These chewy pumpkin cookies have the perfect amount of pumpkin spice and each bite truly melts in your mouth. With chewy centers and spiced sugar topping, you will not believe how delicious these fall cookies are!
If you've been looking for a pumpkin cookie recipe that will give you cookies that are super chewy and not the least bit cakey, look no further! These pumpkin cookies are for all the chewy cookie fans out there. They have the absolute best texture and "mouth feel". Each bite is truly magical and I can't wait for you all to make these cookies this fall! I know you'll love them!
If you're looking for other pumpkin recipes be sure to check out my pumpkin cupcakes, best pumpkin bread or baked pumpkin donuts!
Why You'll Love These Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Chewy not cakey pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is so HARD to get right in cookies. Because of it's moisture content, it tends to make baked goods extra extra moist. This is great for cakes, but not for cookies. Usually pumpkin cookies are soft and cakey, but these cookies are the exact opposite. They are chewy and each bite truly melts in your mouth. There is a very particular way you have to make these cookies to achieve a chewy centered cookie. Be sure to read each step to find out how!
Perfect amount of pumpkin spice. The dough is flavored with the perfect amount of pumpkin pie spice and then is rolled in spiced sugar before baking. Each bite will taste like fall!
They're so easy to make. These cookies are simple. They require no chill time which means you can make them in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients for Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
- Butter- make sure it's unsalted and really softened
- Brown Sugar- we're using only brown sugar to keep these cookies extra chewy
- Egg Yolks- make sure they're room temperature
- Vanilla- as always I recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, but extract will work perfectly fine as well
- Canned Pumpkin Puree- I recommend using Libby's canned pumpkin. It's the best pumpkin to use because almost all cans of it I've used have had the same consistency and are not too wet.
- Flour- just the right amount of all purpose flour helps give these cookies their perfect texture
- Pumpkin Pie Spice- a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves is used to bring warm fall flavors to these cookies
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder- equal parts are used to just slightly leaven these cookies
- Salt- Brings out all the flavors in these cookies
- Granulated Sugar- the cookie dough will get rolled in spiced sugar just before baking
Step By Step Instructions
STEP ONE: Start by drying your pumpkin. This may seem weird but it is the only way these cookies will bake properly and not turn out cakey! Spread your pumpkin on a plate and place a paper towel over the top. Lightly press to absorb the liquid. Repeat the step at least four more times. (It needs to reduce down to ¼ cup from ½ cup). Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
STEP THREE: In a large bowl cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer.
STEP FOUR: Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix for one minute until pale and fluffy.
STEP FIVE: Add in the pumpkin and combine.
STEP SIX: Mix in the dry ingredients.
STEP SEVEN: Scoop the dough into 18 balls and roll them in the spiced sugar. Bake the cookies and then let cool slightly before enjoying!
See recipe below for the complete measurements.
FAQs
Why did my cookies come out cakey? The number one reason this could happen is because not enough moisture was removed from the pumpkin. It absolutely has to be pressed with paper towels prior to being added to the batter or the cookies will not bake properly. Wet cookie dough equals cakey cookies. The pumpkin should be dry enough that it goes from being ½ cup dried down to ¼ cup. Hardly any liquid should transfer onto a paper towel once it has been dried enough. Like stated above, try to use Libby's canned pumpkin as almost all cans of it have the same consistency and are not too wet. Other brands of pumpkin can be really soupy in my opinion.
Can I use fresh pumpkin puree? I would say no because fresh pumpkin puree tends to be even more liquidy than canned. It may cause the cookies to bake incorrectly.
Can I chill the dough? Yes! Just make sure to bring the dough to room temperature before baking.
How do I store these cookies? Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two weeks!
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. (Trust me, I've learned the hard way that I need to measure properly!) Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
When the cookies are straight out of the oven, go around them with a circular cookie cutter to give them a perfect circular shape!
Make sure to beat your eggs into the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale in color and fluffy, not just until it's combined. Doing this will help give you perfectly textured cookies.
If you make these cookies please, please leave a star review! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ and follow me on Pinterest also for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
For the Spiced Sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree Libby's works best
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Spiced Sugar
- In a small bowl mix the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Start by drying your pumpkin. (This step is not optional. The cookies will not bake properly if you skip this step.) Spread the canned pumpkin on a plate and lightly press with a paper towel to absorb the excess liquid. Repeat the step at least four more times. The pumpkin should be dry enough that it goes from being ½ cup dried down to just about a ¼ cup. Hardly any liquid should transfer onto a paper towel once it has been dried enough.(Like stated above, try to use Libby's canned pumpkin as almost all cans of it have the same consistency and are not too wet.) Then set aside.½ cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.1 ¾ cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Add in the pumpkin and mix on medium-low speed to combine.
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Scoop the dough with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, and roll them into balls. Then roll the dough balls in the spiced sugar. (If the dough is too "sticky" chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes, then proceed.)
- Place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. (I usually bake 6 at a time.)
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. (12 minutes for really chewy centers, 14 minutes for a slightly crispier cookie). When the cookies are done baking the centers will be puffy. As they cool the centers will fall and the cookie will get "wrinkly".
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. They are best enjoyed when they have cooled for at least 15 minutes!
Anonymous
Hi. Mine came out puffy not like the photo any thoughts ?
Ginny Dyer
Hi! Did you dry the pumpkin with paper towels until it measured out to 1/4 cup? This could be the main culprit, too much liquid in the cookie dough.
Adriana
Do you think the flour could be replaced with a gluten free flour blend?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Adriana. I have not tested the recipe with gluten free flour, but if you try it let me know!
Montserrat
Hi!
How can I save the dough for if I want to save dough to bake another day?
Ginny Dyer
Hi! You can wrap the bowl the dough is in, in plastic wrap and keep the dough in the fridge until ready to bake. I would say it can stay in the fridge for up to three days.
