Do you love pumpkin cookies but always wish there was a crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle version? My goodness, I love chewy pumpkin cookies and it has only taken me 6 years to make it happen!!
I seriously became crazy trying to work the kinks out of this recipe. A little of this, too much of that, ugh these ones are so flat and those ones waaaay too fluffy like a cake. Working with a fruit or veggie ingredient is no joke when you’re trying to achieve a certain texture but I discovered a secret.
Actually, I discovered a few…
Tip #1
Browned Butter. Or brown butter. It all depends on who is saying it. On a whim I threw in browned butter one day and that’s the moment that these cookies became an attainable goal for me. The browned butter really heightens the flavor of the cookie while maintaining a more chewy texture. Here’s why:
Beating the sugar and butter actually changes it’s makeup, the actual chemistry changes, thus leading to light and fluffy cookies. Ever read a chocolate chip cookie recipe that requires beating for a certain amount of time? Now you know why! But browned butter doesn’t beat against the sugar crystals in the same way so we end up with a cookie that still retains its chew factor!
Tip #2
Want the cookies thinner and really go for that crisp edges and chewy center thing? No problem, bake the cookie dough immediately so that nothing has the chance to change in texture.
Tip #3
Looking for a more pillowy cookie as shown in these photos (And actually I prefer to make them immediately so I’m a #2 tip gal), refrigerate the cookie dough in its bowl with plastic wrap pressed down onto and around the dough and more over the bowl to really keep out air. The air is drying the cookie dough and will totally change your results.
Let the dough sit in the fridge for a few hours up to overnight. Set the cookie dough on the counter for 30 minutes then scoop and bake!
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Chewy Pumpkin Cookies?
This is not your average pumpkin cookie recipe. These aren’t going to be fluffy, cakey pumpkin cookies that you add chocolate chips to. These are more like a snickerdoodle with hints of pumpkin deliciousness. In fact, I could probably even call them pumpkin snickerdoodles.
Here is your grocery list for these glorious cookies! Hopefully you already have everything in your refrigerator and pantry!
Cookies
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Egg Yolk
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla
- Canned Pumpkin Puree
- All Purpose Flour
- Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
I like to start by making the cinnamon sugar topping and setting it aside. Then I jump in to making the cookie dough. Here are the steps:
- Brown the butter. Let it cool. (See section below for how to brown butter.)
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat the browned butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer) with the sugar.
- Add the vanilla, egg yolk and maple syrup and mix.
- Stir in the pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix until combined.
- Put the dough in the fridge while you preheat the oven. The longer you chill the dough, the more thick and pillowy the cookies will be.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out similar sized cookie dough balls and roll the dough into balls and roll then in cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to let them cool slightly before eating.
More detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Brown Butter
Browned butter is just butter that has been melted and cooked slightly. It has a delicious nutty flavor. It is super easy to make.
Cut your room temperature butter into evenly size pieces so that it melts evenly.
Use a light colored pan so you can see when it starts to change color. Place the pan over medium heat. Stir the butter around to keep it moving while it melts.
As it melts, it will start to see foam and sizzling around the edge and brown flecks will appear on the bottom of the pan. Remove it from the heat immediately. It should be very fragrant. You have made browned butter!
Browned butter can become burned butter very quickly, so remove it from the heat as soon as you see the brown flecks.
Is Pumpkin Puree The Same As Pumpkin Pie Filling?
No, pumpkin puree is just pumpkin with no spices. Pumpkin pie filling has added spices to the puree. You want pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pie filling.
Why Did My Cookies Turn Out Cakey?
The number one cause of cakey cookies is too much moisture content. It’s likely that your pumpkin puree had more water in it than expected. You can take pumpkin puree and squeeze it in a thin towel or dish cloth to get some of the moisture out.
Also, be sure to measure your flour correctly.
How Long Will Pumpkin Cookies Keep?
Pumpkin cookies will keep for 2 weeks at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container.
Can Pumpkin Cookies Be Frozen?
Place cookies in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for a couple of hours.
When frozen, transfer to a heavy duty freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to months.
I am head over heels in love with these cookies! They aren’t cakey like your typical pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. They are chewy with that crispy edge like a perfect chocolate chip cookie. You’ve just gotta try them! They are the best pumpkin cookies you’ll ever have!
