These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are a serious game changer. They’re soft and chewy, hitting that perfect balance that makes each bite incredibly satisfying. The spices come together to create a warm, inviting flavor that screams fall. The real pumpkin in the dough keeps them moist and rich, while the edges have that very slight crispiness that adds a nice texture. Whether you’re sharing them at a gathering or just enjoying a few with a cup of coffee at home, these cookies are hard to resist, and perfect for embracing the season!
The Best Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These pumpkin spice cookies are the best because the use of brown butter adds incredible depth of flavor, with its nutty, caramelized notes enhancing the overall experience. Spice with a generous amount of pumpkin spice and then rolled in a pumpkin spice-sugar, these cookies don’t hold back on flavor or warmth. The cookies themselves are incredibly soft and chewy, with a texture that melts in your mouth while inviting you back for more. Combined with the warm spices, these elements create an irresistible treat that truly captures the essence of fall!
More Delicious Fall Dessert Recipes
Ingredients You Will Need for This Pumpkin Spice Cookie Recipe
Cookie Batter
Flour: We are using all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie dough. However, if you need to make this recipe gluten-free, I recommend using a 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. KING ARTHUR and CUP 4 CUP are two great options.
Baking Soda: This is a leavener that gives the cookies a little lift, creating the soft, chewy consistency we want.
Salt: Yes, salt. It’s a key component in any good cookie recipe and helps balance the flavors.
Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. Brown your butter until it’s dark, but not burnt, for the best flavor.
Sugar: We can’t have cookies without sugar! The combination of granulated and brown sugars add the perfect touch of sweetness to balance the pumpkin spice and help create the perfect soft and chewy texture.
Pumpkin Puree: the pumpkin puree is the star of the show! This recipe uses can pumpkin puree, but you can also use homemade, provided it is as thick the canned puree. Make sure you blot the pumpkin with a paper towel to absorb a lot of the moisture (I use about 4 paper towels).
Egg: We’re using a large egg to provide structure while keeping the cookies moist and chewy.
Pumpkin Spice: The star of the show! Pumpkin Spice infuses every bit of these cookies with a sweet, slightly spicy, almost smokey flavor.
Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract to add depth and a delicious vanilla flavor.
Pumpkin Spice Sugar
Granulated Sugar: This contributes to the rich, complex flavor of the cookies and provides additional moisture, which aids in getting the perfect chewy texture.
Pumpkin Spice: the pumpkin spice combines with the sugar to create the perfect topping for these cookies!
How to Make This Pumpkin Spice Cookie Recipe
Step 1. In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
Step 2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3. Make the brown butter: Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a small pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. Scrap the butter (and all the of those magical brown bits into a heat-safe bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
Step 4. In a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and browned butter, and beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5. Add the vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined. Then, add the egg. Beat until well combined.
Step 6. Next, add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet batter and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Be sure not to over mix.
Step 7. Transfer the cookie dough to a fridge and let chill for at least 60 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and obtain those brown butter, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin spice flavors (Pro tip: Allowing your dough to refrigerate for 2 hours will result in the best flavored cookie; however, 60 minutes works just fine.)
Step 8. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a nonstick baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 9. Remove your chilled dough from the refrigerator. Use a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to scoop a ball of cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough into ball and roll it into the sugar and pumpkin spice mixture. Once covered in sugar, place the cookie dough on a lined baking sheet. The dough should be about 3 inches apart. They will spread a bit.
Step 10. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the center is soft. Let the cookies rest for about 15-20 minutes or until set. I’ll be hard, but worth the wait.
Step 11. Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your cookies come out!
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- Use room temperature ingredients. Allow your egg to sit out and come to room temperature before you begin. This allows them to mix seamlessly into the dough so you don’t over-mix, which can cause dense, tough cookies.
- Blot Pumpkin. You want to absorb the moisture of the pumpkin with a paper towel to ensure you don’t have a cakey texture cookie.
- Don’t skip chilling the cookies. I know it’s hard to wait, but chilling the dough is key to achieving a bakery-worthy taste and texture. If you have time, a 2-hour chill (or overnight) is best, but 60 minutes will do.
- Avoid overbaking. Every oven is different. So, keep a close eye on your cookies, and remove them as soon as the dough is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remember, they’ll continue to bake a bit as they cool on the pan!
How to Measure Flour With Measuring Cup
- Use the Correct Measuring Cup: Use a dry measuring cup. These cups typically come in sizes like 1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc.
- Fluff the Flour: Before measuring, fluff up the flour in the bag or container using a spoon. This helps prevent compacting and ensures a more accurate measurement.
- Spoon into the Cup: Gently spoon the fluffed-up flour into the measuring cup, allowing it to pile up above the rim.
- Level Off: Use a flat edge, like the back of a knife, to level off the excess flour from the top of the measuring cup. Do this without tapping or shaking the cup to avoid settling.
Storage
These cookies last for about 4-5 days in an airtight container and the cookie dough lasts about 3 months in the freezer.
More Amazing Cookie Recipes
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sweet Potato Cookies with Marshmallow
- The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best Cinnamon Cookies Recipe
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are amazing no matter the season. They are chewy, perfectly spiced, and simply delicious. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree blotted and drained with paper towel
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Make the brown butter: Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a small pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. Scrap the butter (and all the of those magical brown bits into a heat-safe bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and brown butter, and beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined. Then, add the egg. Beat until well combined.
- Next, add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet batter and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a fridge and let chill for at least 60 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and obtain those brown butter, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin spice flavors (Pro tip: Allowing your dough to refrigerate for 2 hours will result in the best flavored cookie; however, 60 minutes works just fine.)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a nonstick baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove your chilled dough from the refrigerator. Use a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to scoop a ball of cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough into ball and roll it into the sugar and pumpkin spice mixture. Once covered in sugar, place the cookie dough on a lined baking sheet. The dough should be about 3 inches apart. They will spread a bit.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the center is soft. Let the cookies rest for about 15-20 minutes or until set. I’ll be hard, but worth the wait.
- Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your cookies come out!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Make sure you use a paper towel blot the moisture out of the pumpkin. You want it to look like a blob. I used about 4 paper towels to blot my pumpkin.
- Don’t skip chilling the cookies. I know it’s hard to wait, but chilling the dough is key to achieving a bakery-worthy taste and texture. If you have time, a 2-hour chill (or overnight) is best, but 60 minutes will do.
- Avoid over baking. Every oven is different. So, keep a close eye on your cookies, and remove them as soon as the dough is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remember, they’ll continue to bake a bit as they cool on the pan!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Jess Gaertner
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