Let it come to room temperature before scooping and baking. 🙂
Laura
Hi, those look and sound delicious. Do you think I could make them with homemade pumpkin puree instead of canned? I'm from Germany and unfortunately we don't have the canned option here...
Ginny Dyer
Hi Laura! Possibly, but I would be concerned that there might be too much liquid. Just make sure to really, really dry the pumpkin with paper towels. You want it to literally not transfer any more liquid onto a paper towel once it's dry enough. (For canned pumpkin this usually takes 4-5 paper towels, so it might be a few more with homemade puree.)
Laura Borowski
Okay, thank you so much for the reply. I will definitely give it a try soon 🙂
Rosemary Orzo
Can I make these cookies smaller? How long would you recommend baking?
Rosemary Meade Orzo
I made these and mine came out cakey too. I did “dry” the pumpkin and used a LOT of paper towels to get it dry. Any other reasons why it happened?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Rosemary.
A few things that might have affected the cookies. Did you used canned pumpkin puree? (Homemade might be too liquidy.) Did the dried pumpkin go from 1/2 cup before dried to 1/4 cup after dried? It literally should be dry enough that hardly any liquid transfers to the paper towels. When you added in the egg yolks to the creamed brown sugar and butter, did you mix until the ingredients were pale in color and fluffy? This step is important in the texture of the cookie. Lastly, maybe too much flour was used? Those are the top reasons the cookies could've come out cakey instead of chewy.
deborah curtis
I used generic all purpose flour, cookies turned out well. I made gf and reg batch, my only disappointment is not nearly as pretty pumpkin orange as in the picture. Thanks for the recipe!
Jenn
Will adding chocolate chips affect the chewy texture of the cookie?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Jenn! That's a great question! I haven't tested it so I can't say for sure how they would come out. You could always try adding chocolate chips to some of the dough after it's made to see if it works!
Madison
How would you sub the egg to make it vegan?
I have a vegan butter that bakes well
Ginny Dyer
Hi Madison. I don't specialize in vegan baking, and I don't think this recipe can be made without egg yolks. I would suggest looking for an already tested vegan pumpkin cookie recipe. Check out The Banana Diaries for all things vegan 🙂
Krystle Baker
They came out pretty good. Just not enough pumpkin flavor for me.
Ginny Dyer
Hi Krystle. Thanks for trying them! You can always add in more pumpkin pie spice if you'd like 🙂 As for the pumpkin itself, anymore added to the cookie would throw off the consistency.
Jennifer
These were also great with gluten-free flour!
Ginny Dyer
Yay! Glad to hear it!
Amy
Just had to let you know I made these cookies and they are hands down the best cookies I've ever made. For reals. I had no issues with drying the pumpkin. I actually thought it was a fun science experiment. I very impatiently waited the suggested 15 mins for cooling before shoving one in my face. The outside was slightly crisp with a soft chewy center. Practically melted in my mouth. I will be making these again soon and every Fall now. Thanks!
Tami Lynn Smith
I love your cookies. They were awesome family loves all of the kids loved them my dogs love them. I've got him in the Ziploc baggie for right now just curious how well they would be if I freeze them until Christmas?
Ginny Dyer
This made me smile! Thanks for trying them! They should be okay in the freezer for at least a week.
Victoria
Was soaking up the moisture from the pumpkin a bit of a faff? Yes. Was it totally worth it? Absolutely! These cookies are scrumptious, and I will 100% be making them again.
Chris
Great cookies! Was too lazy to separate the eggs and didn’t mix as well as I should. Family all loved them!
Jasmine C
yummy just made these!! I had a can of pumpkin I needed to use up, and this was the perfect recipe. I even made the maple cream cheese glaze from the pumpkin cinnamon rolls and drizzled it over the cookies. SOOOO GOOD!!! Also, weighing the flour has been a game-changer! Thanks for the tips
Joyce
How about adding walnuts to the cookie batter❓
Ginny Dyer
Yes, I think that could work! I would stick with 1/2 cup or less!
Nancy
Just made these and they are absolute perfection! I adjusted the blend of spices as I didn’t have pumpkin spice on hand and they turned out incredible. Crispy edges, soft chewy middles with just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavour. These will definitely be on repeat each year!
Britney
Great cookie!!! Turned out perfect 🤩
Ginny Dyer
Yay!! I'm so glad!!
Taylor
Made these on a whim because your recipe was the first to pop up and they are fantastic! Will definitely become a staple in my fall baking. Drying the pumpkin was weird and I expected it to stick to the paper towel, but was pleasantly surprised!
Do you think browning the butter and not drying the pumpkin would leave enough water content? I think browned butter could take these to a whole new level!
Martha
This recipe makes delicious cookies! I adjusted the recipe as I am a beekeeper and prefer to use honey in place of sugar. I also replaced the spiced sugar with yummy pumpkin spice cream cheese icing made with honey and they turned out scrumptious! Thanks for sharing!
lo
The taste is great for Fall. Just what I needed. Mine too came out puffy and look nothing like the picture. Follows the recipe exactly dry to 1/4 and all. So they were great, but did not have the chewy taste o was going for. Thank you.
Ginny Dyer
Hi! If the pumpkin was dried correctly, then perhaps too much flour was used. Be sure to weigh your flour, or follow the spooned and leveled method explained in the blog post.
Diana
Oh wow! Using real pumpkin to give moisture (and not simply spices), crinkly tops, and perfectly shaped, they are absolutely delicious. Thank you. This recipe is a keeper. The only problem is, you can't eat just one!
Megan
Not bad at all, I needed to press Mine down with a fork so they'd be more cookie shaped. Next time I'm going to add a bit more pumpkin and possibly some dark brown sugar worh light brown sugar to be more chewy.
