Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Fall baking has always been my favorite time of year. I love the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg filling up the kitchen, and my kids get excited when they come home from school to fresh cookies cooling on the counter. But sometimes I want that cozy fall flavor without spending hours in the kitchen mixing up complicated dough.

That’s why these pumpkin spice cookies are my go-to recipe when I’m craving something seasonal but simple. They come together in one bowl, and I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry already. I can whip up a batch while dinner is in the oven, and they’re ready to eat by the time we finish our meal.

Want something soft and chewy? These are perfect. Need a quick treat for a school event? Same. Honestly, I make these cookies at least once a week from September through November because they’re just that good.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh pumpkin, as it gives you the most consistent results. Make sure you’re grabbing plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling – the pie filling already has spices and sugar added, which will throw off your recipe. Libby’s is a popular brand that works great, but any pure pumpkin puree will do the trick. If you do want to use fresh pumpkin, you’ll need to roast and puree it yourself, then make sure to drain any excess moisture so your cookies don’t turn out too soft.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you’re missing a few things:

• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed. The texture might be slightly different, but they’ll still taste great.
• Cornstarch: If you don’t have cornstarch, just use an extra 2 tablespoons of flour instead. Your cookies will be a bit less tender but still delicious.
• Cream of tartar: No cream of tartar? You can leave it out entirely, though the cookies might not be quite as soft and chewy.
• Pumpkin spice blend: Don’t have nutmeg or cloves? You can use 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of store-bought pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices, or just stick with extra cinnamon.
• Brown sugar: You can use all granulated sugar if that’s what you have, but add an extra tablespoon since brown sugar is more compact. The cookies will be a bit less chewy.
• Canned pumpkin: This is pretty essential for pumpkin cookies, but in a pinch you could try mashed sweet potato or butternut squash puree for a similar texture and fall flavor.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine – just reduce the added salt to a pinch. You could also try coconut oil (solid, not melted) for a dairy-free option.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin spice cookies is using pumpkin pie filling instead of plain canned pumpkin, which contains added spices and sugar that will throw off your recipe’s balance and make the cookies too sweet.

Another common error is not properly measuring your flour – scooping directly from the bag packs it down and creates dense, heavy cookies, so always spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.

Make sure your butter is truly softened to room temperature (it should give slightly when pressed but not be melty), as butter that’s too cold won’t cream properly with the sugars, while butter that’s too warm will make your cookies spread too much.

Don’t skip chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking, as this helps prevent excessive spreading and gives you those perfect thick, chewy cookies you’re after.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Cookies?

These warm, spiced cookies are perfect with a tall glass of cold milk or a steaming mug of coffee – the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors really shine when paired with something creamy to drink. I love serving them alongside a cozy cup of chai tea or hot apple cider, especially during fall when you want all those autumn vibes. For a fun dessert spread, try setting them out with vanilla ice cream for cookie sandwiches, or crumble them over yogurt for a sweet breakfast treat. They’re also great for packing in lunch boxes or bringing to potluck dinners since they travel well and everyone loves that classic pumpkin spice flavor.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These pumpkin spice cookies stay soft and chewy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. I like to add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them extra soft – just replace the bread slice every couple of days.

Freeze: You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, or freeze the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags. When you’re ready to bake frozen dough, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before scooping and baking. You can also roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and refrigerate them on the baking sheet until ready to bake.

Preparation Time	15-30 minutes
Cooking Time	8-10 minutes
Total Time	2 hours 23 minutes – 2 days 10 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2400-2600
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the dry mixture:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

For the wet mixture:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie blend)

For the cinnamon-sugar coating:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves until well combined.

Set this dry mixture aside for later.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie blend)

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the room temperature unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy.

Then, reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the egg, pure vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin until everything is incorporated.

I like to beat a little extra at this step to ensure the dough is extra soft and moist!

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients; Chill Dough

• Dry mixture from Step 1
• Wet mixture from Step 2

With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry mixture from Step 1 into the wet mixture from Step 2.

Continue mixing until a very sticky dough forms.

Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

Chilling is key here—it stops the cookies from spreading too much while baking.

Step 4: Prepare for Baking and Make Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a small bowl, whisk together the white sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar coating.

Step 5: Shape and Coat the Cookies

• Chilled dough from Step 3
• Cinnamon sugar mixture from Step 4

Form the chilled dough (from Step 3) into balls, each about 1.5 tablespoons in size.

Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar coating (from Step 4) and then flatten them slightly.

Arrange the cookies on the lined baking trays, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 6: Bake the Cookies

Bake the prepared cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops look just set.

Let the cookies cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

For softer cookies, I prefer to slightly underbake them—they set as they cool.