Lean into the soft texture
Pumpkin brings moisture, so these cookies are deliberately soft and cake-like rather than crisp. Use plain pumpkin purée, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling. Cool completely before icing so the glaze stays on top instead of melting into the crumb.
Before you bake
This recipe has not been independently kitchen-tested. Photographs are illustrative. Oven behavior and yields vary; use the doneness cues, and allow additional time for cooling, decorating, and successive trays. Cook time is per tray.
Soft pumpkin spice cookies
Tender, cake-like pumpkin cookies with warm spices and a simple vanilla drizzle.
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Bake
- 14 minutes
- Total
- 39 minutes
- Yield
- About 24 cookies
Total is for the first batch, before cooling; allow extra time for additional trays.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Beat butter and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Fold into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry pockets remain.
- Drop rounded 1 1/2-tablespoon portions 2 inches apart. Smooth the tops lightly with a damp spoon.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12–14 minutes, until tops look dry and spring back lightly when touched. Rest on the sheet 5 minutes, then cool fully on a rack.
- Mix powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and glaze vanilla. Add remaining water a little at a time until thick but drizzleable. Drizzle over cool cookies and let set.
A little baking advice
Do not flatten these into thin discs. For watery homemade purée, use a recipe developed for that ingredient instead of assuming it behaves like canned pumpkin.
Substitutions & variations
Use 2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the three individual spices. Leave off the glaze if you prefer a less sweet cookie.
Storage & freezing
Store cooled cookies in a single layer or between parchment in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 2 months.
Tools for this recipe
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OXO Medium Cookie Scoop
1 1/2-tablespoon capacity · trigger release
Why consider it: A stated portion size takes the guesswork out of everyday drop cookies.
Keep in mind: Not intended to force through very hard chilled dough; not needed for cutout cookies.
King Arthur Half-Sheet Parchment
16 1/2 × 12 1/4 inches · rated to 450°F
Why consider it: Precut flat sheets avoid curling and can be trimmed to line smaller pans.
Keep in mind: Creates waste and must stay away from direct heating elements. Check your pan fit.