Jessica
Great cookies! Directions were great an following the tips worked as promised! Drying the pumpkin took more than 4-5 times but it definitely made for a light and chewy cookie. I would probably double the recipe next time but it requires a lot of butter! 😅
Lenny
Came out amazing, perfect for fall!! Thank you so much!
Kirsten
These cookies are absolute heaven! Just perfect in every way. Perfect fall desert for a special evenings with friends. These are now a fall tradition in our house!
Robyn
Just made these and they were a hit with the hubby! I did add mini chocolate chips and they were fine no issues. I did want to ask, i measured out 1/2 cup of pumpkin got all the water out and it measured 1/4 cup. I was confused by the instructions and did it again so I'd have 1/2 cup of the dried pumpkin. Is that wrong? Did I only need the 1/4 cup after drying it?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Robyn! I'm so glad you liked them! The 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree should be measured straight from the can, then dried with paper towels until it reaches 1/4 cup. Then the 1/4 cup of dried pumpkin puree is what gets added to the cookie dough. I'm glad it still worked for you with more dried pumpkin though!
Gina S
Ginny, these cookies are fantastic! So buttery and soft, like a pumpkin snickerdoodle! The pumpkin flavor was nice and subtle. I wanted to eat them all, immediately! Thank you so much for sharing!
Nikki S
Hey there!
I made the cookies with gluten free flour and coconut sugar. ( added a little molasses to give it that brown sugar consistency) half way through the bake I had to press them down a little with a fork ( making them look like a peanut butter cookie) they were a little crumbly but the next morning they were so soft and almost the perfect texture!!!
Thank you so much, Ginny, for sharing this recipe!!!
And I hope this helps any gluten-free sugar free questions as well!!♥️ 🍪
Michelle
Had the same experience others did, cookies came out puffy and not at all like in the photos. Likely too much flour as I spent a LONG time drying out the pumpkin. Still tasty though!
Laura
This recipe is delicious! Every bite really does melt in your mouth. Only thing is it definitely is NOT 30 minutes of prep time…I spent at least that long just drying my pumpkin out! These are a lot of work but definitely worth it for the result!
Emma
These turned out sooo good!! New favorite pumpkin cookie for sure. I didn’t have any brown sugar, so instead I did 1 cup white sugar and 1/8 cup molasses. They turned out delicious with chewy centers and slightly crisp edges after baking for 17 mins. I can’t wait to take these to work!
Katie
I am not exaggerating when I say that these are some of the best cookies I have ever made. I bake frequently and these cookies were the biggest hit yet. The texture is perfection and they have a great fall flavor without being overwhelming. After absorbing the liquid from the pumpkin, I allowed it to sit out for an hour or so to let it dry out a bit further. Never done this before when making pumpkin cookies but it makes a huge textural difference. Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
Made these and they were wonderful! Loved the spiced sugar flavour on top and in the cookie. They did come up a little "fluffy" and not exactly as the photos here, but I didn't mind at all as they still had a wonderful texture.
M
Made these and they were wonderful! Loved the spiced sugar flavour on top and in the cookie. They did come up a little "fluffy" and not exactly as the photos here, but I didn't mind at all as they still had a wonderful texture.
virginia
Thanks for sharing!!! Love Love LOVE these cookies. I used alot of paper towels to blot the pumpkin but, it was worth the effort. Fantastic helpful hint for my baking arsenal 😉
Anonymous
Tastes good, easy recipe. Went through like 8 paper towels drying the pumpkin
Lydia
These cookies are outstanding! My three year old and I had a blast making them.
Mine turned out flavorful but they never sank. I baked them for 13 minutes and the texture is more like cake than chewy. Might I need to make some adjustment because I am baking in Denver?
Lydia
Update:
I am not the first time I made these cookies, the flavors were great but I wasn’t pleased with the fluffy texture. I was determined to get these looking like the picture and author’s description, so I remade them and measured the flour this time using a scale. That was the trick. I thought I had mastered my spoon and level flour measuring practice but was still off based on my first outcome. I wish more recipes indicated weights for flour measurements, and not just the silly cups and spoonfuls which allow so much room for error.
The Ftroop Famille
The Ftroop Famille - 10.12.22
10/10 Cookie and would definitely recommend it to any baker.
Texture: Great - Has a little chew and a little crunch!
Flavor: Amazing - Not too sweer or spicy, just in between!
Baking Experience: Fun and Joyous - Fall is just around the corner, so these are some amazing cookies to celebrate!
Timothy
One word..... Delicious!
Mlev
Wow! I can’t stop eating them. They are soooo soft!! Your directions were straight forward And my cookies turned out perfect! Definitely sharing this recipe with everybody I know! Thank you for this:)
Steph
Like a pumpkin spice snickerdoodle 🤤 This recipe worked great with a gluten free 1:1 flour sub. I really liked these frozen (even more soft, extra chewy) with a nice dollop of whipped cream. Delish!
Jessie Jean
Hi, Please clarify the pumpkin measurement. Do you measure 1/2cup canned pumpkin then dry that to 1/4cup or do you use 1/2cup dried pumpkin ?
Thank you,
JJ
Justine
Really tasty! Made a vegan version by replacing 2 egg yolks with 2 tbsp smashed banana and country crock vegan butter. They did come out puffy similar to other posts but we loved them and called them mookies (muffin cookies)!
We did dry out the pumpkin a ton and it went down from 1/2 to 1/4 cup but maybe it has something to do with the baking soda as other cookies I make only call for 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Amanda
This is by far the BEST recipe ever!!!! Totally worth the tedious task of soaking out the pumpkin moisture!!! Just made my second batch yesterday and took some to work. At the end of my shift all but 1 person had come up to me and told me how delicious they were and asked when I was making more lol!!! The last person, well I went to her office and when she saw me, before I could ask all she could say was "CRACK"!!! I laughed so hard!!! Just wanted to share this with you!!! Best cookies ever! Will be trying more recipes this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing your gift!
