
These Soft Pumpkin Cookies are a fall favorite around here. I think these pumpkin cookies are the perfect way to celebrate the fall season! We just recently realized we’d never shared them with you all on Lovely Little Kitchen. Time to change that, friends!
We both thought for sure they were on here somewhere… If I remember correctly, these Soft Pumpkin Cookies even won first place in a cookie baking contest at church years ago! They are loved by many, for sure.

These are probably the softest, fluffiest pumpkin cookies I’ve ever tasted. They are like little pumpkin-y pillows that melt in your mouth.
I think they probably do fall into the category of a more “cake-like” cookie, which I think some baker’s try to avoid, but to me they are so tender and light, the texture is just perfect. They are a cross between a cookie and the top half of a muffin.

I love how rolling the dough in powdered sugar gives them that crinkle cookie look, and their resemblance to a snow-covered mountain peak makes them decidedly wintery and cozy.
Sometimes the powdered sugar melts into the dough before you bake it, and won’t be as visible when they come out of the oven. You can roll them in powdered sugar twice if you’d really like to see that powdery crackle.

Does Soft Pumpkin Cookie dough need to be chilled?
The dough for Soft Pumpkin Cookies will be pretty sticky. If you have a cookie dough scoop, you may be able to unload the dough straight from the scoop into the powdered sugar so you don’t have to roll them in your hands. Chilling the dough will help, but they are a little messy, as are most good things!
Can I use fresh pumpkin rather than canned?
Some of us love the convenience of keeping a can of pumpkin puree in the pantry and pulling it out to make Soft Pumpkin Cookies, or the Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins when the craving strikes. But it you have fresh pumpkins available to roast and use in your baking, this is a great recipe to try. This is the easiest way to roast a pumpkin. Sometimes a freshly roasted pumpkin will have more liquid than a can, so make sure you strain out as much of the liquid as possible. You can set the pumpkin puree in a fine mesh stainer over a bowl for a few hours to catch the drips.
What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
A can of pumpkin puree will only list pumpkin for the ingredients. Look for 100% pure pumpkin puree on the front of the label. Pumpkin pie filling is often right next to the pumpkin puree on the grocery store shelf and looks similar but is a very different ingredient. It is already spiced and much sweeter. Because of this they are not interchangeable in recipes.
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Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 32 mins
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup pure pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick baking spray.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat granulated sugar and butter with mixer on medium high speed, then blend in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until incorporated.
- Gradually mix in flour and dry ingredients. Refrigerate dough for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Scoop dough into one inch balls. Roll in powder sugar, place dough balls on baking sheet (12 per sheet) and bake for 11-13 minutes.
- Remove from baking sheet to a cooling rack. When completely cool, store cookies in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 103
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 101mg
- Fat: 2.8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
cathyburrrows says
Love the pumpkin coolie receipe! Thank you!
Julie says
Glad to hear that Cathy!
Kathy says
Can you omit the cinnamon? I have someone who is allergic to cinnamon.
Molly says
I’m not the original poster, but you can definitely omit the cinnamon. I’d probably substitute it with another fall spice because that’s what really brings out the pumpkin flavor, but you don’t have to. It shouldn’t effect the outcome besides that 🙂
★★★★★
Margaret Plunk says
Substitute allspice for cinnamon.
Dee says
all spice is a mixture of spices- the main ingredient being cinnamon…
Lauren says
Allspice does not contain cinnamon. Allspice is a dried berry from a tropical tree. Just wanted to clarify the person below is wrong.
Julie says
Thank you, Lauren. I never knew that!
Emily says
I’ve made this twice now and both times turned out fabulously! Everyone who has tried them has loved them, thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you, Emily! So glad everyone loved them.
Pete says
I take them to work with me and I don’t understand why the place looks smaller, ha! They all love them and so do I. Thank you for sharing…
Catherine Fuqua Forbes says
This was so delish! My neighbors and I enjoyed them so much!
Julie says
Wonderful, thank you for leaving me a sweet comment to let me know!
Wendy says
Can you put nuts in them
Julie says
I have never added nuts to these cookies, but I don’t see why you couldn’t? Maybe a 1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts? Let me know what you think if you try it.
Emily says
These turned out great. I added 1/2 teaspoon on pumpkin pie spice and it made these extra good
Anita Saenz says
What size can of pumpkin
Julie says
Usually the cans of pumpkin puree are about 15 ounces, but this recipe calls for one cup so you will not use the whole can. Leftovers can be frozen in a ziplock bag for later.
Vanessa says
Made these but instead of rolling then in powdered sugar, I rolled in granulated sugar. When they were done cooking, I pushed a white chocolate Hershey “hug” on to the top(similar to peanut butter blossom cookies). So good!
★★★★★
Christine L. says
Such a great recipe!
After chilling the dough for 3 hours, it was still very sticky. It was a bit tricky to roll in the powdered sugar, any suggestions?
★★★★★
Marissa says
I had the same problem. For stickier batters I freeze my dough for a little bit so it stiffens up. I also spray my hands with a little bit of pan spray for when I’m rolling my cookie balls to help keep the dough from sticking too much. Hope this helps. 🙂
Gina says
Something I did was spoon it on the pan like dumpli gs, then sift the powdered sugar on top
Vera Moore says
I am making them now, and I just spray my hands with a bit of cooking oil. Helps a lot! I do the same when I make my chocolate crackle cookies , so figured it would work for this just the same 🙂
Julie says
Great tip, thank you!
