy. The cookie dough will be very soft, so it’s imperative that you chill the dough for at least 2 hours before you shape the cookies and bake.
Make the Crumb Topping
While the dough is chilling, whisk together some flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Then use a hand mixer or forks to cut in softened butter until crumbles form. Refrigerate—or even freeze—the crumb topping until you’re ready to make the cookies.
Shaping Pumpkin Crumb Cake Cookies
Use a cookie scoop. I like to use a medium cookie scoop for this cookie dough. Why? This is a sticky dough, and a cookie scoop makes things a little more manageable. Once you scoop the dough, roll it into a ball, then slightly flatten it. Then use your finger or thumb to press a few indents in the center of each cookie, to make a shallow bowl shape.
Generously (and I do mean generously!) sprinkle the cold crumb topping over the cookies.
These cookies take around 15 minutes to bake.
Maple Icing
The maple icing is the same as on these maple brown sugar cookies and these apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies—why yes, it IS an all-purpose fall cookie icing, thank you for noticing! It’s easy to make, and adds that perfect finishing touch on these pumpkin crumb cake cookies. You could, of course, top with vanilla icing, like we do on pumpkin coffee cake, or with brown butter glaze instead.
Because it’s made with butter, which is solid at room temperature, the icing eventually sets, making the cookies a little easier to stack, store, and transport.
Pumpkin Crumb Cake Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Pumpkin crumb cake cookies are like your favorite pumpkin coffee cake, in hand-held cookie form! A soft and chewy pumpkin cookie cradles a buttery, spiced crumb topping, and a dash of pure maple flavor seals the deal: this will be your new favorite fall cookie! Do not skip blotting the pumpkin, to reduce it by half. And be sure to use only an egg yolk, not the whole egg.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (226g) canned pumpkin puree
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 2/3 cup (133g) light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30g/ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (67g) light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Maple Icing
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (80g/ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (112g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- pinch salt, to taste
Instructions
- Blot the pumpkin: Line a medium bowl with several paper towels. Place the pumpkin puree in the bowl. Using another paper towel, press down to blot excess moisture out of the pumpkin. Repeat with new paper towels until the pumpkin feels much drier and has been reduced by half, to 1/2 cup (113g). Set aside.
- Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup until combined. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until incorporated, then whisk in the 1/2 cup of blotted pumpkin. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until combined. The cookie dough will be very soft.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Make the crumb topping: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Using a fork or a handheld mixer on low speed, mix in the butter until sandy and crumbly. Feel free to work the mixture together with your hands if it’s not coming together. Place the topping in the refrigerator or freezer until needed in step 7.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop and roll the chilled cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tbsp (35g) of dough each, and arrange 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use your thumb to press a few indents into the middle of each cookie, to make a shallow bowl shape. Sprinkle a generous amount of the cold crumb topping on top of each cookie.
- Bake for 14–15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and set. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Make the icing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and maple syrup together, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar. Taste. Add a pinch of salt, if desired. Drizzle over cookies. Icing will set after about 1 hour.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and crumb topping and store both (tightly covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough or cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the topping, and bake as directed. You can also freeze the unbaked shaped/topped cookies (after adding the crumb topping), then bake from frozen; no need to thaw, just add an extra minute or two to the bake time.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Handheld Mixer | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices: for the cookie dough, use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and an extra 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Do not leave out the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon that is also called for in the dough. For the topping, use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
- Pumpkin: Make sure to purchase the can labeled 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I like Libby’s brand. Squeeze as much of the moisture out of the pumpkin puree as you can before adding it to the cookie dough. I simply squeeze the puree between paper towels. This will help produce a less cakey cookie. Less moisture is a good thing in these cookies!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Sally, I made these cookies and wanted some input. This was my first time blotting pumpkin and I really went for it until the napkins were almost totally dry. Also, I am now realizing I added the full egg, instead of just the yolk. Still, these were the best cookies I’ve ever had with the most perfect texture and subtle pumpkin flavor. Did the egg give back the moisture from the pumpkin I blotted out? I’m wondering if I will still like it as much if I do it “correctly”
My oh my! I have no patience for baking, let alone cookies that have to chill first, (I just want the cookie now!!!), but had to try these and they’re fantastic.