Anonymous
Hi, so I did everything but my cookies did not turn flat and stayed like the rolled up balls
Donna
These delicious cookies deserve more than a 5 star rating....They are to die for good. I'm getting ready to make a batch right now, and I can't wait until there done.
This recipe has become my favorite one ever now. I have left them plain with just the sugar and spice on top, I have used a cream cheese frosting on them and I have mad a really good brown butter icing on them. They are great anyway you like them. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with all of us. I love the way you explain every little detail on how to prepare them so they come out just like yours. If they follow your recipe without any shortcuts, they all will be amazed on how great and delicious these cookies really are. Happy Baking to everyone here.
Maryann
AMAZING cookies! Thank you
Linda
Mine too came out a bit more lofty, but slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - just right, I’d say. I too did not separate the eggs and just used a whole egg instead, and was liberal with the pumpkin spices. I poked a few chocolate chips on the tops of the second batch too. Yummy in my tummy!
Geordon
I measured a full cup of Libby's pumpkin puree into a nut milk bag and squeezed out 5 oz of liquid, leaving me 3 oz of pumpkin solids. So, I made 1 1/2 batches. Cookies came out great. This is a keeper!
The thing I don't like about the standard pumpkin cookies is how overly moist they are, but I forgive that transgression if they have cream cheese frosting. These cookies with the sugared top were more like a milder soft molasses cookie. Maybe, because I always sub molasses and granulated sugar for brown.
BTW, why do you use only the yolks? Is it to reduce the "cakeness"?
Jennifer B.
Delicious! They turned out perfectly! They have a great texture and just the right amount of pumpkin taste!
Chelsea
Made these tonight for my daughter's class room, they requested pumpkin cookies for "Fall Week", recipe looked solid so I gave it go and followed directions to the T except the dry 4 times steps, it took 14 paper towels to dry my mixture down to 1/4th cup and honestly I could of kept going as it was still easily filling a paper towel layer. I would omit the "at least 4 times" part as it's probably throwing a lot of people off, paper towels vary to much from brand to brand and across cost ranges (i only buy the cheap ones lol). My other side note for the directions is to specify using a beater or whisk attachment, alot of people grab a kitchen aid or some other stand mixer and have no idea the difference the heads can make. I saw cream the butter and I knew just from experience to use the whisk attachment but many might use the paddle thinking it doesn't matter and boy it does lol, this could 100% be causing them to end up with cakey cookies.
Beyond that note on the wording for the directions these came out wonderfully, my 5 year old daughter is obsessssssed with them and is shocked she likes "pumpkin" lol! They taste like pumpkin pie and a sugar cookie had a baby and I'm here for it, these are honestly my new fav cookie. I'm going to make SOOOOO many of these this holiday season! Bye bye snicker doodle, helloooooo pumpkin cookies.
Caroline
Hi. I'm thinking to cook down my fresh pumpkin until it's dry like you want it. That'll work, right?
Amanda
Oh my gosh.. I'm so bummed I just saw 2 eggs and added them both. No seeing yokes only. 😭 Dough tasted great though. They just turned into a muffin top like cookie, still great tasting!
Will definitely be trying these again, the correct way. 😂
Andrea Ongstad
These cookies turned out absolutely delicious! I live at high altitude and didn't make any adjustments. I did use salted butter and added chocolate chips. I agree the key is to remove as much moisture from the pumpkin to achieve the 1/4 cup. Have you ever made your own pumpkin spice? I would welcome the proportions.
Ginny Dyer
Hey Caroline! I've never tried this method so I can't say for sure!
Ac
Mine also came out puffy and I dried the pumpkin as much as I could. Still really yummy though!
Franci Pea
I made these cookies this afternoon, I wanted something pumpkin and fall inspired to warm me up and ended up makibg the first pumpkin cookie recipe that came up. So glad I did!
Now, I live in a camper in the middle of no where, and naturally, anything can go wrong as it's a little propane oven and zero counter space and not the average pantry. Yet they turned out INCREDIBLE! And were super easy. I'll also note, I have no mixer here, not even a hand mixer. I made these by whisking with a fork and really watching the consistencies of each step, then folding the flour mixture in with a spatula. This requires an experienced baker but I'm here to say, it absolutely can be made without a mixer in a non traditional kitchen. Also, I doubled the recipe and heaped the pumpkin pie spice all around. I yeiled 5 dozen cookies, but one pan I did big cookies, so probably would have come closer to 6 if I hadn't have made one dozen big cookies.
Mine turned out just like the picture, although maybe even a tad flatter. I took one minute off the bake time and made my dough balls a tad smaller. They are soooo good! I think they would make incredible ice cream sandwiches with french vanilla ice cream. My kiddos are wild about them too! Thank you!
Sharon
I followed your instructions to the tee and also after pressing pumpkin, I rolled it in a ball and pressed it again and left it in the paper towel about an hour while the egg yolks were sitting. They turned out perfect! Thank you!
Jerra
These are so good! Mine almost look like the picture. I will definitely be making these again. I've never made a pumpkin cookie this tasty.
Catherine
I had to get on to say thank you for this recipe and thank you for all
Of the instructions and details- from drying the pumpkin to weighing the flour. Can I ask what head you use on the mixer? Mine were delicious but cracked on the top- not quite like yours. Wondering if I should have used a different head on the mixer. I will
Be a blog fan from
Now on!
Sueann
I measured out 1/2 cup pumpkin and blotted it until dry, but it didn't reduce to 1/4 cup. Cookies came out a little pillowy but they were super soft and chewy. A huge hit in my house, for sure. These are wonderful.
Anonymous
I just made these for family and they came out delicious!! Didn’t dry the pumpkin and still delicious 🙂
Anonymous
Hi! Do I have to use pumpkin Purée? In the place were I live their isn’t pumpkin puree and me and my sister don’t like pumpkin.