Alyssa Armstrong says
Would this dough be safe to refrigerate overnight if covered?
Julie says
Yes, absolutely! Enjoy!
Stephanie says
I just made these and they are sooo good and soft. My whole family can’t stop eating them!
Julie says
Haha! We know the feeling! So glad to hear that!
Rosa says
Do you add the powdered sugar to the recipe or only to roll the dough in?
Julie says
Hi Rosa,
The granulated sugar goes in the cookie dough, and the powdered sugar is for rolling. Thanks for your question!
Tonya says
Do you have to roll them in powered sugar?
Helena says
No, you don’t have to roll them in the powdered sugar. When I make my cookies, I don’t roll them in powdered sugar and they still taste great!
Zachary Mathis says
Oough that’s not very clear. It says to “add sugar” while mixing and ingredients include 1 cup of powdered sugar. If powdered is just for rolling, it might be helpful to say mix “granulated sugar” or in the list of ingredients just say powdered sugar for rolling instead of specifically 1 cup powdered. For us baking newbies lol
★★★★
Julie says
Thanks for that feedback! I clarified “granulated sugar” in the recipe instructions, so hopefully it is more clear now.
Brittany says
I have learned that recipes usually list the ingredients in order, so if since powdered sugar is listed last (and not immediately after granulated sugar) you could assume that you wouldn’t use it until the end of the recipe
★★★★★
Rosa says
Hi. Made these cookies tonight. I mistakenly added an entire 15 oz can of pumpkin and made them anyway. I also spooned bigger than an inch but still got over 36 cookies. They taste a bit doughy. Help!
Diane says
Hi. I did the same thing. One can is double the pumpkin called for in this recipe so just double the other ingredients and they turn out delicious!
★★★★★
Michelle says
These are so good, but you should really add the chilling time to the total time. Every time I make these, I forget about that and think it will only take me 40 minutes or so.
★★★★
Sharon says
I only chilled for 3 minutes and kept dipping my hands in the flour to roll the dough. Sprinkled with powdered sugar . They came out great!
★★★★★
Marilyn says
I made these with flax eggs and vegan soft margerine. I also added craisns .They came out so good. They raised a lot so next time I will spoon out a bit smaller cookies. I did not roll out but sprinkled powdered sugar on top. Great recipe!
Lisette says
They came out really good… round, soft and delicious!
I lessened the granulated sugar to 1 and 1/4 cups and probably could have lessened to 1 cup. If you like a little less sweet, do that!
★★★★★
Daniela says
Hi julie! Can I freeze the dough?? If I could, for how long can I leave it in the freezer? Thanks! By the way I used oatmeal flour instead and still the recipe is delicious!
Julie says
Yes you can! I’d say 3 months is a safe bet.
MJ says
I used Organic All purpose Gluten Free Baking Mix my Puppy Loved them. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Amy says
Delicious!!!!! And easy to make. Didn’t like having tonwait 3-4 hours for the dough to chill but they are worth it!! Highly recommend using a scoop and just dumping them into a container of powedered sugar. Thanks!!!
AB says
I tossed mine in the freezer for 30 minutes and put the bowl back in while one batch baked.
★★★★
Julie says
Thank you for the tip!
Scott S says
It was delightfully fluffy, almost like eating a pumpkin flavored cloud covered in sugar!
I made it gluten free and halved everything but the egg and it turned out great!
★★★★★
Chris says
Everyone in my large family loved this recipe, even the hard to please.
Julie says
Wonderful Chris! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Sylvia Hurtado says
What size can of pumpkin?
Julie says
Hi Sylvia – the recipe calls for one cup of pure pumpkin. I buy a 15 ounce can and freeze the leftovers for another use.
Jen says
My dogs enjoy the leftover pumpkin mixed in with their food!
Julie says
Good idea, Jen!
Valerie says
I made these and they are very good! The taste just like Panera Bread’s muffins which I love. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Julie says
Thanks Valerie!
Samira says
Hey is that raw pumpkin or kinda cooked?
Julie says
Hi, this recipe uses pumpkin from a can, which is raw. Hope you enjoy!
Cami says
Canned pumpkin is cooked in the canning process. It is not raw.
Laura says
I use raw pumpkin (from my garden), it works perfectly fine
★★★★★
Caryn says
Yummy cookies. Thanks for the recipe. I promised my son we would bake pumpkin cookies today then realized I didn’t have nutmeg. We used a half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & allspice) instead. They were delicious. We rolled some of the cookies in just powdered sugar and some in powdered sugar mixed with cinnamon. Both were delicious.
★★★★★
Samantha says
Great cookies! In Utah 14 minutes is the idea cooking time, 12 was good but they had to set for a few hours until you could pick them up. Will make again.
Julie says
Thanks Samantha! Glad you enjoyed them.
Kimi says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made them a few weeks ago and they turned out perfectly and tasted wonderful!! MY 21 year old son absolutely loved them as well. I’m make another batch of them today. Thx
Adam says
I am making these tonight, what # cookie scoop did you use?
Julie says
My cookie scoops aren’t labeled but that would be nice if they were! As long as you make the dough balls about 1 inch around you should be good. Hope you enjoy!
Adam says
Thanks! Normally it says it on the part that moves through the bottom of the scoop if you press it halfway you can see it.
Julie says
Oh nice, thanks I see it now! Mine says #50. Learned something new!
