These chewy pumpkin spice cookies are everything I want in a fall cookie — soft and gooey in the middle, lightly crisp around the edges and full of pumpkin and warm fall spices.
The problem with a lot of pumpkin cookies is that they end up more like little pieces of cake. Good, but not what I want when I’m craving a cookie.
These are different. Cream cheese, an extra egg yolk and cornstarch help give them that soft, chewy texture while still letting the pumpkin flavor come through.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cookies
If you love pumpkin but don’t necessarily love cakey pumpkin cookies, this recipe is for you.
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Soft and chewy in the middle
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Full of pumpkin spice flavor
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Easy to make
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Perfect for fall
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Great for freezing
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Definitely cookies — not little pumpkin cakes pretending to be cookies
Why Do Pumpkin Cookies Turn Out Cakey?
Pumpkin contains a lot of moisture, which is wonderful in breads, muffins and cakes. In cookies, all that extra moisture can create a soft, puffy, cake-like texture.
That’s why pumpkin cookie recipes can be tricky.
This recipe uses ingredients and techniques that help balance that moisture so you get a cookie that’s soft and chewy instead of cakey.
What Makes These Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies So Good?
A few ingredients do a lot of the work.
Cream cheese: Adds richness and softness without making the cookies overly cakey.
Egg yolk: The extra yolk gives you richness and chew without adding as much liquid as another whole egg would.
Cornstarch: Helps create a soft, tender texture.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture and that deeper caramel flavor that works so well with pumpkin.
And, of course, there’s plenty of pumpkin spice because if we’re making pumpkin cookies, we’re committing to it.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Start by mixing the wet ingredients according to the recipe below. Add the pumpkin, cream cheese and remaining wet ingredients and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. Once the flour disappears, stop mixing. Overmixing can affect the final texture.
Scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet and bake according to the recipe card below.
Don’t Overbake Them
This is one of the biggest secrets to a soft, chewy pumpkin cookie.
The edges should look set, but the centers can still look a little soft when you take them out of the oven. They’ll continue cooking and setting as they sit on the hot baking sheet.
If you wait until the entire cookie looks completely done in the oven, there’s a good chance you’ve gone too far.
Do I Need to Blot the Pumpkin?
Pumpkin puree can vary quite a bit in moisture from one can to another.
If yours looks particularly watery, gently blot some of the excess moisture with a paper towel before adding it to the dough.
You don’t need to squeeze every drop of moisture out of it. We’re making pumpkin cookies, after all. We just don’t want unnecessary extra liquid making them cakey.
Why Is My Pumpkin Cookie Dough So Soft?
Pumpkin cookie dough is naturally softer than traditional chocolate chip cookie dough because of the moisture in the pumpkin.
If your dough seems extremely soft or difficult to scoop, refrigerate it for about 20–30 minutes and try again.
Don’t immediately start adding extra flour. Too much flour can turn a soft cookie into a dry one.
How Do I Keep Pumpkin Cookies From Getting Cakey?
A few things make a big difference:
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Measure the pumpkin carefully.
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Blot it if it seems unusually watery.
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Don’t overmix after adding the flour.
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Measure your flour correctly.
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Don’t overbake the cookies.
Remember that pumpkin cookies will naturally be softer than traditional chocolate chip cookies. We’re going for soft and chewy, not dry and crunchy.
How Do I Know When Pumpkin Cookies Are Done?
Look at the edges rather than the center.
The edges should be set while the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for several minutes after you take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
This is one of those times when slightly underdone-looking is much better than overdone.
Can I Make Pumpkin Cookie Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes. Prepare the dough, cover it tightly and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
If the dough becomes very firm in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
Can I Freeze Pumpkin Cookie Dough?
Yes. Scoop the dough into individual portions and place them on a baking sheet.
Freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen dough balls to an airtight freezer container or bag.
That way you can pull out just a few whenever the pumpkin cookie craving hits.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Let your chewy pumpkin spice cookies cool completely before storing them. Keep them in an airtight container so they stay soft and don’t dry out
You can also freeze the baked cookies and let them thaw whenever you’re ready to eat them.
Can I Freeze Baked Pumpkin Cookies?
Absolutely.
Let the cookies cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers.
Let them thaw at room temperature before serving. If you want that just-baked softness back, warm one for a few seconds before eating it.
TIPS:
Chewy pumpkin spice cookies are a little different from regular cookies because you’re dealing with all that extra moisture from the pumpkin.
Pumpkin cookies are a little different from regular cookies because you’re dealing with all that extra moisture.
The biggest things to remember are: don’t use too much pumpkin, don’t overmix and definitely don’t overbake.
And if they come out soft and gooey enough that you have to eat one while it’s still warm off the baking sheet, I consider that a successful batch.
Soft and Gooey Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup softened butter
- 8 oz softened or whipped cream cheese Philadelphia Whipped
- 1 -1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp cloves
- You can also use pumpkin pie spice instead of other spices
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cornstarch, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, then beat in the egg and egg yolk.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree,
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Don't over mix.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The longer they chill, the better they will taste.
- Scoop the dough into balls using a cookie scoop,then roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Bake at 325°F for 16-18 minutes. The cookies should look set but not browned. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 15-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
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