Ilene
These cookies are insanely good. I used Simple Truth pumpkin puree, and that worked fine. I also tried using a cheese cloth to drain the liquid, which I think worked as well as the paper towels did. The last change I made was to pair these cookies with the frosting from this recipe: https://dearcrissy.com/pumpkin-cookies-recipe/ because I wanted to frost the cookies. Everyone was a big fan! The cookies are super pumpkin-y and soft and I have saved the recipe so I can make it every year.
Michael Grasso
Ginny, you outdid yourself! Excellent instructions, pictures and description of what to do. I especially like that you added how many grams were needed. Thanks for providing a great and easy to follow guide!
Anonymous
A little dry, but overall taste is really good!!
Raechel Reece
I’ve never done a pumpkin recipe and while drying it was a little foreign and time consuming it was definitely worth it! These are chewy, delicious and will from now on be a fall staple!
celebrado
Thank you so much for this recipe I had an unexpected amount of fresh pumpkin and didn't know what to do with it I found your recipe and used fresh pumpkin as the only substitution and your cookies were a hit with my second grade religious class
Steve
Great recipe... easy to follow. Big hit with our family. First time I tried to puree a pumpkin. Thanks
Karen Widess
Instead of using Pumpkin Pie Spice, are there measurements for using the individual spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc.)? I already own all of them and don't really want to buy a whole jar of PPSpice just to use 1 tbsp. Thanks for any advice!
Anonymous
these are delicious!
Anonymous
I’ve made these cookies twice and they have turned out great both times! They’re the right amount of pumpkiny without being over the top. I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin purée and it must be super watery because it takes so many paper towels to get the water out. Next time I’ll try Libby’s and see if it makes a difference. But trusting
Laura Saunders
I tested three good-looking pumpkin cookies recipes this weekend. My taste testers all agreed that this is the best. I will be making a double batch for the big family Thanksgiving.
Because we are vegan, I made the following substitutions: Earth Balance Buttery sticks for the butter, 1 tablespoon chia seeds allowed to thicken in 3 tablespoons water. Because of health limits in the broader group, I also substituted King Arthur's Gluten free flour and coconut sugar (lower glycemic index than regular sugar).
A very wonderful and resilient recipe. Thank you!
Sara
Ginny’s answer to another comment: “A few things that might have affected the cookies. Did you used canned pumpkin puree? (Homemade might be too liquidy.) Did the dried pumpkin go from 1/2 cup before dried to 1/4 cup after dried? It literally should be dry enough that hardly any liquid transfers to the paper towels. When you added in the egg yolks to the creamed brown sugar and butter, did you mix until the ingredients were pale in color and fluffy? This step is important in the texture of the cookie. Lastly, maybe too much flour was used? Those are the top reasons the cookies could've come out cakey instead of chewy.”
My husband makes awesome cookies and this recipe simply didn’t work. He did ALL of the above, and the cookies still turned out cakey and bland. Definitely a super disappointing recipe. Skip this one folks!
Elian
Added/Swapped :
1 TBSP Garam Masala instead of Pumpkin Pie Seasoning
2 TSP Crystalized Ginger
1 TSP Ginger Powder
1 TSP Viet. Cinnamon
1 TSP Amchur
Great recipe to bring spice cookies together with pumpkin cookies.
Well done Ginny.
Anonymous
I just made your cookies, following the recipe to the T, and they came out perfect and taste even better. Light, a good bit of chew and such pumpkin spice goodness. My house smells so AMAZING right now. The kiddies at a safety course class tomorrow are going to love them. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Anonymous
Hi ,
I made the cookies we did every thing correct we rolled them in a ball but after the first batch it was still in a ball and then we pressed them down and there small but overall they are delicious!
P.s how can we make them flatter?
Liliana
I just made these! I am from Portugal so we neither have pumpkin puree nor pumpkin pie spice. So I had to make / mix these myself 🙂 I made sure to dry well my pumpkin puree, I may have used a whole paper roll as I was very aware of the need 😀 the first batch just came out. Not sure yet they are chewy but there are "uncooked" parts so it works well. Either way, the taste is AWESOME! <3
Montana Cuccinello
This may be the best cookies I have ever had! Definitely a yearly bake!!
Lina
I made these cookies today, but it came out cakey. I followed the instruction to dry the pumpkin puree. I used a scale for measurement. I really like the flavor tho!
In the photo you posted of the ingredients, you used 3 sticks of butter. That does not equal to 168g of butter. I wonder if that was a typo..?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Lina. The photo of the ingredients is 1 1/2 sticks of butter, or 168 g. It's not 3 whole sticks. If the recipe is followed, the cookies come out chewy every time. The pumpkin needs to be dried a lot, so much so that hardly any liquid transfers to a paper towel.
Nicole
I tried this using homemade pumpkin puree (made from roasting a pumpkin) and they turned out wonderful! They were a bit fluffier than the photo (not quite as chewy) but I still enjoyed them a lot and would make them again.
Beth Binder
Just made these…delicious…I slightly increased spice mixture and added some cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg..drying out the pumpkin takes time but worth it…easy batter to work with.
Tumble
it it worked for me. I used fresh pumpkin and one egg white with the two yolks. They baked for 15” and were cookie, not Cakey. Drying the pumpkin to 1/4 cup was the secret to my success.
Elaine Daff
I like this recipe. My cookies tasted good, but they turned out crumby.
What did I do wrong. I’d like to try to make them again. Thanks.
Sieana
I have made these 3 times in the past few months and they always turn out great. One note is that mine always require about 20 minutes in the fridge before I can roll them into balls and bake. Not sure why my dough always comes out so sticky, but it happens every time. Not really an issue, just commenting to say that it may happen to you and if so, it means extra prep time before you bake them!
Thanks for the great recipe. It’s been a hit at bake sales and holiday parties for me.
Betty
Could I put the pumpkin in cheesecloth?