Adam says
You’re welcome, glad to help!!! I just did some calculations and figured out that each cookie is about 1 ounce of dough for 36 cookies.
Dawn says
Gonna point out a little silly flaw in your steps.
I am preheating my oven after they sit in the fridge for a few hours. Rather than at the beginning and letting it sit for 3 to 4 hours. <3
They are sitting in the fridge now and i'm excited to try them. 😀
My only worry is that I am high altitude and I worry my calculations changes wont work out.
Julie says
Oh goodness, I see what you mean. 3-4 hours is definitely too long to let the oven preheat! Thanks for pointing that out. I hope they work out for you even with the altitude.
Upsetatdumbpeople says
How are you going to say total time 32 minutes but then say put in fridge for 3-4 hours… Gotta love it when people do this.
Marilyn says
I made these for a fundraiser. The chilling helps but they still are sticky, so for the second batch I just dropped onto cookie sheets and sprinkled the powdered sugar on top. Still got the crackle appearance but not they aren’t as uniform. Still taste good. I’m sure they’ll be a hit.
Julie says
Hi Marilyn, sounds like your batch of dough could have used a bit more flour, but yes the dough is a bit sticky. I think that sticky dough makes the cookies very tender though. Good luck with your fundraiser and thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!
Melanie says
Can you add chocolate chips to this recipe?
Julie says
Sure, maybe 1 or 1/2 cups?
Laurie says
Just made these – YUM! We love these in Florida!!!!!
Julie says
Thanks Laurie!
ellen says
Hi
I need to make this for tomorrow’s bake me something for my son’s school activity.
I have all the ingredients except nutmeg. Can I do without it? Or do you have a substitute for it.
Would highly appreciate your prompt reply. Just sort of urgent(sorry)
Thank you in advance!
Julie says
Ellen, they will be fine without the nutmeg. Sorry if I didn’t get to your question in time!
Katie says
Oh shoot. My dough is currently in the fridge but i accidentally blended in the powdered sugar instead of rolling it. Do you think they will still come out okay?
Julie says
Oh man, that sounds like something I would do… I think they will still be fine!
Arpi says
These cookies were so delicious and soft! Thank you for sharing the recipe. My husband who doesnt usually eat sweets had so many I lost count.
Carol says
Hi. Do I use a 1/2 of stick of butter or a 1/2 cup which is 1 stick? Thanks.
Julie says
Carol, use 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick). Enjoy!
Jane Hume says
Had pumpkin left over from a pumpkin mousse I made for Thanksgiving. Found this recipe. The cookies are delicious and keep well in a well sealed container. Absolutely worthwhile. Will definitely make them again.
Julie says
So glad you loved them Jane, thank you!
Gail says
Only have pumpkin pie filling. Can I eliminate the spices and use this with perhaps a bit more flour ?
Gail says
Only have pumpkin pie filling. Can I eliminate spices and use this
Julie says
Gail, you could try that, but I’m not sure how it would work out since I really haven’t had the chance to test it out.
Victoria says
I am vegan and want to try an egg replacer. Any suggestions? Will the recipe still work do you think?
Jim says
I use Greek yogurt instead of egg — a little less than 1/8 cup. It worked great.
★★★★★
Dina Chandler says
Do you know the nutritional value for these cookies. They sound yummy. Going to try them tomorrow
Julie says
Sorry, Dina, I do not. Hope you enjoy!
Erica L says
Wow!! This recipe is spot on. K knew the moment i tasted the dough they were going to be amazing. Then when i tasted one fresh out the oven, it was like heaven on earth! Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Susan Bollinger says
I have made these cookies several times. If you are a fan of pumpkin bread, these cookies are for you. I am looking forward to surprising my daughter with the cookies. She associates the bread with the holidays and now she can enjoy the taste year round. Thank you for sharing with us.
Mary says
Very good will definitely make it again and again
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much Mary!
Nicole Daneault says
Made these and they turned out delicious! The powdered sugar didn’t really stick on too well and they didn’t get that crackle appearance like the photo. But still tasted great!
★★★★
Julie says
Thanks Nicole!
Erica says
I was distracted by my 3 year old and added the sugar to the dry ingredients instead of mixing it with the butter. I hope they still turn out! Fingers crossed!
Julie says
I know that feeling! I bet they will still be just fine. Enjoy!
Erica says
They are still delicious! Great recipe!
C.cookie says
So ya know how there is always that dessert during the holidays that is a habitual must?? Like, maybe,pumpkin pie. Well that particular dessert is not one of them for us. In fact my hubby and I kinda don’t like pumpkin anything (‘cept for Halloween yard decor). HOWEVER, this cookie recipe….OMG and Great Balls of Fire!! We are still wondering why if we don’t like pumpkin pie we love this. I only bothered with this recipe because of upcoming fall festivities and wanted to test it on others. While making the dough I, out of habit, licked the spoon and yumm-ohhhhh!
The only issue I had was how sticky it was to roll into a ball. I moistened my hands which helped, then I rolled it in pwdr sugar. Not sure if i messed up somewhere or if that was to be expected. No matter, it came out so delicious. With a texture like an actual muffins top. I shared it with my husband’s co-workers. It was new to them and they couldn’t get enough. Thanks for sharing what now is my go to holiday cookie!!!
★★★★★
Julie says
I’m so glad you liked them!
Pamela says
Can you add pumpkin spice chips to it?
Julie says
You can, but those might make them too sweet in my opinion.