Definitely watch the short informative video, because Lord knows if I didn’t, I’d be swearing how she got the crumbs to look like that and her cookie so perfectly round!
Your recipes are great Ms.Sally, but this one is just perfection…ugh, I can’t wait to enjoy these cookies in the morning with coffee.
These cookies are amazing! Delicious and easy, though they do take some time. I made these the day before I needed to serve them and iced them the morning of. The cookies have a chewy outside and a tender inside. The topping makes them unique. The frosting takes them beyond just a good cookie. I have a list of baked goods I make every November. These just made the list!
These turned out so perfect!! I used dark brown sugar for everything and it gave the cookies such a rich flavor. I also added a bit of maple extract into the glaze and it was super delicious. Thank you for sharing this!!! I am bringing them to a Halloween party today and will definitely be making again.
Best pumpkin cookies EVER!!!
I was really excited to make these cookies! I followed everything as said. They tasted great but didn’t look very nice. The crumb topping was not crumbly at all. It looked more like a soft dough consistency. When baking the cookies, they hardly flattened. I was a little disappointed. I’m not sure what I did wrong or why it didn’t work out.
Hi Giselle, happy to help! The crumb topping will turn doughy if your butter is too warm. Make sure to soften to proper room temperature. If the cookies didn’t flatten, there may have been too much flour in the dough. How did you measure the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
Can I make these with coconut oil and almond milk for a dairy-free version or would that not work?
Hi Sean, we haven’t tested those exact substitutions, so we’re unsure of the exact results. Let us know if you give it a try!
Hey, Sean. I just made these dairy, egg, and gluten free. I used a dairy-free butter substitute (e.g. Country Crock, Earth Balance, Melt, etc.). Coconut butter (manna) (2 Tbsp) worked well for the egg substitute (not that you asked, but for other inquiring minds). The usual “flax egg” would work, too. I don’t typically have coconut oil on hand, so I can’t vouch for that substitute. Some initial research suggets, however, that subbing coconut oil for butter would work. Use solid oil for chewier cookies and melted oil for crispier, flatter cookies. Go with refined coconut oil if you want to avoid a strong coconut flavor. Because coconut oil is pure fat (unlike butter), you might want to slightly reduce the amount of coconut oil, but this also depends on whether you’ll be using solid or liquid oil. Each recipe will react to substitutions differently, too…so it’ll be an experiment. Coconut butter is creamier than coconut oil and bakes up well; so that might be an option to try, too. I’ve had some good results baking with coconut butter in cakes and muffins. I used a small amount in these cookies, but not anywhere close to the 12 Tbsp called for if subbing for dairy butter in the cookie base. Coconut butter also hardens at room temperature (more so than coconut oil); something to keep in mind.
Just made these but thr crumb topping kind of stuck together. It baked well on the top but the bottom of the crumb on the cookie part (since it was kind of a hump of crumbs) didnt bake all the way through. It’s a little mushy. Is it safe to eat? Was in oven for 15 min.
Hi Jenn! The crumb topping can all stick together if your butter is too warm to start with. Make sure not to let it get too warm! The cookies should be fine to eat, but may be a little greasy – but use your best judgement! Thank you for giving these a try.
Mine did not turn out. I followed the recipe exactly and measured with a scale so I don’t know where I went wrong. The dough was way drier than yours even though I measured. The cookies did not flatten and stayed really fluffy, cake-like and dry. I have no idea what I did wrong but they are super gross.
