Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies – Soft, Spiced, and Perfect for Fall

Pumpkin pie flavor meets soft sugar cookies in the coziest way. These cookies are tender in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges, and warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The dough is easy to work with, and a quick cinnamon-sugar roll gives each bite a little sparkle.

They taste like a slice of pumpkin pie wrapped in a soft cookie. Perfect for bake sales, holiday trays, or a lazy weekend treat with coffee.

Save

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies – Soft, Spiced, and Perfect for Fall

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method

 

1. Prep the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. This helps prevent sticking and promotes even browning.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. This creates air pockets for a soft texture.
4. Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla: Beat in the egg until just combined. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. The batter may look slightly curdled—that’s normal and will smooth out once you add the dry ingredients.
5. Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
6. Optional chill: For thicker cookies, cover and chill the dough for 30–45 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, skip this step and bake right away; the cookies will simply spread a bit more.
7. Shape the dough: Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon portions (a medium cookie scoop works well). Roll each portion into a ball. If using the cinnamon-sugar coating, toss the balls in the mixture to coat.
8. Bake: Arrange on prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
9. Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If glazing, wait until they’re fully cool.
10. Glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and drizzle-able. Add more milk by the teaspoon if needed. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set 15–20 minutes.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Save

• Soft and chewy center: The texture is tender, thanks to pumpkin puree and a touch of brown sugar for moisture.
• Classic pumpkin pie spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves bring familiar fall warmth without overpowering the cookie.
• No-chill dough (optional): The dough can go straight to the oven, or you can chill it for extra-thick, bakery-style cookies.
• Balanced sweetness: The cookies aren’t overly sweet, leaving room for the vanilla glaze or a cinnamon-sugar coating.
• Simple ingredients: Everything is pantry-friendly, and the recipe comes together quickly.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Optional Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Vanilla Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

Save

1. Prep the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

   This helps prevent sticking and promotes even browning.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. This creates air pockets for a soft texture.
4. Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla: Beat in the egg until just combined.

   Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. The batter may look slightly curdled—that’s normal and will smooth out once you add the dry ingredients.

5. Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low just until combined.

   Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.

6. Optional chill: For thicker cookies, cover and chill the dough for 30–45 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, skip this step and bake right away; the cookies will simply spread a bit more.
7. Shape the dough: Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon portions (a medium cookie scoop works well). Roll each portion into a ball.

   If using the cinnamon-sugar coating, toss the balls in the mixture to coat.

8. Bake: Arrange on prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
9. Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

   If glazing, wait until they’re fully cool.

10. Glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and drizzle-able. Add more milk by the teaspoon if needed. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set 15–20 minutes.

Storage Instructions

• Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

  Place a sheet of parchment between layers to protect the glaze.

• Refrigerator: Not necessary, but they’ll keep an extra day if chilled. Allow to come to room temp before serving for best texture.
• Freezer (baked): Freeze in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months.

  Thaw at room temperature.

• Freezer (unbaked dough): Scoop dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 1–2 minutes to the time.

Save

Benefits of This Recipe

• Small-batch friendly: The recipe doubles easily, but you can also halve it for a quick treat.
• Kid-approved: The flavor is warm and familiar, with just enough spice to feel special.
• Versatile finish: Keep it simple with cinnamon sugar, or dress them up with glaze, sprinkles, or a cream cheese frosting swirl.
• Make-ahead options: Dough balls freeze beautifully, so you can bake fresh cookies on demand.
• No special equipment: A hand mixer works great. No rolling pins or cookie cutters required.

What Not to Do

• Don’t use pumpkin pie filling: It’s pre-sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the texture and flavor.
• Don’t skip leveling the flour: Too much flour leads to dry, cakey cookies.

  Spoon and level for accuracy.

• Don’t overbake: Pull them when the edges set and centers look slightly soft. Overbaked cookies lose their chew.
• Don’t overmix the dough: Overmixing develops gluten and can make cookies tough.
• Don’t glaze warm cookies: The glaze will slide off. Wait until they’re fully cool.

Recipe Variations

• Cream Cheese Frosted: Beat 4 ounces cream cheese with 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

  Spread on cooled cookies.

• Maple Twist: Add 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup to the dough and swap vanilla glaze for maple glaze (powdered sugar + maple syrup + a splash of milk).
• Brown Butter Upgrade: Brown the butter, cool to room temp, then proceed. Expect a deeper, nutty flavor.
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin: Fold in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Mini chips distribute more evenly.
• Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum.

  Chill 45 minutes for better structure.

• Extra Spice: Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for a bolder profile.
• Sugar-Crusted Edges: Roll just the edges of the dough balls in coarse sugar for a bakery-style sparkle.

FAQ

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

Yes. Make sure it’s thick and well-drained. If it seems watery, strain it through a paper towel–lined sieve for 10–15 minutes to avoid soggy cookies.

Why are my cookies cakey?

Too much flour or overbaking usually causes this.

Measure your flour by spooning and leveling, avoid overmixing, and pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft.

Do I have to chill the dough?

Not required, but chilling for 30–45 minutes helps the cookies bake thicker with slightly more chew. If you want a thinner, softer cookie, skip the chill.

How do I keep the cookies soft after baking?

Store them in an airtight container with a small piece of bread or a marshmallow. They’ll share moisture and keep the cookies soft for days.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Absolutely.

Refrigerate the dough up to 48 hours, tightly covered. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes if it’s too firm to scoop.

What if I don’t have all the spices?

Use 2–2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It’s an easy swap and tastes great.

Can I make them dairy-free?

Yes.

Substitute a good dairy-free butter stick and use a plant-based milk for the glaze. The texture will be very close to the original.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Your butter may have been too soft, or the dough was warm. Chilling the dough helps.

Also check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer.

Wrapping Up

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies are an easy win when you want classic fall flavor without making a full pie. The dough is simple, the spices are cozy, and the results are soft, chewy, and crowd-pleasing. Keep them plain, roll in cinnamon sugar, or glaze them for a bakery finish.

Whether it’s a holiday dessert table or a weeknight sweet, these cookies deliver pumpkin pie vibes in every bite.