More Pumpkin Baked Goods You’ll Love:
- Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Costco Copycat Crumb Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Roll
- Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
- Pumpkin Bread
The Best Chewy Pumpkin Cookies I Ever Ate
Description
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 Cup Butter, unsalted
- 2 1/4 Cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1/3-1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree, see note- I always use 1/2 cup
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
For the Cookies
- In a skillet over medium high heat, add the butter and cook until foaming and beginning to turn amber in color with brown flecks on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl so it will not continue to cook. The smell should be very fragrant.1 Cup Butter
- Set aside to cool for 20 minutes then place in the fridge for 10 more minutes. This step is crucial. You want the butter to be cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (sugar is considered a wet ingredient so don't add it yet), set aside.2 1/4 Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1/2 teaspoon Salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice, 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- In a mixing bowl or a stand mixer, use a spatula to scrape the browned butter into the bowl and beat together the butter and brown sugar for 1 minute. Add the vanilla, egg yolk and maple syrup and mix again.1 Cup Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla, 1 Large Egg Yolk, 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- Finally, stir in the pumpkin.1/3-1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- Slowly pour all dry ingredients into the mixer and beat again until combined. Don't over mix here! Just mix it enough until there are few streaks of flour left.
- Cover and place in the fridge while you preheat the oven and cinnamon sugar topping (see ingredients below). The dough should chill for 15-30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with a silpat.
- Roll the dough into balls and then roll into the sugar mixture (see section below). The dough balls should be 1-1 1/2" in diameter.
- Bake for 12 minutes and remove from the oven to rest for a moment before eating.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- In a small bowl, combine the brown and white sugars and cinnamon, using your fingers to break up bits of brown sugar.1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons White Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Notes
Nutrition
Recommended Products
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Willow Fullner
I love the idea but this recipe is disappointing. These are hardly pumpkin flavor, even with 1/2 cup pumpkin. Shocked, at the “best…I ever ate” title.
Sweet Basil
Hi Willow! They are subtle on the pumpkin flavor. They are almost like a snickerdoodle cookie with the pumpkin spice flavor. If you are looking for that bold classic pumpkin cookie, then go with our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (https://ohsweetbasil.com/best-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe/).
Whittney
Very fluffy and tastes like fall . I used the full 1/2 cup of pumpkin and I added cream cheese chips, which almost makes these taste like pumpkin spice cheesecake!
Sweet Basil
Yummmmmm! I’ll have try that! Sounds amazing! Thanks Whittney!
Jounayet Rahman
Delicious. I would like to have it.
Sweet Basil
Thank you! You should make them for sure!
eileen
These cookies tasted great! But definitely not chewy, even though I used 1/3 cup pumpkin instead of 1/2, as suggested by the author. I’m not sure where it went wrong but I followed the recipe exactly and found it to have a break-apart-soft texture. But they were so good I almost don’t care.
Sweet Basil
Hi Eileen! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies! If they weren’t chewy, it could be a few things. Maybe the browned butter didn’t cool long enough. Chilling the dough longer should help them be more fluffy and chewy. It’s also possible that the dough was overmixed. Cookies can be so finicky!
Abby
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t she say you SHOULD use 1/2 cup pumpkin if they didn’t turn out chewy instead of 1/3 cup. I think you make have misread that part a little. The recipe said that you should try 1/2 cup if you already used 1/3 cup and they didn’t turn out chewy. Also like she said there are a million reasons they might have not turned out even if you THINK you followed the recipe to a T. Baking is an art and a science which requires practice to get right. If you are a novice baker you may have made a small mistake which didn’t seem like a mistake to you but could still alter the chemistry of the recipe, for example over mixing the dough and activating too much gluten.
Also to the author, the page randomly reset itself and deleted my comment twice meaning I had to rewrite it. When I tried to get back it was damn near impossible to get past all the adds to find the comment page again. Maybe try and make the adds a little more subtle and not so in your face that it literally blocks the recipe you are trying to read. Also it would be nice to be able to write a comment without it being deleted and having the page completely switch to an ad. It makes me not want to bother with the recipe or commenting.
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much for the support Abby on the recipe! I’ve made that recipe so many times and haven’t ever had a problem but something about it throws some readers for a loop. And my apologies for the frustration with all the ads. We are constantly trying to find the best place and way to post the ads without interfering with the post or recipe. Were you on a phone or computer? I know it’s more challenging on mobile devices with the ads popping up. Unfortunately, the ads are what allow us to keep posting recipes for everyone to enjoy. Again, so sorry for the frustration!
Shonna
Absolutely delicious! Perfect texture and so flavorful.
Sweet Basil
Yay! Thank you so much Shonna!
Heather
I’m allergic to eggs. If you were going to use an egg substitute, which one would you recommend? There are so many! Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Hi Heather! For these cookies, I would go with applesauce a substitute for the eggs. Since the recipe just calls for an egg yolk, I would substitute it with 2 tablespoons of applesauce.
yana
Not chewy like I expected. The culprit is baking powder. Whenever I don’t use baking powder and just baking soda, it gives you a better chewier consistency. I am kicking myself for not going with my gut.