Dorothy says
Do these go well with icing? What type of icing should I use?
Pat says
These cookies are great. They do stay soft and are not too strong with pumpkin flavor.
Julie says
I’m glad you like them, Pat.
Ronda Morales says
This is by far the best cookie recipe. So soft and fluffy. Absolutely delicious….
★★★★★
Diane K (foodieforpeace) says
I made this recipe as written. Loved the crunch from the sugar coating. I don’t know what I did wrong but it made about 5 dozen. I started with 1″ but wound up going to at least 1 1/2″. Keeping the dough in the fridge was a good idea.
★★★★
Stephanie says
Just made these for a fall dinner party. So delicious. They fill the house with a delicious spiced pumpkin smell as they bake. The perfect autumn treat! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Rebecca says
So soft and light! Wonderful recipe!!
★★★★★
Kelley says
Wow – These cookies are perfect! Thanks so much for sharing.
★★★★★
Maria says
Hi, have you ever tried using just granulated sugar (no powdered) and did it turn out okay? My friend and I suddenly decided to make some cookies and we wanted to know how to adjust the measurements if we only use granulated.
Mariam says
Absolutely tasty cookies.My children asked me to make more the next day 😊
★★★★★
jnine says
made these yesterday and added choc chips to half the recipe they were instant gone lol they are super good with or without choc chips. Excellent recipe and making another batch tonight.
★★★★★
Lacey Chamberlain says
Could I use almond flour as a gf substitute??
stellina says
the most wonderfully delicious melt in your mouth cookie recipe. my family and my friends could not get enough.
★★★★★
Amy says
Do you use pumpkin that you scoop out of an actual pumpkin or from a can?
Julie says
I use canned pumpkin purée
Missy says
For future reference- You can make your own pumpkin puree. Just cut a small pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds. Place in a glass pan face down with a little bit of water. Then put in the microwave for 12 minutes. Scoop out and blend! Better than a can every time
Karen says
Can you freeze the cookies?
Julie says
You can, but as they thaw the powdered sugar coating will be absorbed into the cookie.
Debra says
I read through the comments but didn’t see anyone ask about using real pumpkin. I’ve never baked pie or muffins or anything with canned pumpkin. I want to make cookies for a church event. What do you think? Have you tried using cooked real pumpkin?
Debra says
I tried it with real pumpkin and the cookies are awesome!!
Julie says
Wonderful, thank you!
Lisa says
HI ! I was wondering can I use coconut flour instead ?
Julie says
I haven’t tried it before do not sure. Let me know how it goes.
Dee 10/26/18 says
Soft Pumpkin Cookie recipe – does this recipe work using gluten free flour mix.
Also instead of greased parchment would the cookies peel cooled from a silpat.
Thanks
Julie says
I haven’t tried a gluten free mix, but it should be fine on Silpat. Hope you enjoy!
Kathy says
Can you omit the cinnamon? I have someone who is allergic to cinnamon.
Renee Ondrajka says
Amazing cookies. I’m pretty particular in my cookies and these pads the test! Thanks for sharing.
dimitry says
It’s amazing! I made these cookies and put some cream cheese frosting in them and they tasted really good.
★★★★★
Vigil says
Does the dough need to be refrigerated?
Julie says
Yes, the dough should be chilled for 3-4 hours or it may be too sticky to shape into dough balls.
Jerrica says
The best pumpkin cookie we have ever made! Hands down the best. Thank you!
★★★★★
Julie says
You are so welcome! Glad you loved them too.
Michelle says
I made this for my Chinese students for Halloween and they loved them (and Chinese people are hard to please with desserts since they don’t typically like sweet things). I made them a bit spicier, adding half a teaspoon of ginger and a quarter teaspoon of cloves so they would have that pumpkin pie taste. I also used caster sugar for rolling instead of powdered sugar, since powdered is hard to find in China, and I sprinkled some cinnamon in with it. They turned out delicious! I do think you get a slightly bigger batch if you make your pumpkin puree from scratch, but I wouldn’t say that was a problem. 😁
★★★★★
Julie says
So interesting! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me a note.
Donna says
I just made these last night an accidentally used gluten-free flour. They turned out fantastic! Super moist and flavorful! Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
That’s great! Thanks!
Alicia says
I just made these last night and they are pretty yummy. The dough was pretty sticky and hard to work with, so my cookies are lopsided and not quite all the same size. Also, the powdered sugar didn’t quite keep on some of them, looks it melted in on others. They are a tad sweet for me, but everyone at works loves them! The pain in the buttedness of the dough is the only reason I may hesitate before making them again.
★★★★
Tracy says
So I just made these today, and they are yummyyyyy! I didn’t have parchment so scraping them off the cookie sheet was a little tricky, but not really a big deal. I love the combo of a little crunch and the softness of the cookie! I did add a little pumpkin spice to the batter because we just love that flavor. I scooped the dough in my little dough scooper like in the video ,and dropped the dough right into the powdered sugar and once it got a little covered, just rolled them in that a bit and took them out and put them right on the cookie sheet. Not so messy that way. I will make these again for all the kids coming in for TG!! Yum!
★★★★★
Jeannie says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Julie says
I usually bake with salted butter just because I always have it on hand. Someday I might be a real baker and stock up on unsalted. 🙂
Jeannie says
Thanks for replying so quickly! Can’t wait to see how these turn out!
Miemie says
Great recipe, tastes great, but I think you should include the refrigerating time in the prep time, because it was a little misleading. Thanks!
