Be prepared to get slapped in the mouth with the warm flavor of pumpkin pie spice in these tasty pumpkin pie spice cookies. They have the ideal texture, with slightly crispy edges and a soft, chewy inside. My official cookie tester, aka my daughter, has been experimenting with this recipe to find the right balance of pumpkin pie spice without going overboard. Once she had figured out that perfect mix, these cookies have been a regular in our house, even during the summer.
If you like these pumpkin cookies, then you should try out my White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies or Ranger Cookies. If you need something quicker then try out the quick and easy bake Cornflake Cookies. To add some fun drinks in the mix, try out this State Fair Strawberry Lemonade or Homemade Limeade.
Equipment
- Two sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or Hand mixer
- Scoop or large spoon
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Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Pumpkin spice
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2-3 inches between each cookie. Sprinkle some pumpkin spice on the top of the cookies.
Bake for 10-13 minutes until the edges are firm. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the sheet pan.
How do you serve this? What do I serve with this recipe?
- These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of warm fall flavor. They’re delicious on their own but even better paired with a cold glass of milk or even better yet a pumpkin spice latte.
FAQs (Because Life’s Too Busy for Guesswork)
No, this recipe calls for pumpkin spice, which is a dry spice blend. Fresh pumpkin purée would add too much moisture and change the texture of the cookie. Stick with the spice blend to keep the cookies soft but chewy.
Yes, you can freeze the dough. Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Then transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Absolutely. You can prep the dough and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 48 hours before rolling and baking. This can even help the flavor deepen. But to give you the warning, these cookies will not spread out as much, so you'll have a slightly thicker cookie than the thinner, chewier cookie of the unrefrigerated dough mix.
If you want a stronger spice profile, add an extra 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice to the dough.
What are substitutions that I can make?
- All-purpose flour – You can use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend if needed. Add an extra egg to help bind the dough if you go this route.
- Large eggs – Swap each egg with ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana. You can also use a liquid egg replacer like Just Egg.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla bean paste can be used instead, but use half the amount since it’s more concentrated.
- Pumpkin spice – If you’re out, you can make your own with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. A common ratio is 3 parts cinnamon, 2 parts ginger, 1 part nutmeg, and 1 part cloves.
How should I store my leftovers?
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies should be kept in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can refrigerate them for up to 1 week if you'd like them to last a bit longer. For long-term storage, freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag (with as much air removed as possible) for up to 3 months.
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Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or Hand mixer
- Scoop or large spoon
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin spice divided
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2-3 inches between each cookie. Sprinkle some pumpkin spice on the top of the cookies.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes until the edges are firm. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the sheet pan.
I love Fall baking, and these pumpkin spice cookies are on my list to make. I love the pumpkin pie spice in the cookies and sprinkled on top. These will be a huge hit here, thanks for the great recipe!
Pumpkin pie spice is arguably my favorite spice blend so I absolutely loved these. Definitely making them again soon because the first batch is already gone! 🙂
I love how the warm spices pair with the pumpkin, they’re like autumn in every bite. I can already imagine enjoying them with a cup of tea on a chilly day.
These were amazing! I’m probably going to make them all year long!
We loved these pumpkin spice cookies, the taste of autumn!