Sweet Basil
Hello! The baking powder shouldn’t make the cookies less chewy if the directions are followed. But you can definitely omit it if you want.
Helen
Made these in bar form. Spread batter in a 9 x 13 pan, sprinkled the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top and baked for about 25 minutes. They were delicious!
Sweet Basil
I love this idea! Thank you Helen!
Alice
Very delicious, not too sweet. I didn’t add anything or omit anything. Recipe taste wonderful!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Alice!!
Diana
Recipe is delish! I know it’s a hit when my son, daughter’s and husband all love them. My only slight irritation is they sometimes expand and flatten out and other times stay more ball shaped (always taste great).
Any suggestions?
Sweet Basil
Hmmmmm…will that happen within the same batch?
Samantha
My husband absolutely loved these! Ate 3 straight away after they cooled slightly. For me, they were much too sweet. Definitely for someone with a sweet tooth! I might try them again, adding more spice and cutting out some of the sugar. The consistency is really nice if you follow all the instructions. They turned out looking really nice just like pictured. Wish I could post a photo! Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Ooooohhhh thank you Samantha!! Post a picture on Instagram and tag us!! We would love to see them! Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment and giving us some feedback!
Ma LG
I used fresh pumpkin puree after I boiled it. I was soft so I made them into cupcakes. So good!
Sweet Basil
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Melanie
Seems to many people are having trouble with this recipe. Before I even read the reviews I was thinking to myself that the recipe directions do not flow well and makes it more confusing than it should be. I’ll be passing.
Suzy
Tried three times with no luck. Followed recipe exactly and read all reviews.
Amanda
Try NOT chilling the dough…. Typically if I want flat cookies I don’t chill. I followed the recipe exactly as stated, chilled my dough and I also got cakey cookies. I was suspicious of the “chill” directions so I looked at other blogs who have posted this recipe and they DONT tell you to chill the dough as suspected. Try going right into baking and see if that helps. I was also disappointed.
Suzy
There tries over last 24 hours. Followed recipe exactly and read all the comments, still not chewy. I was so excited about these cookies, but not working for me.
Sweet Basil
Hmmmmmm…so sorry Suzy! Are you browning the butter and letting it cool slightly? Sorry for the frustration. I can’t figure out why it works for some people and not for others.
kate
I love this recipe! The cookies turned out perfect!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Kate!
Sam Pashley
My daughter is making these cookies and we have a few issues…
1. Give other measurements apart from cups for those who work with other measurements not just cups..
2.Flour..self raising or plain?
3.The butter and sugar mixing needs to come before mixing dry ingredients or people will.make the mistake of mixing the sugar with the dry ingredients like we did!
4. Pumpkin spice is not something everyone is familiar with so maybe as an alternative people could use mixed spice?
This is a great recipe with alot of steps but is worth it for the finished result!
Sweet Basil
Hi Sam! Sorry for the confusion! Here are the answers to your questions:
1. The measurements are available in metric measurements in the recipe card. Right under the list of ingredients, click on “Metric”.
2. Just all purpose flour.
3. I added a note in the instructions to save the sugar for later.
4. You can make your own homemade if you don’t have it. We like the Pioneer Woman’s recipe: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a78588/how-to-make-pumpkin-pie-spice/
Thank you so much for your feedback and I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies!
Dani
The title of the recipe was not lying. This are just simply THE best pumpkin cookies, my parents tried them and they can’t wait for me to make some more. I will definitely be making them again.
Sweet Basil
Yay! Love to hear that! Thank you so much for the feedback Dani!
Michele Jankowski
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes.
Sweet Basil
Thank you for the support Michele!
Marianne
BTW
Direction number 6 could be the reason some people’s cookies are turning out like scones or cakey. If you over mix the flour it activates the gluten and changes the structure of the dough. So at this stage instead of using a mixer to combine it may be better for people not familiar with baking to hand mix the final product so as not to over mix, should just be mixed until evenly combined. Maybe that will help the people who had no success. Mine were fantastic and looked like the picture
Sweet Basil
Great tip! Thank you!
Marianne
Oh my goodness.
I first was introduced to your website by trying to find an easy go to pancake recipe and came across your Melt in your mouth buttermilk pancakes recipe and loved it. But I didn’t subscribe even though every time I used your recipe the invitation came up.
Until finally last week I was using the
pancake recipe for the umpteenth time and I just said come on what are you waiting for, and how happy am I that I did!!! I love your recipes, especially the pumpkin cookie and muddy buddy marshmellow treat recipes, so far!! Looking forward to lots more. Thank you so much!
