Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
These chewy pumpkin cookies feature blotted pumpkin puree, rich egg yolks, and brown sugar rolled in spiced sugar for crisp edges and soft centers.
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Electric Mixer
- 2 tbsp cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Spiced Sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar (50 g)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened (168 g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (220 g)
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree Libby's works best (122 g)
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled (219 g)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Spiced Sugar
- Stir the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Mix until the spice is evenly distributed and the sugar looks lightly speckled.
For the Pumpkin Cookies
- Heat the oven to 350 °F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment keeps the sugar coating from sticking and helps the bottoms bake evenly.
- Spread the canned pumpkin puree over a plate and press it gently with paper towels, replacing the towels and repeating at least four more times. It should shrink from 1/2 cup to about 1/4 cup and leave very little moisture on a fresh towel.
- Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Break up any visible spice clumps so the dough bakes with even flavor and lift.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Stop when the mixture looks lighter in color and fluffy rather than grainy and dense.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla, then beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should become pale, smooth, and noticeably airy.
- Mix in the blotted pumpkin puree on medium-low speed. Blend only until the pumpkin is fully incorporated and no orange streaks remain.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Stop as soon as the dry flour disappears to keep the cookies tender.
- Portion the dough with a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, roll each portion into a ball, and coat it in the spiced sugar. If the dough feels too sticky to shape cleanly, chill it for 10 minutes before rolling.
- Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets with at least 2 inches between them. The spacing gives each cookie room to spread without joining its neighbor.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. At 12 minutes, the centers stay especially chewy; at 14 minutes, the edges become a little crisper while the centers remain puffy.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes. The puffy centers will settle and form the signature wrinkled surface as the cookies cool.
Notes
Texture tip: Blot the pumpkin puree until it shrinks to roughly 1/4 cup so extra moisture does not make the cookies cakey.
Handling dough: If the cookie dough feels too sticky to shape easily, chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before scooping and rolling.
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper between layers to prevent the sugar coating from becoming gummy.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.