Nothing says fall quite like soft, chewy pumpkin spice cookies. These cookies are packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor and stay perfectly soft in every bite. They’re easy to make and perfect with a cup of coffee, for sharing, or simply enjoying as a cozy fall treat. They also make a sweet and thoughtful gift for teachers!
These soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies are the perfect fall treat. They are packed with warm cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. Every bite is soft, chewy, and full of cozy pumpkin flavor.
Brown butter gives these cookies a rich, nutty flavor. Honey adds a touch of sweetness and helps keep them soft. A little extra vanilla makes the pumpkin spice flavor even better.
Each cookie is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. This gives them a lightly crisp, sweet coating. They are delicious warm from the oven with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
These cookies are easy to make and perfect for sharing. They also make a sweet homemade gift for teachers, friends, and family during the fall season.
To Make The Softest Pumpkin Spice Cookies:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Give it a gentle stir as it melts. Once it starts turning golden, keep stirring until it smells warm and nutty. Take it off the heat when you see a few golden-brown bits at the bottom.
Pour the browned butter into a heat-safe bowl and let it cool for about 30 minutes. It should feel slightly warm or be completely at room temperature before moving on. (It’s totally fine to pop it in the freezer for about 5 minutes if your impatient like me- just don’t let the butter start to turn white). Once cooled, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir everything together until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Add the egg and vanilla, then mix in the honey and pumpkin puree until everything is well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together into a soft cookie dough.
Scoop the dough into about 1½-tablespoon portions and roll each one into a ball. For evenly sized cookies, aim for about 28–29 grams per dough ball.
Roll each dough ball between your hands to smooth the surface, place them on a lined cookie sheet, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), then remove the cookies from the refrigerator.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, then roll each chilled cookie dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture just before baking.
Bake the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets for 10–12 minutes, or until the tops look slightly dry while the cracks remain soft and moist.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and enjoy them warm or completely cooled. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.
Freezing the Cookie Dough
If you want to save the dough for later, freeze the cookie dough balls until solid. When you’re ready to bake, transfer them to the refrigerator and let them thaw for 2–3 hours, or until softened. Then bake as directed in the recipe.
Freezing Baked Cookies
You can also freeze the cookies after baking. Let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. For the best texture and flavor, enjoy them within 1 month to help prevent freezer burn or dryness.
For the Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the Butter. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to foam and turn golden, keep stirring until it develops a light nutty aroma and golden-brown color. Be careful not to let it burn. Remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe mixing bowl. Let it cool until it is warm but no longer hot.
- Mix the Sugars. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled butter. Mix until the butter and sugars are smooth and well combined.
- Add the Wet Ingredients. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the honey and pumpkin puree, then stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Add the Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, allspice, ginger, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Mix just until a soft cookie dough forms. Avoid over mixing.
- Shape the Cookies. Scoop the dough into portions of about 1½ tablespoons, or roughly 28–29 grams each. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the Dough. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. You can also chill the dough overnight.
- Make the Cinnamon Sugar. When you're ready to bake, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll each chilled cookie dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until lightly coated.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one for spreading. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the tops look set and the centers still appear slightly soft.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They'll continue to set as they cool while staying soft and chewy in the center.
Notes
- Brown the butter carefully: Keep a close eye on the butter so it becomes golden and nutty without burning.
- Cool the butter: Let the browned butter cool before adding the egg to prevent it from cooking.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours helps the cookies hold their shape and stay chewy.
- Keep the cookies the same size: Use about 28–29 grams of dough per cookie for even baking.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should look set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center.
- Use parchment paper: It helps prevent sticking and gives the cookies a nice, even bake.
- Cinnamon sugar: Roll the dough generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture for that sweet, lightly crisp coating.
- Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Freeze unbaked dough or completely cooled cookies for convenient baking later.
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