Hi Mary, I’m so sorry these didn’t turn out for you. That’s always frustrating, especially when you followed everything so carefully! It sounds like the dough may have been just a bit too dry, which can definitely affect the texture and prevent the cookies from spreading. When blotting the pumpkin, it helps to leave just a little moisture in (not completely dry), since different paper towels can absorb more or less. You could also try using a touch less flour next time (about 10–15g less). I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try. It’s so helpful to hear this feedback.
These are delicious and addicting! I tripled the recipe, shaped/topped, then froze them for 2 weeks before baking. I followed the directions to bake from frozen and add an additional to the baking time and they still came out delicious! I will be stocking my freezer with a few more dozens for the holidays.
With the pumpkin and all of the blotting, can this recipe be doubled?
Thank you!
I love that your recipes are foolproof.
Hi Crystal, You should be able to double this recipe without any problems. Enjoy!
This is my second time making these cookies (even tho I swore I’d never made them again because of the blotting the pumpkin, but my parents loved them…so). This time I chilled the dough for a couple of day, and then left it out of the fridge for at least 30 mins before rolling, but this time the cookies REALLY hardly spread at all, they came out 2.5″ diameter. I think I must have not let the dough warm up enough and/or my fridge made the dough TOO cold/hard and therefor needed more time to warm up. Oh well, hopefully inside they’ll still be good? I do weigh me dough very precisely. It’s thanksgiving here in Canada, so making these and also the gooey oatmeal raisin cookies to bring to the celebration, thanks for the recipes!
These cookies are a perfect project for a fall afternoon. They are absolutely delicious — crispy around the edges, soft and chewy in the center, and textured from the crumb. Their flavor immediately reminds you that it’s fall. If you love baking, you will thoroughly enjoy the satisfying and non-tedious process too.
YUM! Looooove this pumpkin cookie, it’s my new favorite!
Wow, Sally I love you! What an incredible recipe. I had leftover pumpkin puree after making your pumpkin spice creamer, so I began making your pumpkin cake cheesecake only to discover I had enough to bake these cookies too, Yay! I am so glad I did they are delicious!! I will definitely be making more of your pumpkin recipes this fall!
If I never have to “blot” pumpkin puree again I will be a happy girl lol! However, these are supper yummy! Perfect for fall with a hot cup of coffee!
I used a tight mesh cheesecloth on my pumpkin after getting frustrated with the blotting. Omg, the beauty of the stream of pumpkin juice that drained out of it. I actually whooped out loud. SO much more efficient!
I took these to the office as a treat for my colleagues. Even the ‘pumpkin haters’ loved these cookies 😉 I left the dough and crumbs in the fridge overnight. I weighed each dough ball to get some even results for once 🙂 Thank you very much for providing the measurement in your recipe. The first batch got a bit out of shape while baking, but since those are soft cookies, I got them back into a round shape with a round cutter. So I put the second batch into the fridge for 15 minutes after shaping them and they baked perfectly in 15 minutes.
Just made these today and are delicious. I’m going to be serving them to my cousins when they come this weekend for lunch. My mom also liked them.
I made these gluten & dairy free and they came out perfect!! New fall staple in our household 🙂
are these cookies cakey at all? they look so good, but i’m not a fan of cakey cookies and pumpkin cookies often turn out cakey
Hi Zara, to keep these cookies from being overly cakey, we blot the pumpkin puree to get rid of some of the moisture.
These pumpkin cookies are absolutely delicious!! I made these for my granddaughter’s first birthday along with your brown butter chocolate chip cookies…and all day long I kept hearing about how everyone loved the cookies. Thanks Sally, for another yummy recipe
Hi Sally,
I love your site and your recipes. I’m looking to do a bake sale how do I give you the credit for the recipe?
Hi Mama Cheryl! If you are baking one of our recipes and selling the baked goods, we just ask when possible to include a little tag or sticker with information about where the recipe came from. We hope the cookies are a hit!
This recipe is exact!! Perfect amounts of dough and frosting. Sometimes recipes over or under estimate but these turned out perfect! Followed the recipe to the tee.