Chewy Pumpkin Cookies are a delightful autumn-inspired treat that combines the warm, earthy flavors of pumpkin with a soft and tender texture. These cookies are perfect for enjoying during the fall season or any time you're craving a comforting and spiced dessert.
This recipe for soft and chewy pumpkin cookies makes a perfectly pumpkin flavored fall treat. They have a rich and cozy flavor profile and are not crispy or crunchy like other cookie varieties. The sweet and earthy essence of pumpkin is combined with a blend of warm spices that add depth and amazing flavor to your pumpkin cookies.
Chewy pumpkin cookies are popular during the fall season, especially around Thanksgiving and Halloween. They make for a perfect dessert at holiday gatherings or a sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa on a crisp autumn day.
While pumpkin cookies are popular during the fall season and the winter holidays, their deliciousness can be appreciated year-round by anyone who loves the comforting taste of pumpkin and cozy spices. If you love pumpkin as much as we do, check out these pumpkin spice muffins and pumpkin pudding next!
We've worked on creating perfectly sweet, soft and chewy cookies for a while and have mastered the basic recipe which we now use as the basis for all our cookies. From white chocolate cookies to mint chocolate chip cookies to sugar cookies for Christmas, they all turn out amazingly soft and delicious.
Ingredients
To make my soft and chewy pumpkin cookies you will need:
- Pumpkin puree: a can of store bought or make your own using a pie pumpkin!
- Light brown sugar: alternatively, use dark brown sugar. Brown sugar gives cookies a chewy texture. White sugar is an acceptable substitution to make cookies that are still chewy, but a little less so.
- Vanilla extract: use pure vanilla extract, or make your own and use it for all your baking needs!
- Cinnamon extract: cinnamon extract may be hard to find in local stores, so it's completely fine to use more vanilla extract instead. You can also make homemade cinnamon extract using cinnamon sticks!
- Pumpkin pie spice: a must for all your fall pumpkin baking! Different brands give slightly different flavors so find a good quality one that you love.
- All-purpose flour: because of its lower protein content, all-purpose flour helps to create a chewy texture.
- Unsalted butter: it should be at room temperature, but can be softened in the microwave if needed. Do not use melted butter.
- Eggs: they should also be at room temperature.
- Milk: I add a little bit of milk to all of my cookie dough batter to create a soft texture. The milk keeps the cookies soft for many days. It's my secret ingredient!
- Baking powder, baking soda and salt
What Is The Secret To Chewy Cookies?
The composition of the cookie and baking method contribute to creating a chewy pumpkin cookie.
- Using all-purpose flour and brown sugar aids in creating a chewy texture rather than a crispy one. Brown sugar retains moisture better than white sugar and all-purpose flour's low protein content is better for chewy cookies than flours with high protein, like bread flour.
- My addition of milk also makes not just a chewy cookie, but a soft one too!
- Using chilled dough will keep the cookies thicker than when using warm dough, which causes them to spread. Thicker cookies tend to be chewier.
- And last, always let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Add pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla extract and cinnamon extract. Mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice seasoning, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined, using a spatula to push down any flour stuck to the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on medium until the dough is smooth, about 30 seconds. *If using orange food coloring to enhance the color, add a few drops with the milk.
- Chill the bowl of dough for 30-60 minutes. *You can skip chilling the dough, but the resulting cookie will be flatter and more spread.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 400℉. Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges just begin to set and a toothpick inserted into a cookie comes out mostly clean. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a spatula. Let cool for 10-15 minutes more before serving.
How To Store
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days for optimal quality. They can be frozen when sealed in an airtight and freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
Variations
- Vegan pumpkin cookies: replace the eggs with flax eggs and use unrefined coconut sugar instead of traditional brown sugar.
- Pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies: fold a cup of white chocolate chips into the cookie dough at the very end of mixing.
- Chocolate pumpkin cookies: fold a cup of milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips into the dough at the end of mixing and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder with the flour.
- Gluten-free pumpkin cookies: use gluten-free flour instead of bread flour.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the dough for a longer amount of time, even overnight, if you'd like. It's easy to work with when cooled. You can chill it in the fridge for 2-3 days or even freeze it for up to 3 months.
- I add a few drops of orange food coloring to make my pumpkin cookies a brighter orange shade.
Recipe FAQs
Usually, you'd be able to see the edges of cookies begin to turn a golden color but because these pumpkin cookies are orange, you won't be able to tell that way. The center of the cookies should be fully risen and lose their shiny color. Check if the edges of the cookies have set by carefully sliding a spatula underneath. If the cookie stays together, it's done. Double check by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it's free of wet batter, the cookies are done.
Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree instead of canned.
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Recipe
Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Equipment
- electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 2 baking sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ¾ cups light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon extract, or more vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoon milk
- orange food coloring, optional for color enhancement
Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Add pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla extract and cinnamon extract. Mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice seasoning, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined, using a spatula to push down any flour stuck to the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on medium until the dough is smooth, about 30 seconds. *If using orange food coloring to enhance the color, add a few drops with the milk.
- Chill the bowl of dough for 30-60 minutes. *You can skip chilling the dough, but the resulting cookie will be flatter and more spread.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 400℉. Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges just begin to set and a toothpick inserted into a cookie comes out mostly clean. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a spatula. Let cool for 10-15 minutes more before serving.
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