Ginny Dyer
Hi Betty! I haven't tried this but I think this could work as long as you wring out the liquid well enough until the pumpkin is dried like the photos above show.
Alison
So good! OMG so good! I used avocado oil instead of butter and a blend of gluten-free flours to make them dairy and gluten-free. My whole family LOVED them including my 4 year old! thanks for the delicious cookie recipe 🙂
Ginny Dyer
Hi Alison! I'm SO happy you liked them!! Thanks for trying them out! 🙂
B K Hazard
I have not even baked them yet, but I know they sound good. The point of my comment is about measuring flour. It is known that when humid, that moisture is absorbed by the flour, making one cup of "humid flour" less than one cup of not-so-humid flour. I live in the complete opposite circumstance. Here in the desert we can experience 11% humidity or even less. After living here for twenty years, I have learned, well, almost by feel, how much flour equals a cup. Or how much water I must add to compensate (as in bread making). Baking is an adventure and we all enjoy the variables!! ... On the other hand, I'm not sure why this comment is in very greyed down text and is difficult for my old eyes to deal with. You don't have to save any ink, so why the grey down??
Anonymous
Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe. These cookies are delicious, and your directions are excellent!
Shirley Thornbrue
These cookies are absolutely delicious! Definitely, a keeper!
Krypie
I measured the flour by sprinkling spoonfuls into cup like asked, even used a lil less. I only baked for 10 minutes but the cookies still ended up thick and cake like
irelynn
i cut this recipe in half and followed it directly (other than the measurements being cut) and they were the best cookies i’ve made personally !!
Ginny Dyer
Hi Irelynn! I'm sooo happy to hear that! 🙂
Anonymous
Absolutely amazing
Melody
These 🍪 cookies are so amazing. The best pumpkin 🎃 cookies ever. They are so addicting, my coworkers love them too. Will be making these alot. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I really appreciate it. Have a blessed day.
Shaina
Hello!
I tried scrolling and reading through the comment section before I asked my question, hopefully no one has already asked.
I work in a commercial kitchen, and we usually make cookie dough, roll it into balls and freeze them to bake later for welcome bags, last minute desserts, etc. Do you know if this recipe freezes well? If so, how much time would you say the cookies need out of the freezer before baking, and also what would happen if I didn't wait and simply baked them straight from the freezer? these look delicious and I'd really love to make a batch for my kitchen. Thank you!
Raija
These cookies are delicious! Unfortunately, I didn’t get enough of the liquid out of the pumpkin, even with many paper towels, but I gave up! That being said, they are a little cakey, but oh so delicious! Such great flavor! Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Ginny
For those of you who asked about homemade pumpkin puree and/or cookies coming out flat, I've taken a cue from America's Test Kitchen (for their banana bread) and have cooked the puree on the stove to 'dry it out', before I add it to the batter. This might work with pumpkin too, although I haven't tried it yet. For banana bread, it really concentrates the flavor and I do this with every banana recipe I now make.
Valerie Lugonja
I enjoyed the process and learning how to dry the pumpkin which I did exactly as instructed. Used Libby’s. Got it to 1/4 cup from 1/2 cup.
Followed all instructions exactly.
Rolled dough into 2 Tablespoon ball sizes, then into spiced sugar and baked at 350.
They did not fall. They stayed in mounds
Baked for 12 min.; 13 min; 14 min
Tried flattening a bit.
Tried .making them bigger
Tried making them smaller.
I made them again using double the dried pumpkin. Took 1 cup and dried it to be 1/2 cup. Tastier. More moist. Still did nit fall and remained in mounds.
Much tastier with double the pumpkin. I’d like the spice doubled, too- but this isn’t the flat chewy cooks I was hoping for so I’m not trying again.
😇
Parker
Great recipe. If it's too cakey, I can guarantee the pumpkin wasn't dried enough.
The paper towel step is a bit involved and I go through a lot of paper. What ive found works better is to dehydrate the pumpkin in the oven. It actually removes a lot more of the water content than the towel method to help push it more into "cookie" territory than "cake" territory. Baking a standard 15oz can spread out onto a cookie sheet (more surface area will result in a quicker dehydration) takes about 2 hours at 185 degrees. Take it out and mix it occasionally; you'll see the color darken as water content is removed. Takes the water out without cooking the pumpkin mash, and no need to go through all the paper towels.
Michelle
I recommend using a tofu press to help remove a lot of moisture from the pumpkin a few times then a paper towel to get more moisture out if needed.
Mj
Does anybody know the calorie count per cookie? I’m on a weight loss plan made these are delicious.
Shy
I separated the batter and added walnuts and chocolate chips to half and these cookies came out so delicious!! Then I got brave and used the same batter to make pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese centers and crumb topping.. they smell AMAZING.. not sure how they are yet though. Still cooling down. Thank you 😊
Allie
These look awesome! Have you ever tried drying the pumpkin puree in a dehydrator or rehydrating pumpkin powder (dehydrated and powdered pumpkin puree) to get the consistency you're looking for? I may do an experiment!
Maura
Made exactly as stated in the recipe. Delicious! Turned out the same color and soft on the inside, chewy on the out.. Thank you Ginny. I wondered how you would double this? Have you ever tried? This batch made 24 nice size cookies. Would like to double for school treats…..Yummy!😋
Robert Kessner
Do you really mean only 1 3/4 cups of flour? The cookies have no body.
Mackenzie
Made these, and while the flavor was good, the texture was off… I think I couldn’t get enough moisture out of the pumpkin purée, despite following the instructions to a tee. Approximately how many grams should the dried pumpkin weigh?
MC
I just made these this evening. They were fabulous! Will make another batch son. The key really is to dry pumpkin as directed. My son loved them.
Jim
Flavor was okay. None of my cookies fell as described. They were. more cakey than chewy. Otherwise, they are good.
