Nothing says fall quite like pumpkin, so of course I have to eat it in every form I can think of, and that means I need a pumpkin cookie! These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft and chewy with that delicious bite of white chocolate that’s going to make you say, “I’m only having one,” and then somehow half the plate is gone. This is definitely one of those recipes that will get you through the whole fall season.
If your kitchen basically turns into a fall bakery as soon as September hits, I have a few more recipes for you. Try my Apple Pie Cookies for another soft fall cookie, make a batch of Apple Brown Sugar Syrup for your coffee and fall drinks, or go all in on pumpkin with my Pumpkin Crunch Cake.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Medium mixing bowl
- Mixer
- Cookie scoop or large spoon
- Cooling rack
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies structure while still keeping them soft.
- Old-fashioned oats: Give these pumpkin cookies their chewy oatmeal texture. Stick with old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats for this recipe.
- Pumpkin pie spice: An easy way to get all those warm fall spices into the cookies without pulling five different jars out of the cabinet.
- Baking powder and baking soda: The combination helps the cookies rise and gives them the right texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and all those warm pumpkin spices.
- Unsalted butter: Let the butter soften before starting so it creams properly with the sugars.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the cookie texture.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture, chewiness, and a little caramel flavor.
- Pumpkin purée: Gives the cookies their pumpkin flavor and keeps them soft and moist. Make sure you grab pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Egg: Helps bind the cookie dough together.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a little extra flavor and works perfectly with the pumpkin pie spice.
- White chocolate chips: Give you those sweet, creamy bites of white chocolate throughout the pumpkin cookies.
For full ingredients and directions, scroll down to the recipe card below.
How to make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the mixer bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until the cookie dough comes together. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill.
Scoop heaping tablespoons of chilled cookie dough onto the prepared sheet pans, arranging the cookies about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
How do I serve Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies?
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are pretty good all on their own, especially when they're still just a little warm, and those white chocolate chips are nice and soft. You can also serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a hot cup of coffee, or your favorite iced latte. Basically, grab a cookie and your favorite fall drink and call it a good day.
FAQs (Because Life’s Too Busy for Guesswork)
Absolutely. These cookies have plenty of flavor on their own, but you can add a simple vanilla glaze or creamy frosting once the cookies have completely cooled. A maple glaze would also be delicious with the pumpkin and warm spices.
First, make sure the flour was measured accurately and the cookies weren't baked too long. They should come out when the edges are golden brown. If you wait till the whole cookie is completely set, they will be overbaked by the time they come out of the oven and finish cooling. If your baked cookies are a little dry, place them in an airtight container or zip-top bag with a slice of sandwich bread overnight. The cookies can absorb some of the moisture from the bread and soften.
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft with a chewy texture from the old-fashioned oats. Pumpkin naturally adds quite a bit of moisture to cookie dough, so they will be softer than a traditional oatmeal cookie, but they shouldn't have the texture of pumpkin cake.
Yes, but homemade pumpkin purée can contain more water than canned pumpkin. If your homemade purée looks especially wet, drain it or blot away some of the excess moisture before measuring it for the cookie dough. Too much moisture can change how the cookies spread and set.
I wouldn't skip it. Pumpkin adds moisture to the dough, and chilling it for at least 30 minutes helps firm everything up before baking. It also makes the soft dough easier to scoop onto the sheet pans.
Yes. Prepare the cookie dough, cover it tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. You can also scoop the dough before refrigerating so the cookies are ready to place on the sheet pans when it's time to bake.
Substitutions and variations
- All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free option, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. Make sure the oats are certified gluten-free as well if needed.
- Old-fashioned oats: If you're making the cookies gluten-free, check the package to make sure your oats are certified gluten-free since cross-contact can occur during processing.
- Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will work too and give the cookies a deeper caramel flavor.
- Pumpkin purée: Make sure you're using pure pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla extract: Store-bought or homemade vanilla extract both work.
- White chocolate chips: Swap them for semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips if white chocolate isn't your thing.
How should I store Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies?
Store completely cooled Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 1 week.
For longer storage, place the cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2 Sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Medium mixing bowl
- Mixer and bowl
- Cookie scoop or large spoon
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Mix in the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips.
- Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheet pans, arranging the cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
