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Get ready for fall with these delicious pumpkin pie spice cookies! These chewy cookies have just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor, with a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating for just a touch of texture. Each bite is filled with your favorite comforting fall flavors!
If you want to fill your home with the scent of fall, you need to bake up these pumpkin spice cookies immediately. They are our current obsession and I am already planning to make another batch this weekend.
The pumpkin puree in them keeps them insanely moist, so these cookies are chewy with a little bit of crunch to them from the cinnamon sugar coating. When you bite into one, you are tasting fall. It feels like you were transported straight to the pumpkin patch – the scent, the taste, the texture… It’s all so comforting.
Whip these cookies up for a fall cozy movie night (When Harry Met Sally or You’ve Got Mail are my fall go-tos). Make them for the kids’ bake sale. Treat yourself to a baked goodie at the end o a long day. Bake them up for your next fall gathering. As long as you have the simple pantry ingredients and an empty cookie jar, you are ready to go!
It’s better than any scented candle you can buy, I swear.
ingredients
sugar. You will need both granulated sugar and light brown sugar for this recipe.
pumpkin pie spice. Use your favorite brand of pumpkin pie spice, or make your own! The combination of ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground cinnamon smells SO good.
butter. We recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe. If you use salted butter, remove the salt called for in the recipe.
eggs. Large eggs are best for baking recipes! You will only need the yolks for these cookies.
vanilla. Make your own homemade vanilla extract easily, or purchase your favorite from the store. Our recommendation for purchasing is Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract from Nielsen Massey.
pumpkin puree. Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
flour. All you need is all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use a gluten-free 1:1 ratio flour blend.
baking soda. Don’t forget to check your baking soda’s expiration date!
salt. Kosher fine salt is best for using in baking recipes.
this recipe’s must-haves
You only need a large bowl from your set of mixing bowls, as well as a whisk and a wooden spoon.
To bake the cookies, you will need silicone baking mats and a half sheet baking pan (or two).
make cinnamon sugar
In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar. Set aside until ready to use.
combine wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. It will look like a wet sand mixture. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla until combined and smooth.
Add in the pumpkin puree, whisking until incorporated.
add dry ingredients
Add baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, stirring to combine. Next, add in the flour and fold it in until just combined. Do not over mix.
chill
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight.
bake
When ready to bake, roll the dough into cookie dough balls (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter). We like to portion the dough out with a cookie scoop. Add the balls of dough to the cinnamon sugar one at a time, rolling to coat them well. Place on lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use the palm of your hand to slightly flatten each of them.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until the edges are slightly browned. The centers will be puffy and slightly cracked. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling wire rack to cool completely.
tips and tricks
do not over bake. Do not over bake these cookies or they will come out dry! They will look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet to set.
measure the flour properly. Instead of digging the measuring cup into the flour bag, spoon the stirred flour into the measuring cup. Level it off, and then use in the recipe.
add chocolate chips. Love chocolate? Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the dough before rolling into balls and coating in sugar!
frost the cookies. Want to add a little more flavor? Frost with a simple glaze or cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
More fall cookie recipes to bake: Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies | Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies | Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies | Snickerdoodle Bars
When stored at room temperature in an airtight container, these cookies will last for up to 5 to 6 days. You can store them for a few extra days if you store them in the refrigerator instead.
Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies (or the cookie dough before baking). Once cooled to room temperature, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container, layering them between layers of parchment paper. Thaw overnight at room temperature before enjoying.
For instructions on freezing, reference the How to Store section below.
do I have to chill the dough?
To get the perfectly chewy cookie, I recommend chilling the cookie dough before baking. It will help them achieve the best texture!
Need more inspiration for a sweet treat? Check out my dessert recipes page!
how to store
Store. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Store them in a single layer, or between sheets of parchment paper. They will last for about 5 to 6 days at room temperature. To make them last a few days more, store them in the refrigerator.
Reheat.
Freeze. You can freeze the cookie dough before baking! We recommend portioning the dough out into balls, but do not coat them in the cinnamon sugar yet. Freeze until hard on a lined baking sheet for about 3 to 4 hours. Then transfer to an airtight freezer bag or container. Store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Thaw. Thaw the frozen cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar and bake according to the instructions below.
more tasty pumpkin recipes
For breakfast, bake up some pumpkin cream cheese streusel muffins or pumpkin banana muffins! Both are fluffy, moist, and bursting with pumpkin spice flavor.
Savory pumpkin ricotta ravioli are served with a brown butter sage sauce for an elegant fall dinner.
Sip on a pumpkin pie martini for that pumpkin pie flavor, without baking an entire pie!
Finally, if you make this pumpkin pie spice cookies recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.
Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!
Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!
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ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar. The mixture will look like clumpy wet sand. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla, until smooth, glossy, and combined. Stir in pumpkin puree until incorporated.
- Stir in baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Add the flour and fold in until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar until combined.
- Roll the cookie dough into smooth balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Drop them into the cinnamon sugar, tossing to coat well. Place the balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use the palm of your hand to flatten them slightly.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes. The edges should be a light golden brown and the center will look puffy and slightly cracked. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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