Soft Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

Photos of Soft Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

Aside from the favorite apple cider cocktail and pumpkin pie, nothing says a delicious fall snack better like a batch of soft pumpkin cookies. So we made our simple pumpkin cookies recipe from real pumpkin puree baked with a whole bunch of fall spices for a flavorful autumn snack. Converting veggies into a sweet treat to give for kids and kids at heart is a great idea. You can shape them into classic circle cookies or use a pumpkin cookie cutter for a fun-looking treat. Much like how it’s done with our spooky Halloween sugar cookies recipe!

Tips for Making Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable mixed into desserts and savory meals alike. When mixed with the right spices of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, they make the best pies, soups, and even pumpkin bisque. There’s always a better way to do cookies and cooking, all we have to do is to take the extra mile. Here, we have some handy tips in making these homemade pumpkin cookies:

Make your own pumpkin puree. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh ingredients. Give your cookies some more love and natural sweetness and let them be the best pumpkin cookies you ever made. Canned pumpkin purees will work without a problem as well.
Make sure that you strain as much liquid as you can if you’ll be using a fresh pumpkin puree. The excess liquid it contains has a tendency to make your dough runny. Natural pumpkin purees have a more natural flavor but contain more liquid than canned pumpkin purees. So we must strain out the liquids as much as possible.
Use a scoop to portion your cookie dough as they are sticky and can be messy to work with. Using a scooper also allows you to have equal sizes and amounts of servings.
Feel free to make frosting for your homemade pumpkin cookies. Cream cheese works well with the pumpkin flavor. So we suggest making some cream cheese frosting to top your spiced cookies for a creamy exterior.
Add crunchy bites to your soft pumpkin cookies. In this recipe, we added chopped walnuts. Adding whatever satisfies your sweet tooth, like chocolate chunks or chocolate chips, will be as yummy as you will definitely love it.

How To Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies

These soft pumpkin cookies have hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to get that perfect pumpkin spice flavor. It also has added crunchy walnut bites for an amazing texture. They make the best fall treat that will surely impress your family and guests.

Prep: 15 mins

Chill Time:: 1 hr 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 1 hr 35 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp brandy, rum or whiskey
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup ground allspice
½ cup ground coriander

For Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk

Instructions

Sift together all your dry ingredients together except for the sugar and set aside.
In a mixing bowl attached to a hand beater, cream the butter and both sugars together until pale and fluffy, roughly 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and liqueur of choice. Continue creaming.
Fold your flour mixture into your wet mixture until evenly incorporated.
Cover and set your dough aside in a chilled area and allow to rest for at least an hour, no more than 2 hours.
While waiting, prepare your icing. Mix all your ingredients together and transfer them to a piping bag. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Portion roughly 2-ounce cookie dough using either tablespoons or a scooper. Place these onto your lined baking sheet, inches apart from each other.
Bake for roughly 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Transfer to a cooling rack, allow cooling for a few minutes.
Pipe your icing in a zigzag pattern and allow your cookies to cool completely. Your icing will harden up by then. Serve.

Nutrition

Sugar: 63g
:
Calcium: 290mg
Calories: 588kcal
Carbohydrates: 110g
Cholesterol: 59mg
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 7g
Iron: 5mg
Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Potassium: 343mg
Protein: 7g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Sodium: 598mg
Trans Fat: 1g
Vitamin A: 5941IU
Vitamin C: 6mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Want to share your experience baking these soft pumpkin cookies or have any tips to make them even better? Join the discussion in the Baking and Desserts forum!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pumpkin rather than canned?

Yes. But as stated in our tips section, fresh pumpkin purees are runnier than canned purees. However, it has a more natural flavor. To create a natural pumpkin puree, you need to roast a small pumpkin and strain the liquids. You can use it for these old-fashioned soft pumpkin cookies. Canned pumpkin on the other hand is intended for mass production so the texture is not always the one you need. Canned pumpkin purees are steamed pumpkin along with other squashes, unlike fresh purees which are made out of roasting pumpkin alone.

Why are my pumpkin cookies flat?

Flat cookies are often caused by several possibilities. One, do not bake them on a hot cookie sheet. Second, make sure that you have the right and exact measurement of flour. There should not be too few or too many. Another one, which is more common, is when we add too soft or melted butter. Make sure that you avoid these to help your cookies rise properly.

Conclusion

These soft pumpkin cookies are better than store-bought ones. They are soft yet crunchy and packed full of pumpkin flavor to get you into the fall mood. Serve them up with some warm milk for a more tasteful afternoon snack.