Anonymous
was easy to make but took WAAAAYYYY longer than 30 minutes of prep.
Emma
The cookies took a REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY long time to make!! The prep time is listed as 30 minutes but that is definitely not true and it took me like 3 hours. Drying the pumpkin was really difficult also and most certainly took WAY WAY more than 4 paper towels. After I dried the pumpkins most of it was gone and as a result my cookies did not taste very pumpkiny, so I would recommend doing more pumpkin than suggested. But, the cookies tasted really good at the end!
Joanne
made them with my granddaughter,,they Where so good!
Rebekah
Made these and they are incredible! My only deviation was I had no brown sugar
So I made my own with granulated sugar and molasses. Texture was great, taste was fantastic and they looked great. Thanks!
Anonymous
The recipe is perfect and the cookies came out awesome! When I make them again (which will actually be today), I will make the cookies smaller because they are quite filling. They couple well with apple cider, too!
haylee
So I’m commenting for help. I followed the recipe but I completely misread the canned pumpkin. I added an entire can, patted dry and all. I go to scoop the cookies and I’m confused why the batter is so wet! Can I salvage these or double ingredients? what do you suggest? I have them in the fridge currently, I don’t want to waste all of this batter 🙁
Amber
For those like me, who didn't read ahead in the recipe and din't know to dry the pumpkin, it still works. They're nice and fluffy soft cookies. 🙂
Ginny Dyer
Hi Haylee! I don't think it can be salvaged unfortunately! The recipe only calls for 1/2 cup dried to 1/4 cup and a whole can is around 2 cups. You could 4x the recipe but if all the other ingredients have already been added I don't think you can just add more of them since all the steps like creaming the butter, beating in the eggs etc. have already occurred. You could try but I can't guarantee a good result :/
Linda
I have to agree with one other person's comment about the time it took to make these. They took forever. I had to cool them twice as they were too sticky. However, I only printed the recipe and didn't read the part about what to do with the pumpkin puree.
So my cookies were cake like which was ok but they had very little flavor. So sadly this won't be a favorite recipe of mine.
Anonymous
I really like the flavor of this pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie. Made a double batch and put a bunch of dough balls in the freezer to cook later. Yes they are a bit fiddly, but using cheesecloth and mesh to press out the liquid gave me some liquid to add to soup and I can wash the cheesecloth so there is less waste. Like other folks, I don’t have a pumpkin spice blend on hand but it was easy enough to make one using what I already have. (Added some black pepper to it based on another reader’s suggestion👍🏼)
I was hoping to mail these to a friend, but they are a bit delicate for that so am going to cook another batch a bit longer and see if that helps. Either way, I’m glad I tried this recipe. It’s a nice taste of fall!
Colleen E
I followed this recipe, “almost” to the word. Even drying out the pumpkin purée, with many paper towels, it didn’t reduce to 1/4 of a cup, but did go to about 1/3 of a cup. Didn’t have pumpkin pie spice so I made my own! Super easy. The dough was a little sticky, so as suggested, I chilled it a bit. I made my cookies a bit smaller, so I got 30 cookies out of the recipe. They were chewy, but had a little puffiness to them, probably because of the pumpkin. But these cookies were delicious. !!!!
Kaylee
These are my FAVORITE! 😍 the first time i made them i skipped rolling them in the sugar mixture, and added white chocolate chunks. I literally ate them all in one day. Then i kept having dreams about them so i am currently making them again but using dark chocolate chunks. Thank you so much for this recipe, i am looking forward to trying more!!
Laurén
The dough was super sticky even after refrigerating and cookies spread out quite thin. Waiting for tea to cool to taste one
Mark
Tasty but this recipe calls for too much flour. I measured to the exact gram and dried that pumpkin for 15 min, came out cakey. Adjust flour !
Barb F
Normally, when I try a new recipe, I follow it strictly.
This time, I thought, hey this might be fun, and I threw in a good dollop of salted caramel hot chocolate mix.
I recommend it
Kayla H
Hello, these are great cookies! I was wondering if you might have any ideas on how I might be able to get these cookies to hold their shape for cookie cutters? Thank you!
Jen
Hi!! Thank you for this recipe. It's a snowy day here in Colorado and all I wanted was to fill my home with pumpkin! These cookies look and smell delicious. I wanted to let you know that I substituted Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour, and they turned out fabulous.
Eileen
The cookies were delicious and taking the water out of the pumpkin was easy even with a different type of pumpkin puree. Thank you so much ! I will looking into yourother recipes for sure !👍
Rachel
I made these tonight as per the recipe. They. Are. Delicious! Light, fluffy, and flavourful. Not too sweet. I was looking for something different to make with pumpkin other than pumpkin loaf. Will be bringing these to work and sharing the recipe! Thank you 🙂
Ginny Dyer
Hi Kayla! I'm not sure if this would be the best dough for cookie cutters unfortunately! You could try chilling it for a really long time, 2-3 hours, but I'm still not sure that you would be able to roll it out with success.
Elizabeth
I just made these with my daughter and holy cow are they good. I followed the recipe as written. It took me a good 8-10 passes with paper towels to dry the pumpkin out but it’s worth it in my opinion. I will be making a second batch soon, they don’t last long!
Debbie
These cookies were soft and by all means, very tasty. However, they puffed up and were on the cakey side as opposed to chewy. I dried the pumpkin out thoroughly and followed the recipe exactly as written. Sadly, not sure why they didn't turn out
Karen
These are the best pumpkin cookies I have ever eaten! I used my freeze dried pumpkin and put it directly into the batter. YUM!!
Pat Villanueva
I baked these cookies today and followed the recipe to the T and they came out delicious. Best recipe ever! Thanks, now I will try the Best Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Anonymous
Everyone loved this cookie!!! The flavor is amazing!
Ginny Dyer
Hi Karen! I'm so glad you liked them! I did not know that freeze dried pumpkin was even a thing! I bet that would work well in this recipe though!
