PERFECT PUMPKIN COOKIES EVER

I can still picture it: my grandma’s cozy kitchen, filled with the warm, inviting aroma of pumpkin and spice. Every fall, she’d bake dozens of cookies for the neighborhood kids, and they always disappeared in a flash. Her secret? The perfect balance of moisture and chewiness. I’ve spent years trying to replicate that magical experience, and after countless trials, I’ve finally cracked the code. Today, I’m sharing all my secrets for the most amazing Best Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies you’ll ever make!

The Ultimate Guide to Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

Hello, fellow baking enthusiasts! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. We’re about to embark on a delightful journey to create the most irresistible pumpkin cookies imaginable. Forget those dry, crumbly pumpkin cookies you might have encountered before. These are different. These are melt-in-your-mouth, packed-with-flavor, and utterly addictive.

Why This Recipe Works

What makes these cookies so special? It all comes down to a few key factors:

• Pumpkin Perfection: We’re using the right amount of pumpkin puree to ensure moistness without making the dough too wet.
• Spice Symphony: A blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves creates that classic pumpkin spice flavor we all crave.
• Brown Sugar Magic: Brown sugar not only adds sweetness but also contributes to the cookies’ soft and chewy texture.
• Butter & Oil Balance: The combination of butter and oil provides the perfect balance of flavor and moisture.
• Chilling is Key: Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld together and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s gather our ingredients! Don’t worry if you don’t have everything on hand. I’ll share some substitutions along the way.

• All-Purpose Flour: 2 1/2 cups (300g). This forms the structure of the cookie.
• Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon. This helps the cookies rise and become light and airy.
• Baking Powder: 1 teaspoon. Another leavening agent to ensure a fluffy texture.
• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon. Enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients.
• Ground Cinnamon: 1 1/2 teaspoons. The star of the pumpkin spice blend!
• Ground Nutmeg: 1/2 teaspoon. Adds a warm, nutty flavor.
• Ground Ginger: 1/2 teaspoon. Provides a hint of spice and warmth.
• Ground Cloves: 1/4 teaspoon. A little goes a long way! Cloves add a deep, complex flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick), softened. Adds richness and flavor. Make sure it’s softened, but not melted!
• Vegetable Oil: 1/4 cup. Contributes to the cookies’ moistness.
• Brown Sugar: 1 cup, packed. This is essential for the chewy texture and caramel-like flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: 1/2 cup. Balances the sweetness and helps the cookies crisp up around the edges.
• Egg: 1 large. Binds the ingredients together and adds richness.
• Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon. Enhances the flavors and adds a touch of sweetness.
• Pumpkin Puree: 1 cup (not pumpkin pie filling!). This is the key ingredient, providing moisture and pumpkin flavor.
• Optional: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of coarse sugar.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Making the Dough

Alright, let’s get baking! I’ll walk you through each step, providing helpful tips and tricks along the way.

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This ensures that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t rush this step! It’s important to incorporate air into the mixture.
3. Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Mix in Pumpkin Puree: Gradually add the pumpkin puree, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
5. Gradually Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Again, be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. The dough will be slightly sticky, and that’s perfectly fine!
6. Add Mix-Ins (Optional): If you’re using chocolate chips or chopped nuts, gently fold them into the dough.
7. Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight. This step is crucial! Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld together and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.

Baking Your Pumpkin Cookies to Perfection

Now for the fun part! Let’s bake these beauties.

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
3. Scoop the Dough: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
4. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set. Don’t overbake! Overbaked cookies will be dry and crumbly.
5. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for the BEST Pumpkin Cookies

Here are a few extra tips to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly every time:

• Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough develops the gluten, resulting in tough cookies. Mix until just combined.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Using softened butter and room temperature eggs helps the ingredients combine more easily and evenly.
• Measure Flour Accurately: Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping the flour directly from the bag, as this can pack it down and result in too much flour.
• Adjust Baking Time: Baking times may vary depending on your oven. Keep an eye on the cookies and adjust the baking time as needed.
• Store Properly: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Variations and Additions

Want to customize your pumpkin cookies? Here are a few ideas:

• Chocolate Chips: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips (milk, dark, or semi-sweet) to the dough.
• Nuts: Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the dough.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: Frost the cooled cookies with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough for a subtle kick.
• Maple Glaze: Drizzle the cooled cookies with a simple maple glaze.
• Try other flavors: If you are looking for a little kick with some spice, you can also try BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN COOKIES.

Serving Suggestions

These pumpkin cookies are delicious on their own, but here are a few serving suggestions to elevate your experience:

• Pair with Coffee or Tea: The warm spices in the cookies complement the flavors of coffee and tea perfectly.
• Serve with Ice Cream: Crumble a pumpkin cookie over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
• Make Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich vanilla ice cream between two pumpkin cookies for a delightful treat.
• Gift Giving: Package the cookies in a pretty tin or box and give them as a thoughtful gift.

More Fall Baking Inspiration

If you’re in the mood for more fall baking, here are a few of my other favorite recipes:

If you are looking for something a little different, why not try PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIE PERFECTION, they are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Or, If you are in the mood for something fruity, you could give my COZY APPLE CRISP a try. For a bit more crunch, you might like the CRUNCHY APPLE CRISP. In the mood for something more for breakfast or a snack? How about PUMPKIN MUFFINS or if you want to mix things up with more fruit try APPLE PUMPKIN MUFFIN PERFECTION!

Troubleshooting

Even with the best recipes, sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. Here are a few common problems and how to fix them:

• Cookies are Spreading Too Thin: Make sure you chilled the dough for long enough. If the dough is still too soft, chill it for an additional 30 minutes. Also, make sure your oven temperature is accurate.
• Cookies are Dry and Crumbly: You may have overbaked the cookies. Reduce the baking time by a minute or two. Also, make sure you measured the flour accurately.
• Cookies are Too Cakey: You may have overmixed the dough. Mix until just combined. Also, make sure you used the correct amount of baking soda and baking powder.
• Cookies are Not Chewy Enough: Make sure you used brown sugar. Brown sugar is essential for the chewy texture. Also, don’t overbake the cookies.

Enjoy Your Homemade Pumpkin Cookies!

There you have it! My ultimate guide to making the Best Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Happy baking, and remember, the most important ingredient is love!

Perfect Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are incredibly soft, chewy, and packed with warm spices. This recipe creates a perfect balance of moisture and flavor, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth cookies that are perfect for fall.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 150

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• Optional: 1 cup chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or coarse sugar for sprinkling

Equipment

• Mixing bowls (medium and large)
• Electric mixer or stand mixer
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie scoop or spoon
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Wire rack
• Plastic wrap

Method

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes with an electric mixer).
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Gradually add the pumpkin puree, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be slightly sticky.
6. If using chocolate chips or chopped nuts, gently fold them into the dough.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
9. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
10. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
11. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set. Do not overbake.
12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, chill the dough overnight to allow the flavors to fully develop. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, place cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. You can also add a cream cheese frosting or a maple glaze for an extra touch of sweetness and flavor.