★★★★★
suzanne says
Made these yesterday and they’ve grown on me – enough to make again. I would increase the cinnamon, add a little ginger and reduce the nutmeg (or maybe i grated in too much nutmeg and that’s all I tasted). But the texture is truly ‘cloud-like’, so soft and squishy they are addictive! I chilled for 10 min and really, they weren’t that hard to roll. Made 50 cookies.
★★★★
Lea-anne says
Hi, sounds amazing. Do you perhaps have a gluten free sugar free alternative? Thanks Lea-anne
Julie says
No I don’t, sorry.
Dina Grimes says
These cookies are so delicious! Fluffy pillows from heaven.
★★★★★
Christa says
Make sure to dip only the top of the cookie in powdered sugar, the bottom of mine burned black after 10 minutes and I think it might be because it had the sugar on the bottom too? 🙁
Cindy McFarland says
OMG This is by far one of the best tasting cookies I have ever made. I added one cup of coconut to the mix and heavily rolled them in the sugar. Talk about melt in your mouth! What a great flavor and texture. Baking for 12 minutes was perfect. I used parchment paper and the bottoms stayed a nice color. I also used 1 cup of blue hubbard squash from my garden instead of pumpkin. You can’t tell the difference. A++++ recipe!!
★★★★★
Julie says
Cindy, I love that you used squash you grew in your own garden to make these! How wonderful. I bet they tasted amazing!
Stephanie says
Mine tasted amazing but they were more muffin textured than cookie….. Did I do something wrong? I thought I followed the recipe correctly….
Tina says
You didn’t put what temperature to bake these on this would be very helpful to know.
Julie says
Instruction number 5 says preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Jamie says
My dough is in the fridge now but I just realized I used the whole 15 oz can of pumpkin instead of a cup! What should I do?
Julie says
Hmm… not sure! You can either give them a try as they are, or add a little more flour to thicken the dough… or double all the rest of the ingredients. Sorry I’m not more help.
Jennifer says
These cookies are Amazing!!!!!!!!! First time through and they came out perfect. Making a new batch this morning 🙂
Julie says
So glad! Happy Thanksgiving, Jennifer!
Barbara says
I did not chill the dough to this recipe. I have a small scoop so I just dropped the dough one at a time into the powdered sugar and swirled the bowl around until the dough was covered, then gently placed it on the cookie sheet. Came out perfect.
★★★★★
Mary says
I made a couple of modifications, using whole wheat pastry flour and reducing the sugar to 1 cup. They turned out perfectly, very light and delicious. Great way to get more vegetables! 🙂
★★★★★
Anthony Allen says
Amazing recipe and looks great!!!Thank you for sharing! can’t wait to try it at home and report back with my results!
★★★★★
Anna says
These were so awesome! Such a hit and I loooove the cake-style cookie. In fact, I am wondering what I can sub out the pumpkin with to still get the same texture result but maybe for a different season? Also seems like not everyone is a pumpkin fan (weird…I know) so just curious! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much Anna. Interesting question about what to sub to get the cake like texture in a cookie without pumpkin flavor. Cream cheese comes to mind! I don’t think you would sub ounce for ounce, but adding cream cheese to a cookie will definitely make them more cake like in texture. Hope this is helpful!
sanchez says
My grandma make pumpkin cookies every Halloween season, this kind of cake makes me miss her so much. I pinned, and surely will make it later! Thank you Julie!
★★★★★
Julie says
I’m glad the cookies brought back happy memories for you. Thank you for letting me know that the recipe worked well for you. Happy December!
Alexandra says
Can this same recipe be used to make pumpkin bread? Everything seems the same, right?
Julie says
I haven’t made this recipe into a bread, but I do have a recipe for Pumpkin Bread that I love… Here is a link:
https://lovelylittlekitchen.com/easy-pumpkin-bread/
Judy says
I made these for the 1st time today. I used steamed and pureed home grown pumpkin. They were baking really nice, so to the last half of the dough I decided to try some cinnamon chips in them. The 1st half was rolled in powder sugar. Loved them. Of course I went 1 step more and made a glaze using mascarpone cheese (I used all my cream cheese in pumpkin cheese cake bars) a little powder sugar and a few drops of milk. And lightly drizzled it over the cookies. Results AMAZING. Making these again with the 3 different variations and taking them to work.
★★★★★
Julie says
I love how you think, Judy! Thanks for all the great ideas!
Tory Graham says
My husband loved these. He has requested that I bake them in muffin tins for his birthday breakfast in a couple days. I doubled the batch and froze half when I first made them, he thought they were almost better weeks later. This will be a regular November bake for me, thank you!
★★★★★
Vanessa says
These are not only EASY TO MAKE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO VERY YUMMY! This is my quick & easy go to receipe. Ive tried these with and without chilling the dough. They come out AMAZING either way!! I love adding sun dried cranberries!!
Thank You FOR SHARING!!
★★★★★
Stephanie says
Great recipe! SO light and fluffy. It’s possible I almost ate the entire test batch………
Hilery says
I was looking for a pumpkin recipe and found this one and then I saw your picture and we went to college together. Small world nice to see pictures of you And your family. I tried the recipie and somehow missed the cinnamon and they are still amazing. My family already said that this is a keeper recipe. So now I will look forward to having them next time with cinnamon.
Julie says
Hi Hilery! That’s so funny that you stumbled upon my blog and remembered me. Thanks for saying hello, and I’m so glad your family enjoyed the cookies.
