Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe
These Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies offer a delightful blend of warm spices and moist pumpkin in a soft, chewy cookie. Coated with cinnamon sugar for a sweet and slightly crunchy finish, they are ideal for fall or any time you crave comforting seasonal flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie blend)
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the room temperature unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin until fully incorporated and the dough is soft and moist.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients; Chill Dough: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture with the mixer on low. Mix until a very sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to prevent spreading during baking.
- Prepare for Baking and Make Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone mats. In a small bowl, whisk together white sugar and ground cinnamon for the coating.
- Shape and Coat the Cookies: Form chilled dough into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and flatten slightly. Place on prepared trays about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8-10 minutes until tops are just set. Cool on trays for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. For softer cookies, they may be slightly underbaked as they firm up while cooling.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent excessive spreading of cookies during baking.
- Do not use pumpkin pie blend; plain canned pumpkin is best for texture and flavor.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake them and allow to cool on wire rack.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: pumpkin spice cookies, fall cookies, cinnamon sugar cookies, soft cookies, pumpkin recipes
