Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
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If you love a classic sugar cookie but want to give it a serious fall makeover, these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are for you! 🎃 They have that soft, buttery, chewy texture you love in a sugar cookie, with just enough pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to make them feel extra cozy.
The secret to keeping these cookies soft and chewy instead of cakey is blotting the pumpkin puree before adding it to the dough. Pumpkin has a lot of moisture, so taking out some of that excess keeps the cookies thick and chewy while still giving them plenty of pumpkin flavor. And since we’re already going for cozy fall vibes, the dough gets rolled in a simple pumpkin pie-spiced sugar before baking for the perfect sweet finish.
You’ll love these cookies because they’re easy enough for a random fall afternoon but cute enough to bring to a Halloween party, Thanksgiving, or cookie exchange. And fair warning: they’re very easy to keep grabbing “just one more” of.😜
If you love a good sugar cookie, be sure to also check out my Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies, Brown Sugar Cookies, Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, Sparkling Champagne Sugar Cookies, Cutout Sugar Cookies, Christmas Sugar Cookie Bites, or Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars.
Table Talk with Tawnie
Fall Series
Back by popular demand is my Fall series for 2026! This year I’ve worked on more pumpkin goodies, slow cooker comfort meals, and drool worthy apple desserts. There’s something for everyone to enjoy & if you want more, have to check out the previous year’s Fall featured recipes too!
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use the 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Blot the puree by pressing paper towels on it until they’re not absorbing much liquid.
- All-purpose flour: As always, it’s essential to make sure you’re using the spoon-and-level method to measure your flour when baking. Too much flour can result in drier, harder cookies, which you don’t want with these!
- Egg yolk: Use a large egg yolk at room temperature. The yolk adds richness and helps give these cookies their soft, chewy texture without adding too much moisture from the egg white.
- Granulated sugar: You can’t have sugar cookies without the sugar! You’ll need some for the dough itself and extra for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure the butter is at room temperature for easier creaming with sugar, which helps create a tender and chewy texture. Forgot to set the butter out? Check out my how-to post on How To Soften Butter Fast (6 Ways!).
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Blot the pumpkin
Spread the pumpkin puree between a couple of paper towels and gently press to remove excess moisture.
Mix wet ingredients
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Combine dry ingredients
Whisk together the dry ingredients. Then add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Roll
Scoop the dough and roll each ball in the pumpkin spiced sugar.
Bake & enjoy!
Bake for ~10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Then ENJOY!!
Expert Tips
- Measure ingredients properly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife instead of scooping the flour with your measuring cup. Too much flour will make take away from the soft & chewy-goodness of these cookies.
- Blot the pumpkin: Measure the pumpkin AFTER the moisture is blotted out. Blotting the extra moisture helps to ensure the cookie dough isn’t too runny or messes up the texture of the sugar cookie when baking.
- Don’t overbake: These cookies look very soft and slightly underbaked when you take them out of the oven.
- Cream butter and sugar: Make sure your butter and sugar are properly creamed to ensure your cookies don’t end up flat or dense. For a step-by-step guide on how to properly cream butter and sugar, check out this helpful post.
- To get cookies perfectly circular: Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, place a circular cookie cutter or a circular drinking glass around one of the cookies (it should be larger than the cookie so you don’t cut off any edges) and give the cookies a spin. Swirling the cookie helps it have a nice perfectly circular shape.
- Cool on the sheet: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and prevents breakage.
How To Cream Butter and Sugar
Learn How To Cream Butter and Sugar the right way with this easy step-by-step guide. Discover the best butter temperature, mixing tips, and common mistakes to avoid for perfect baking results every time.
Variations / Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Cinnamon: If you want slightly less pumpkin spice flavor, you can roll the cookies in a cinnamon sugar mixture instead. Just swap the 1 tsp. pumpkin spice for 1 tsp. cinnamon.
- White chocolate chips: Fold in a handful of white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and texture.
Storage / Freezing
- Storage: Store cookies on the counter in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Allow to come to room temperature, roll in the pumpkin spice sugar, then continue to bake as directed.
- Freeze the dough: Scoop the dough into 2 Tbsp. balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature, roll in the pumpkin spice sugar, then continue to bake as directed.
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree (blotted dry with paper towels to ~1/4-1/3 cup total)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. whole milk
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the pumpkin: Spread the pumpkin puree between several paper towels and gently press to remove excess moisture. You should end up with roughly ⅓ cup of thick pumpkin puree. Don't skip this! Removing excess moisture keeps the cookies thick and chewy instead of cakey.1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Start Timer1 cup unsalted butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the egg yolk, blotted pumpkin, vanilla, and milk. Mix just until combined.1 large egg yolk, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp. whole milk
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate the dough for just about 10 minutes to make it easier to scoop and roll. Start Timer
- Roll: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Combine the sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Scoop dough into approximately 2-Tbsp cookies and roll each ball in the spiced sugar.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- Bake: Bake for ~10 minutes Start Timer until edges are just set and the centers look slightly underbaked The cookies should not brown. Cookie scoot then afterwards if they are a little wonky shaped and top with any remaining spiced sugar for a finishing look.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack Start Timer. They might seem underdone, but as they cool completely, they become perfectly soft, chewy, and so yummy!
Notes
- Storage: Store cookies on the counter in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Allow to come to room temperature, roll in the pumpkin spice sugar, then continue to bake as directed.
- Freeze the dough: Scoop the dough into 2 Tbsp. balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature, roll in the pumpkin spice sugar, then continue to bake as directed.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table
