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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…
Table of Contents
- What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Chewy Pumpkin Cookies?
- How to Make Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
- How to Brown Butter
- Is Pumpkin Puree The Same As Pumpkin Pie Filling?
- Why Did My Cookies Turn Out Cakey?
- How Long Will Pumpkin Cookies Keep?
- Can Pumpkin Cookies Be Frozen?
- More Pumpkin Baked Goods You’ll Love:
- Chewy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
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
Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 Cup Butter, unsalted
- 1 ¼ Cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ⅓ Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 ¼ Cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
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, but not cold and solidified
- 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 ¼ Cups Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla, 1 Large Egg Yolk, 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- Stir in the pumpkin.⅓ Cup Pumpkin Puree
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.2 ¼ Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice, ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 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
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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!
I love this idea! Thank you Helen!
Very delicious, not too sweet. I didn’t add anything or omit anything. Recipe taste wonderful!
Thank you so much Alice!!
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?
Hmmmmm…will that happen within the same batch?
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!
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!
I used fresh pumpkin puree after I boiled it. I was soft so I made them into cupcakes. So good!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
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.
Tried three times with no luck. Followed recipe exactly and read all reviews.
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.
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.
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.
I love this recipe! The cookies turned out perfect!
Thank you so much Kate!
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!
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!
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.
Yay! Love to hear that! Thank you so much for the feedback Dani!
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes.
Thank you for the support Michele!