Penelope
These have the perfect chewy tecture! Best pumpkin cookie I've ever had. Yum. They smelt like apple cider while they baked which was delightful and funny since there's no apple.
Mary Ann
Hi Ginny and Karen!
I absolutely adore this recipe and plan on making for teachers, neighbors and family gatherings over the holidays. This will require tons and tons of paper towel waste and would love to use the dried pumpkin. How much dried pumpkin per recipe batch do I use? Thanks so much! Love love love these cookies!!
Sue
Mine came out puffy but after checking the recipe again. I screwed up. Used the whole eggs not just the yokes. But everyone said they were delicious!!!
Cady
My cookies look a lot lighter and don't really have an orange tint like yours do in the picture. I followed the measurements, dried the pumpkin out properly, and used the exact recommended cook time. Should I have baked them longer to get the darker tint similar to the pictures in the recipe?
Midgi
OMG! Your chewy pumpkin cookies are amazing. Thank you for sharing your recipe. This recipe is time consuming but well worth the extra steps. I'm including these cookies in our Family Thanksgiving Bake Day, and doing so will add yummy pumkin flavor to our other selections. Happy Thanksgiving.
Nicole
used the leftover can of puree to snack on cookies the Tuesday Wednesday before company came over for Turkey Thursday and they were delicious! easy recipe and fun to make. thank you!
Anonymous
My cookies looked nothing like the photo, even after doing everything the recipe said. They were still delicious though.
Meghan
So incredible!! For those struggling to get the moisture out of the pumpkin, use a cheese cloth. Tried this and it is the best pumpkin cookie I’ve ever had. My husband and son were obsessed
Anonymous
Followed the recipe exactly... very dry pumpkin, I always weigh my flour, beat until fluffy... and I still came out with cakey cookies.
MK Lindsey
I dried the pumpkin extensively and mine still were small, round and fluffy instead of flat and chewy. It was a labor intensive recipe and not worth it.
Anonymous
Pumpkin was completely dry after about 10 paper toweling and my cookies are still cakey. Very sad these didn’t turn out. First recipe in a while that was a bust.
Edoardo
These are amazing, delicious, perfect soft to crunch amount. Great on their own or dipped in coffee. Also FINALLY a recipe website that lists the ingredients within the instructions, I'll come back to this site just for that!
Anonymous
I’m confused. How much pumpkin is actually being added to this recipe?
Kate Roth
My family loved these cookies. They stayed fluffy in texture and remained chewy for me. I used lakeshore pumpkin (personal preference) and did not dry it. Using my medium cookie scoop this made 21 cookies exactly!! Thank you!
Kelly Maciejewski
Although time intrusive, these cookies are delicious! They turned out amazingly tasty; my daughter said, “ Cant get over those cookies ma! Remind me of what was called a “pumpkin muffie” at panera! really good!!!”. And my husband said, “Ma did good…best cookies”! Consensus: a recipe to keep!! Thank you so much for creating an awesome, unique cookie recipe!!
Kelly
Karen B.
Hi Ginny: I precisely followed your recipe, drying the pumpkin with paper towels however they came out puffy (not flat like yours) and very cakey. When you say dry the pumpkin puree so that it reduces to 1/4 cup - are you saying we should remeasure the pumpkin to 1/4 cup? I did not because the recipe did not specifically instruct us to do so. If not, I don't know but it's not a chewy cookie and I'm glad I didn't double it because it was so disappointing.
Debbie
I agree completely with Karen B. Followed to the letter, so disappointed the cookie did not come out chewy. Before putting the last batch in the oven, set timer for 11 minutes and even pre-flattened them a little, but they still came out cakey. Taste good, but dry.
Tess
Oh my, what a delicious cookie and so easy to make! The texture and taste are terrific. Don't be daunted by removing the water from the pumpkin, it's a simple process. I don't know why some others have found the cookies to be dry, mine were anything but. I'll be making this one again and again.
Kimmie
Good day! I am going to make these cookies today. You stated that you'd always recommend vanilla bean paste but using vanilla extract is perfectly fine. I have Vanilla Bean Paste and would like to know how much i should use as the recipe only has the extract measurement listed. Many thanks and I can't wait to make these! Warmest Regards, Kimmie
Margaux
These cookies are sooooooo good OMG. 🤤 I dried the pumpkin, which was interesting to learn about. The only thing I didn’t do was measure the flour as it was described. I read that tip after. Oops. Also, used half almond flour and half regular flour.
I love that the quantities are listed in each detailed step. It makes it so much easier to scroll down and not have to keep going back. I don’t set up ingredients into little mini dishes like a cooking show so I always have to scroll back up on recipes to double check the amount. Really appreciate that feature.
The final cookie truly melts in your mouth. 😍
Bonnie Duree
Delicious, but I do make my own brown sugar by adding molasses to raw sugar. It gives a better flavor than store bought brown sugar. The cookies were soft. I did drain the pumpkin as directed.The pumpkin spice sugar I dipped them in before baking, gave them a nice finish,and more taste. I will make them again
LOUANN TOMILO
Absolutely fabulous. My husband and I ate almost the entire batch before they were completely cooled so I made another batch. Thanks for sharing
LOUANN TOMILO
Fabulous recipe...definitely a keeper in my recipe box
Isabelle
This recipe is the kind that I will be passing down to my kids and grandkids!! I made these cookies to give to my husband’s coworkers and their families. Each of them told us that they were the best cookies they had EVER had! They turned out so beautiful and out of this world tasty perfect. I did do a couple things differently with the recipe, including substituting all purpose flour for Bob’s Red Mill bread flour, leaving out allspice and clove (due to not having any), and making a powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over them as well. I think if you really wanted to knock everybody out, these cookies would be incredible with a mild, light addition of cream cheese frosting! I cannot wait to make these again!! 🫶