Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
These are the best pumpkin coffee cake cookies! They are super chewy pumpkin cookies, topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel and drizzled with vanilla icing.
These bakery-style cookies are just like pumpkin coffee cake, but in cookie form! They’re the perfect fall treat to pair with a cup of coffee, and every pumpkin lover will adore them!
If you’re looking for other pumpkin desserts, try my chewy pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake cookies, pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin blondies or pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
They have the best texture– These cookies are super chewy and not at all fluffy pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is hard to get right in cookies because it adds so much moisture to baked goods, but by drying it before adding it to the dough, the cookies keep their perfect chewy texture.
They’re topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel– The best part of these cookies is the streusel. Each cookie has LOTS and lots of streusel that adds a delicious sweet crunch to each bite.
They have the perfect amount of pumpkin spice- The dough is flavored with the perfect amount of pumpkin pie spice and is also topped with spiced streusel. Each bite will taste like fall!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
- Unsalted Butter– make sure it’s softened, room temperature butter
- Light Brown Sugar– used in the pumpkin cookie dough to keep these cookies extra chewy, and used to make the buttery cinnamon streusel
- Egg Yolks– make sure they’re room temperature
- Vanilla Extract– adds a sweet note to the cookies, you can also use vanilla bean paste for a stronger vanilla flavor
- Canned Pumpkin Puree– I highly recommend using Libby’s canned pumpkin. It’s the best pumpkin to use because almost all cans of it have 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
- Powdered Sugar– used to make the vanilla icing
Step by Step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the complete pumpkin coffee cake cookie recipe, including measurements and baking time!
STEP ONE: Make the cinnamon streusel topping by adding the butter and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Mix together with an electric mixer on high speed until combined. Add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and pinch of salt and mix together until large crumbs form. Pop the crumb topping in the fridge to chill while making the cookie dough.
STEP TWO: Then dry your pumpkin to get rid of excess moisture. 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 paper towels over the top. Lightly press to absorb the liquid. Repeat the step at least four more times until hardly any liquid transfers to the paper towel. (It needs to reduce down to just under 1/4 cup from 1/2 cup). Then set aside.
STEP THREE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
STEP FOUR: In a large bowl cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. (You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.)
STEP FIVE: Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
STEP SIX: Add in the pumpkin and combine on medium speed.
STEP SEVEN: Add in the dry ingredients and combine on low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
STEP EIGHT: Scoop the dough into 16 portions with a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, then roll into balls. Transfer the cookie dough, six at a time, to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a slight indent in the cookie dough balls using the palm of your hand. Measure out a heaping tbsp of streusel topping and flip it on top of each portion of cookie dough. Press down gently with the palm of your hand to better secure the streusel to the cookie dough.
STEP NINE: Bake the cookies and let them cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP TEN: While the cookies cool, make the vanilla glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk together in a small bowl. Once the cookies are cool, drizzle icing over each. Then, serve!
FAQs
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 1/2 cup dried down to just under a 1/4 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 other brands of pumpkin can be really soupy in my opinion.
I would say no because fresh pumpkin puree tends to be even more liquidy than canned. It may cause the cookies to bake incorrectly.
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two weeks!
Pro Tips
For best results, 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. 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 with a kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around them 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 rating! Also, follow me on social media for other dessert ideas! Instagram @inbloombakery_ , Pinterest and TikTok @inbloombakery
Other Recipes to Try Next Time
Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (94 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- 1/2 cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree, Libby's canned pumpkin works best
- 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 tsp whole milk
Instructions
For the Streusel
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Mix together with an electric mixer on high speed until combined.6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- Add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt and mix together until the mixture resembles large crumbs. (You may need to use your hands for this part.)3/4 cup (94 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, pinch of salt
- Pop the streusel in the fridge to chill while making the pumpkin cookie dough.
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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 (122 g) dried down to just about a ¼ cup (~42 g). 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.1/2 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 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp 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.(You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.)3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) 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 tsp vanilla extract
- 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. (If the dough is too "sticky" chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes, then proceed.)