Sweet Basil
Hurray Marianne!! You have made my day! I’m so glad you have jumped in with both feet! We love our loyal readers!
Natalie
Amazing cookies! Mine were had a bit of cakiness (I went full 1/2 c on the pumpkin) but they were absolutely delicious anyways – I shared them with friends and they totally disappeared!
Sweet Basil
Thank you for taking time to leave a comment Natalie! So glad that they were a hit with your crew!
Katy
Oh no! I am making these currently but I mixed all dry ingredients (brown sugar is dry) and now I see I’m supposed to mix it with my cooled butter! Hopefully they still turn out ok 🤞🏼🤞🏼
Sweet Basil
Hi Katy! How did they turn out? Sugar is considered a wet ingredient for some reason! It almost always gets mixed together with the butter or oil before the dry ingredients are added. I hope they turned out well.
Sam Pashley
My daughter is currently making these cookies and has made the same mistake! Maybe within the method, be a bit more descriptive about which dry ingredients are mixed together as not everyone will know sugar is classed as a wet ingredient, not everyone can afford to waste ingredients!
Tho we cannot wait to try these , autumn is our favourite time of year!
Cheryl M
These were delicious – thank you!!
Sweet Basil
I can’t stop eating them! Thank you so much Cheryl!
Tina
How much white sugar? There is none listed….except in the instructions it says to combine the white and brown sugars…..
Sweet Basil
Hi Tina! The brown and white sugar go in the cinnamon and sugar topping. I believe that is where you are reading “brown and white sugar”. I hope this helps!
Kelli
With better instructions this recipe MIGHT be a 4 star. I had to read in the instructions that the butter needs to be completely cooled, that it is imperative to have the dough in the fridge for the oven preheat. And there is no direction on the size of ball to make these.
You expect people to refer to your Instagram – I for one do not use Instagram so boo to that.
After making these twice, my second batch turned out no better than the first with reading and improving the recipe.
Kelli
Sorry read in the reviews*
Kelli
I meant to say that I had to read the reviews to get more instruction.
Sweet Basil
Hi Kelli! Sorry for the frustration and confusion. I’ve had so many great reviews from readers that I’m not sure what confusing people on the recipe card. I’ve tried to add a little more clarification in the instructions. I’d love any more feedback you can give on steps that are confusing.
Rose
Hi Diana,
I browned Cabot unsalted butter. Cooled the butter as described, transferred to a metal bowl, 20 min. on counter, 10 min. in fridge. I prepped the remainder of the ingredients while the butter cooled. My final cookies taste great, but they are more like a scone. Who knows? Wishing you a fun and safe fall season!
Sweet Basil
Hi Rose! This is so strange! What was the consistency of your dough before baking?
Taniss
Hi- I Was looking for the thinner chewy or cookies so I was going to cook them immediately except the batter looks more like a cake better than a cookie batter I checked and double checked all my ingredients and I most definitely added the right amount of flour so now I’m going to have them set up in the fridge because there’s no way I can roll them into balls the way the batter is right now. Any idea what I could’ve done wrong? I was very careful to follow the instructions exactly
Sweet Basil
Hi Taniss, did you allow the brown butter to cool completely before adding it and did you chill the cookie dough? As per our video on instagram you can see that it definitely creates a rollable batter so I’m a little stumped since I wasn’t in your kitchen to see how it all went. 🙁 Something is definitely off if it’s like cake batter. I would guess that the flour was lacking.
Diana
These are delish! My kids have named these our official fall cookie. I’ve have to melt the butter myself for my nine year old, but he does the rest. Our third straight day making them because kids keep giving away.
Sweet Basil
I love this so much! Thank you Diana!
Rose
Hi,
Much like Taniss my dough is not rollable. I too double checked my ingredients. Are we missing a whole egg? I cooked one batch without chilling because I prefer a crispy cookie. They have a great flavor, but are friable. I’m going to add a whole egg to the chilled batter and try again.
Stay tuned!
Rose
2nd batch is better with the addition of one whole egg. The cookies are not spreading much, and they are still dry. I added some chocolate chips to the third batch and am going to call it a day.
Thinking out loud, maybe the quantity on the baking soda and powder should be reversed? I checked all my ingredients, expirations well into 2022. I’m not a novice baker, it is not humid, and I have a professional grade oven. Who knows, maybe I had a brain cramp while preparing 🙂 Life is good; keep on baking!
Sweet Basil
Hi Rose, We definitely don’t recommend using a full egg. The rising agents are correct. You did make sure to brown the butter and allow it to cool, correct?