Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies

When the leaves start changing colors and the air feels cool and crisp, you know it’s officially pumpkin season! I’m so excited about everything going on this Fall – the release first published cookbook – Bake until Golden Brown, my kid’s and husband’s birthdays, the holidays, and so much more. It felt good to usher in the Fall vibes with these chewy pumpkin spice cookies and welcome all of the excitement that is to come. 

One of the best things about this season is the classic fall flavors and getting a fun reason to make decadent spiced treats like these yummy Fall cookies. This recipe calls for a basic sugar cookie dough with the addition of canned pumpkin puree, and of course, pumpkin pie spice.

The flavor profile is a combination of warm and sweet spices, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice, It’s great to use for both sweet and savory recipes, but I really love to incorporate it into baked goods like these soft pumpkin cookies.

You can buy pumpkin pie spice in the grocery store or make my homemade pumpkin pie spice for that warm pumpkin spice flavor! Now, let’s get to baking!

Key Ingredients

(full instructions and list of ingredients and quantities listed in the recipe card)

• Pumpkin pie spice – I like to make my own – it’s the star of the recipe! This will give the cookies all the fall flavors you love: warm, toasty, and sweet. You can also use this blend to make my snickerdoodle cookie bars, too. Yum!
• Pure Pumpkin Puree – not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling, we’re using real pumpkin puree to give the cookies a nice chewy texture. The fall spices enhance the pumpkin flavor and using actual pumpkin just feels right during the fall season. 
• Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe to achieve that chewy texture that I want for the pumpkin cookies. You can also add a bit of cake flour or bread flour to achieve a more melt-in-the-mouth quality.
• Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter depending on availability and Just remember to adjust the amount of salt if you use the latter.
• Egg –  Remember to use room temperature egg! We’re throwing in an extra egg yolk for chewier cookies.
• Sugar – brown sugar are both good to use, but for this recipe I opted for <???>.
• Baking soda – My leavening agent of choice.
• Kosher salt – A pinch or two helps bring out all the flavors of the other ingredients. Skip if using salted butter.
• Vanilla extract – This adds another layer of sweetness to the cookies.
• Granulated sugar – Mixed with a bit of pumpkin pie spice to give the cookie dough additional flavor before baking.

Variations

• Make your cookies even better by topping them with cinnamon cream cheese frosting like I did with my apple cider cupcakes. It complements the pumpkin pie spice so well. To make the frosting, just combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a bit of vanilla extract.
• Elevate this recipe by incorporating your favorite cookie mix-ins like chocolate chips to make chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or get adventurous and add nuts or raisins! Just carefully fold these into the dough before baking.
• Everyone should be able to enjoy these tasty pumpkin cookies without worry! Make it gluten-free by replacing all-purpose flour 1-to-1 gluten free flour.

How to Make Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

• Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Blot off excess moisture in the pumpkin puree by placing the puree onto a plate and pressing a paper towel on top. Keep pressing the puree until it turns into a thick paste and the paper towel is dry when you remove it from the puree. (this may take 3-5 paper towels)

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.

Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 2 minutes, then add the brown sugar and sugar and continue to mix for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another minute. Add egg and egg yolk and mix together until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add vanilla extract and continue to mix until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the flour mixture and fold together until fully combined.

Add ¼ cup of sugar and pumpkin pie spice to a small bowl. Mix together. Use a large cookie scoop (or scoop out about 1/4 cup of cookie dough) to scoop out cookie dough. Roll into a ball, then toss the bowl in the sugar until it is fully coated. Place onto a cookie sheet and repeat with remaining cookie dough.

• Bake 5 cookies at a time on one cookie sheet for 11-12 minutes, until the centers are puffy and the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Pro Tips

Follow these tips to make the best pumpkin pie spice cookies ever!

• Measure your ingredients properly to achieve the best results. For the flour, do not scoop directly from the container. Instead, use a spoon to transfer it to your measuring cup then level it using the back of a knife.
• Don’t overmix the dough or your cookies will turn out tough and dense. Just mix them enough that all the ingredients are incorporated together. 
• Space out the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet evenly so they won’t stick together. There’s also no need to flatten them because they’ll eventually spread while baking.

How to Serve Pumpkin Cookies

Because of its subtle sweet and toasty flavor, these soft pumpkin cookies are very easy to pair with drinks and other baked goods. Personally, I find it a perfect snack together with hot pumpkin spice lattes cup of tea.

It can also be a base for ice cream sandwiches or pumpkin snickerdoodle whoopie pies. And you can enjoy pumpkin spice sugar cookies it with other sweet treats like salted caramel pumpkin cupcakes!

Storage and Freezing

Storing: Place cookies in an airtight container or a fully sealable plastic bag. Store them at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Freezing: Put them in a freezer-safe bag and place it inside an airtight container to ensure they stay fresher longer (up to 3 months). Raw cookie dough can also be frozen this way. 

Reheating: The easiest way to reheat cookies is by popping them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, but I still prefer reheating them in the oven to retain their chewy texture.