Soft Pumpkin Cookies (Printable)
Tender, cake-like cookies with pumpkin and warm spices. Ready in under 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Optional Add-ins
15 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped nuts
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
04 - Mix in pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until blended.
06 - Gently fold in chocolate chips or nuts if using.
07 - Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 11-13 minutes until edges are set and tops appear dry.
09 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- They stay incredibly soft for days, unlike typical crispy cookies that turn into rocks overnight
- The pumpkin flavor comes through beautifully without being overwhelming or earthy
02 -
- Using pumpkin pie filling instead of purée will completely change the texture and your cookies will not bake correctly
- Overmixing the dough makes them tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a better texture
- A cookie scoop ensures uniform size and even baking every time