Soft and Gooey Pumpkin Spice Cookies

If you’re looking for the ultimate fall cookie, these Soft and Gooey Pumpkin Spice Cookies are a must-bake. Made with pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and warm pumpkin spices, these cookies are incredibly soft, chewy, and packed with cozy fall flavor.

An extra egg yolk and cornstarch help create a thick, tender cookie, while a generous coating of powdered sugar gives the cookies their pretty crinkled finish. They’re an easy pumpkin cookie recipe that’s perfect for fall baking, Thanksgiving dessert, holiday cookie trays, or enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These aren’t your average pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin naturally adds a lot of moisture to cookie dough, which can sometimes create a cakey cookie. This recipe uses a few simple tricks to give the cookies a softer, chewy cookie texture.

Cream cheese makes them extra soft and gooey. It adds richness and a slight tang that pairs perfectly with pumpkin and warm spices.

An extra egg yolk adds chewiness. Using one whole egg plus an additional yolk adds richness without adding too much extra liquid.

Cornstarch keeps them soft and thick. It creates a tender texture and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.

Real pumpkin adds moisture and flavor. Be sure to use pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling.

Warm fall spices add plenty of flavor. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give every bite  for the best flavor

Ingredients

Butter: Softened butter adds richness and helps create a tender cookie.

Cream cheese: Gives these pumpkin cookies their signature soft, rich, slightly gooey texture.

Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies while helping create their soft texture.

Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors.

Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.

Egg + egg yolk: The whole egg provides structure, while the additional yolk adds richness and chewiness.

Cornstarch: One of the secrets to creating thick, soft pumpkin cookies with a tender crumb.

All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the cookie dough.

Baking powder: Gives the cookies a slight lift while keeping them soft.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves: These warm spices create the classic pumpkin spice flavor. You can also use pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin puree like Libby Adds moisture and real pumpkin flavor. Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Blot the pumpkin with a paper towel to remove some of the excess moisture before adding it to the dough. 

Powdered sugar: Rolling the cookie dough in powdered sugar before baking creates a sweet coating and beautiful crinkled appearance.

How to Make Soft and Gooey Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cornstarch, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
3. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract to the butter and cream cheese mixture. Beat in the egg and egg yolk until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until well combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. The pumpkin cookie dough will be sticky. Use a rubber spatula to be sure and scrape all dough from the bottom of the bowl.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and gives the flavors time to develop.
7. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
8. Scoop by tablespoons of dough into balls using a cookie scoop. Generously roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until the cookies look set but aren’t browned. For the softest texture, don’t overbake them.
10. Let the pumpkin cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10–15 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Tips for the Best Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, cream cheese, and eggs combine more evenly and help create a tender cookie.

Blot the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin contains a lot of water. Removing some of the excess moisture helps keep the cookies thick and chewy rather than cakey.

Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add the flour mixture, mix only until everything is combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough.

Chill the cookie dough. Refrigerate it for at least one hour. Chilling makes the sticky dough easier to work with and helps prevent excessive spreading.

Don’t overbake. Remove the cookies when they’re set but still look slightly soft in the center. They’ll continue to set as they cool.

Let them cool on the baking sheet. The cookies are very soft when they first come out of the oven, so give them 10–15 minutes to set before moving them.

What Is the Secret to Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies?

The secret is controlling the extra moisture that pumpkin adds to cookie dough while using ingredients that encourage a soft, chewy texture.

Blotting the pumpkin puree removes excess moisture and helps prevent cakey cookies.

Cornstarch creates a softer, more tender cookie and helps control spreading.

An extra egg yolk adds richness and chewiness.

Chilling the dough helps the cookies stay thicker as they bake.

Slightly underbaking the cookies keeps the centers wonderfully soft and gooey.

Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Yes. If you don’t have individual cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice. The exact flavor will vary slightly depending on the blend, but you’ll still get that classic warm pumpkin spice flavor.

Do I Need to Chill Pumpkin Cookie Dough?

Yes. This dough is naturally soft and sticky because of the pumpkin puree and cream cheese. Chilling it for at least one hour makes the dough easier to scoop and helps keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.

For even more flavor, you can chill the dough longer before baking.

How to Store Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Store your Soft and Gooey Pumpkin Spice Cookies in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.

Because these cookies are very moist, some of the powdered sugar coating may dissolve as they’re stored. Simply dust them with a little fresh powdered sugar before serving if you’d like to bring back their pretty crinkled appearance.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Cookies?

Yes. Once completely cooled, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze them for up to 2–3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

For the prettiest finish, add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar after the cookies have thawed.