- Scoop the dough with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll into balls.Transfer the cookie dough, six at a time, to a prepared baking sheet.Make a slight indent in the cookie dough balls using the palm of your hand. Measure out a slightly packed, heaping tbsp of streusel topping and flip it on top of each portion of cookie dough. Press down gently with the palm of your hand to better secure the streusel to the cookie dough.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large, round cookie cutter around them to give them a perfect circular shape. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Vanilla Glaze
- While the cookies cool make the vanilla glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk together in a small bowl until you achieve a drizzle-able consistency. (Start with 2 tsp of milk and add more as necessary.)1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2-4 tsp whole milk
- Once the cookies are cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze over them and serve!
So yummy!
So good!
So delicious! Will definitely make again!
Ugh! Why put coffee in the title if there is no coffee to be seen!! (I googled pumpkin coffee cookies FYI)
Queen, coffee cake refers to any cake you would eat with a coffee. Relax lol these were fabulous and so fun to make!!
Awful
Because COFFEE CAKE is NOT coffee-flavored… Everyone knows this ?
Hello I really like this recipe but I have a problem as my cookies spread to much, and I dried the pumpkin so I do t know why
I’m having this same problem they definitely don’t look like the pictures? but yummy!
I love the flavor of these cookies, but I forgot the first step and didn’t remove any water from the pumpkin as instructed. By the time I went back and re-read the entire recipe, the batter was mixed. I did let the dough sit covered on the counter for about twenty minutes but when I scooped it out it was clearly too soft to roll it balls. So I simply left the scooped dough as it was, made an indention, put the streudle, and baked for ten minutes. Well, I learned that they needed about two more minutes in the oven but they were simply too soft to lift off the cookie. I might have been extremel disappointed but they tasted soo good, I wanted to salvage them in some form. Thank you for this recipe I put the remaining dough in the fridge and will try again once they firm up. Absorbing the water from the pumpkin is absolutely necessary! But I still love this recipe!!! Thank you.
These cookies are so yummy and easy to make! ? I will definitely be making them again?
Fairly easy I did have to add more flour than what the recipe said but it was amazing
Very good.
For the 1/2 cup of pumpkin, is it 1/2 cup from when it’s dried (where it is starting with 1 cup) or do you start with the 1/2 cup and just use the remaining 1/4 cup? Thanks!
I started with 1/2 cup, and it dried to 1/4 cup, and the batter seems good. I’m waiting to bake right now.
Had to add an extra half cup of flour even after drying out the pumpkin or the dough would have been wayyyy too soft, almost like cake batter. After the extra flour it was perfect! Delicious cookie!!
Can this recipe be doubled or is it best to bake in batches?
Absolutely delicious and came out perfect! Everyone loved them!
Right after pulling them out of the oven I tapped the baking tray on the counter a couple times to depuff the cookies and they looked just like the pictures. Use a ziplock or piping bag to make the drizzle perfect and mess free.
Do these freeze well? I want to bake them a few days ahead of time, but don’t want them to dry out. So do you recommend baking and then freezing or just making the dough and then freezing? Thanks!
Flavor is so delicious! I dried my pumpkin and they still came out cakey. Would cooking it down help?
Worth all the steps!
Made these and they were delicious! Might be my new fall favorite.
These. Are. Amazingggg!!! Oh my goodness ? I’m literally so obsessed ?
They not only look sooooo aesthetically pleasing but the taste!!!! ???
Really good recipe, for whatever reason I did not dry or have to dry off the pumpkin before adding it? I made it myself and I did drain the excess with my whole batch so ?♀️ but otherwise looooovvve ittt
Anyone ever tried baking these from frozen? I doubled the recipe and froze half the dough, not sure if i should thaw it first or just bake from frozen
Cookie taste great. The drying pumpkin so smart. The crumb topping needs a little tweaking. I will make it again.
Absolutely delicious!!! Loved these cookies so much. They have definitely become a fall staple in my house
I really like the cookie itself, but I thought they were too sweet with the topping and icing. 3 out of 4 of us agreed.
Thank you so much for trying them and sharing your feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the cookie itself. The topping and icing definitely add extra sweetness, so you can always scale them back next time to suit your taste. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!