Lisa@eatfrysmith says
Thanks for sharing! cant wait to try it
Shyloa says
I bake a lot but i dont usually bake a lot of pumpkin things and was wondering if there is a difference between pure pumpkin and puree pumpkin and will it matter if substituted with the other?
Maureen says
I followed the recipe and added white chocolate chips. Soo good!
★★★★★
Sonia says
This is the perfect recipe! I made a double batch, which yielded 120 cookies (I must have scooped them smaller), took half of them to work and everyone loved them. They’re so light and fluffy, like little pillows! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Tawn Roddey says
Made these today. They are Amazing! I doubled the receipe and made them about 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls to save time. This required me to cook them for 15-17 minutes but they turned out perfect! Thanks for a new Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner go to cookie for my huge family! Bravo!
★★★★★
Tawn Roddey says
I forgot to mention i put this double batch in the freezer for one hour. The dough was stiff enough to work with. To combat the sticky dough as it warmed, i used the powdered sugar to dust my hands before forming the balls. Again an awesome receipe !
★★★★★
Julie says
Great tips, so glad you like them!
habitat says
Pumpkin Cookies are great! It’s really attractive, from color to taste, everything is perfect, and I really like it. I don’t think it’s so easy to do it. Thanks for your recipe
★★★★★
Jill says
Awesome recipe!!! I have made these at least ten times since December. So soft and moist…melt in your mouth kinda cookie.
★★★★★
Julie says
I’m so glad you love these as much as we do, Jill!
blog@lasesana says
It sounds new for me, I like cookies and make them sometimes to have as snack. I haven’t tried soft cookies, even pumpkin flavor, thanks for sharing.
Claire says
I was too impatient to put it in the freezer so i spread it out in a pan and baked. It turned into the most delicious and fluffy pumpkin cake I have EVER had. I am in love ❤
Julie says
Well now I’m going to have to try that! Glad it turned out so well for you.
Lory says
What can i use instead of sugar in the dough? I want to make this for my son who is 17 months !
Tess says
Two things:
1. I made these last week and they tasted rly good but the powdered sugar dissolved on them before I even put them in the oven! So when they came out it was kind of like a thin layer of glaze on top. (Which wasn’t bad but not as pretty as the pictures) So do i need to put more on next time?
2. Can I bake these and freeze them for like a week and then defrost and eat?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Elisa says
I made this recipe and it turned out amazing. Definitely a keeper. My daughter accidentally mixed in the powdered sugar, so I didn’t roll them in more, and they still turned out ok.
★★★★
Julie says
But isn’t cooking with kids the best? So glad they worked out for you! Thank you for your comment. Happy fall!
Lesley says
Perfect fall recipe and beyond easy!!! Came out exactly as pictured and tastes as heavenly as it looks 😉
★★★★★
Julie says
So glad you enjoyed these, Lesley!
Linda Burke says
I made these cookies today. They were flavorful, soft and delicious! My husband enjoyed them. I will make them again. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Williams says
I love to cook. I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, Soft Pumpkin Cookies is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like that. Thanks for your sharing
★★★★★
Melissa says
What is the purpose you add cinnamon. because cinnamon tastes spicy. In addition, pure pumpkin is powder or fresh pumpkin. Hope you don’t mind answering
★★★★★
Suzanne says
These look so good! The texture makes such a big difference!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
folksmith says
For some reason my batter never set up. It was a little soft making it not easy to roll in your hands. I left it in the fridge for way over the amount of time you were suppose to. I made these before, and everyone loved them, I just don’t remember them being that soft to roll in the powder sugar. I only used 1 cup of pumpkin. I will make them again for Christmas and see what happens. Thanks for the recipe.
Donna says
This recipe looks delicious. Do you know if substituting dark or light brown sugar for the 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar would work, and would the same amount be used?
Additionally, are there any adjustments needed for high-altitude baking? I live at 6,000 feet.
Julie says
Hi Donna, either type of brown sugar will be fine. I don’t have a lot of experience with high altitudes baking, but this chart is helpful. Enjoy! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Erika says
Can I freeze the dough and bake them another day?
Dwayne Marquez says
Is there any difference in the recipe for high altitude ,just wondering ,thank u
★★★★★
Julie says
I haven’t tested this recipe in high altitude so I’m not sure, but this chart might be helpful for you. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
AndreaG says
I just made these cookies for the first time … and they are delicious & beautiful! I made several changes, and they turned out great. I rarely, if ever, use more than half the sugar called for in baking recipes. I only used a 1/2 cup of (organic cane) sugar. I also used way more spices: 1 Tbsp cinnamon & 2 tsp ginger & 1 tsp nutmeg. I also used a gluten-free baking mix (Cloud 9). Once the balls were formed, I rolled them in a special mix of 1/4 cup (organic cane) sugar with 1/2 cup hemp seeds & the spices (same as those I added to the cookie batter). Wow!
Julie says
Thank you for letting me know how they turned out. So glad you enjoyed!
Jess H says
Oh no i added the powdered sugar into the dough because it said to mix the sugar 🙁
Can you add a note next to the powdered sugar that says it’s only for rolling?
Julie says
Yes, I will do that. Thank you for your comment, and I hope you still enjoyed!
Laura Powell says
Wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
Caroline says
These cookies are REALLY good! My husband says they are his favorite cookie and he is not a big fan of pumpkin. Every time I make these cookies they are a hit. Thank you!!
Kelley says
My sister recommended this recipe and I made them with a gluten free flour mix and they were really delicious. They were a hit at the event I brought them to tonight.
Kathy says
Way too sticky. They taste good, but I will be looking for a different recipe to save. The amount of time it takes to get them off your hands is frustrating.
★★★
Thea says
Julie, these look and sound delicious! Before I “play around with the recipe” thought I’d check if you or any of your followers have tried this. I would like to healthy them up a little for a diabetic friend. I am going to use coconut sugar, try 1/4 c coconut oil & 1/4 c butter and sub some flour for almond flour. Thoughts?
Bobbi Smith says
I make these often, I’ve played around with recipe and I think the best add was mini semi sweet choc chip morsels.
★★★★★
Beth Wiwad says
I made a pumpkin cake and had enough pumpkin leftover for something else. I googled cookie recipes and found this one. The dough is chilling, can’t wait to try them!
Beth Wiwad says
Love them! Much easier to work with if you put the dough in the freezer, recipe is definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Julie says
Good tip, Beth, thank you!
Thomas James says
Look yummy! One of my favorite Soft Pumpkin Cookies, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much!
ryan says
Mine turned out really good but I have a few left over. I already put them in an airtight container. Is it best to put them on the refrigerator or leave them out?
★★★★★
Julie says
I find they get a little sticky, but I don’t mind.
neal says
Great cookies! Made three mods: reduced sugar by 50% (3/4c granulated instead of 1.5c), omitted salt, and used turbinado sugar rather than powered sugar (and 1/4 cup at most). Also, did not chill the batter before forming into blobs. Used two spoons to form blob and dip the top in the sugar. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Selma Svitak says
They tasted so good and were so easy to make! I will definitely make these again! Everyone at work loved them!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you, Selma!
Josiel Sousa says
Hi. 2 1/2 cups of sugar? At fisrt I thought the powder sugar had an specific direction. Apparently it goes all together in the mix. It’s too much. Half if this does the job.
Donda says
what is the purpose of cinnamon? Can I replace it with another material?
★★★★★
Lisa says
Great guide! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you
★★★★★
Julie says
So glad, thanks Lisa!
Shireen says
I’ve made these cookies twice now and they turn out well but just a bit gummy. The first time I thought I’d mixed the batter too much hence the gummy texture but my second attempt wasn’t any better. What could I be doing wrong? (I used homemade pumpkin puree both times, roasted pumpkin slices till they softened and then pureed them)
Melissa says
Definitely a cloud of pumpkin fall or even Christmas cookies. Loved them but I wonder if I should keep them out over night or store them in the fridge to keep their freshness?
★★★★★
Julie says
I’m glad you liked them! We keep them out at room temperature, but they may stay fresh longer in the fridge.
Rivermarket Kitchen says
Looks great! The recipe is quite simple and easy to prepare, added to the menu for this weekend. Hope to enjoy the best Soft Pumpkin Cookies with my family. Thanks and have a nice day!
★★★★★
Julie says
Hope you all enjoy, thanks so much!
Laura says
These cookies were AMAZING!!!! Perfect texture, delicious taste! I could eat the whole dang batch.
Quick question, has anyone attempted a sugar free version? I adore these but I’m also diabetic lol! Soooo need to be careful with the sugar content.
★★★★★
Margie says
I use Greek yogurt instead of egg — a little less than 1/8 cup. It worked great.
★★★★★
Jana says
I needed to use a can of pumpkin pie purée, so I tried it with a few adjustments. They turned out absolutely delicious! I used the full can of pumpkin pie purée and didn’t add any granulated sugar at all, but coated the cookies well in the powdered sugar before putting them in the oven. All other measurements, including the cinnamon and nutmeg, stayed the same as your recipe. They came out like a delicious puffy muffin top- not too sweet. I’m not sure how it compares to the original, but these are some of the best cookies I’ve made. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Hayley Johnston says
About to make this recipe for the 6th time made it for a yard sale and people were asking about the recipe offering to pay for it even (I quickly showed them this sight). I have also made it for friends and family who can’t stop talking about how good it is. I plan on trying a vegan version of this recipe and can’t wait to see if it works out.
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! So glad they are a hit!
Kathy says
Delicious! I was pressed for time so instead of draining my pumpkin puree, I threw a handful of dried currants into the batter to suck up any extra moisture. I put the batter in the freezer for one hour instead of the fridge for 3. The recipe is very forgiving.
★★★★★
Julie says
Yes, I agree – so many LLK bakers have adapted it to their own preferences and it always seems to work well! Thanks for letting me know how yours turned out!
Debbie Whittington says
Everyone loved this recipe!! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Julie says
I’m so glad Debbie, thanks for letting me know!
Donna says
Do you use unsalted butter or salted butter for this recipe thank you.
Julie says
Hi Donna, I used salted butter for this recipe. Enjoy!
Donna says
Thank you.
Beryl says
Oh, wow! They are really amazing! I made simple, with chocolate chips and walnuts. Good with coffee or milk. Thank you
★★★★★
Cindy says
These are delicious – a new fall tradition. Thank you!
★★★★★
phx cooks says
Amazing food. I like your recipe. It is so easy and good. These were amazing! So nutty and moist, delicious! I made them today, even though I was a little skeptical. Great. I’ve had THREE so far… I’ve put some in the freezer but something tells me they won’t stay there that long. Thanks.
★★★★★
Julie says
Best cookies ever! We catch ourselves eating way too many! Love the light sweetness and fluffiness. My boys don’t usually like pumpkin flavored anything, but there is something about these cookies that won them over immediately! Thank you for a perfect recipe. I roasted some sugar pumpkins and used that purée and it turned out great. I also chilled the dough in the freezer like you suggested and they were pretty easy to roll into balls. This is a new staple in my cookie repertoire!
★★★★★
Jeanne Spaulding says
These were really good!! I posted a picture on my IG! I will make these again.
★★★★★
Simran says
I made this recipe yesterday, and it turned out wonderfully! The cookies taste sweet, with a pleasant mix of spices and a hint of the bitter aftertaste of pumpkin. Describing them as a cross between a cookie and a muffin is accurate, since they’re very fluffy. They go nicely with a cup of coffee!
I made a few minor changes to the procedure. Instead of leaving the dough in the fridge for a few hours, I put it in the freezer for one hour to save time. It was still relatively sticky, but it was manageable since I worked quickly. I used an ice-cream scoop to shape the cookies. I also made the cookies a bit bigger, so they needed to be baked for about 15-20 minutes. I also sprinkled icing sugar on the top (before baking, and also after) instead of rolling the cookies in it.
A really great recipe! I will definitely be making these again for the fall season!
★★★★★
pascale villeneuve says
The are absolutely divine… omg…. the best cookies ever! They taste like heaven!!
★★★★★
Donna Stevenson says
I wanted tea and a quick cookie, using the leftover canned pumpkin from another baking item. I halved the recipe since that’s about how much pumpkin I had. I used a borrowed bowl-lift stand mixer, something I’ve never had a chance to try before. OMG, I just threw all the ingredients into the bowl and presto, cookie dough. I used a couple of spoons to scrape the dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets. No time to refridgerate — Into the oven, and 11 minutes later, pulled them out. (I did cut the sugar down somewhat, as I must watch my glucose intake – still perfectly sweet enough.) It drew my husband and son into the kitchen with the wafting cookie baking aroma.
Delicious! Thanks!
★★★★★
Aryn says
Do the baked cookies freeze well?
Julie says
The powdered sugar will melt into the cookie, but they still taste great!
Ali says
Best pumpkin cookies ever!!!
★★★★★
Pafr says
I reduced sugar to 1c, used half whole wheat flour, half unbleached, added 1/2t ground ginger, 1T fresh grated orange and lemon peel, 1/2c chopped pecans. So melty delicious warm, and still plenty sweet. I’m sending to out of state family, since no Thanksgiving visit, hoping the cookies travel well. Mine were more brown than the orange pictured – the whole wheat flour, I think. Dough in freezer 1hr, two people working dough quickly into cookie balls, still sticky by end of bowl, but ok. Most cookies not have that nice white crackle – powdered sugar needs to be very thick. May try chopped dried cranberries instead of nuts next time. Recipe is a keeper – thanks!
Rice says
These were surprisingly easy to make! Even though mine turned out like little domes and not exactly cookie shaped, they still taste amazing otherwise! It was really easy for me to make as well, and it is a very well done recipe.
★★★★★
Rebekah says
Turned out great, yummy & fluffy, even when made gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free!
★★★★★
Veronika Robles says
I have made these cookies 3 times now and everybody just LOVES them!! I was wondering though, can I refrigerate the dough overnight or maybe a couple days and they still come out the same?
Julie says
I haven’t tried it overnight, but I think it should be fine!
Pam Schwartz says
Can I substitute applesause for the butter?
★★★★
Julie says
I think that could work out okay, but I haven’t tested to be sure. You may want to try subbing half of the butter for applesauce just to see how that goes.
Stefanie Cardillo says
This is the most amazing recipe. Bakery quality! So light and delicious.
★★★★★
Crystal says
These really are good thanks for the recipe
★★★★★
Pamela says
These are so yummy! I love the outside is a little crunchy and then the middle is so soft and melts in your mouth! Thank you as these are my new favorite cookie!
★★★★★
Marina says
Just about 32 minutes for pumpkin cookies, great! Thanks for your sharing.
My kids love sweetness of pumpkin, so I often cook using pumpkin too.
★★★★★
Joyce Gum says
Delucious, made this in the past and its wonderful and light. As a little add in i added dried cranberries about 3/4-1 cup excellent♡♡♡
★★★★★
karen says
Made the cookies today. Recipe was easy, which made the final product even more satisfying. The cookies are absolutely delicious, light, fluffy, not too sweet, and the spices are obvious without being overwhelming. They look exactly like the recipe image, which I count as an accomplishment ;). This is a keeper. Thank you.
★★★★★
Josh says
Has anyone tried this recipe with almond flour???
Laura says
Made these Soft Pumpkin Cookies yesterday. They are Perfection!!
★★★★★
Alice says
Super delicious… my kid ate 4. We made them together. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Alice Chu says
They are delicious. The texture is like muffin tops. They were gone in 2 days.
★★★★★
bistro sk says
That’s so great!!! Your share is very awesome. I really love cooking. I hope you will share more recipe like these. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Rachel says
these were great with a few adjustments! Here’s what I did: add 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice use 1/2 a cup brown sugar and 1/2 white I used homemade pumpkin puree which was really watery so I added more flour also. they were really good!
★★★★★
Denise says
Love, love this recipe!! My family does too! I do add mini chocolate chips! The BEST!
★★★★★