Description
Delightfully soft and chewy pumpkin cookies bursting with warm autumn spices. These cookies combine the rich flavor of pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie spice, creating a perfect seasonal treat that’s easy to make and wonderfully comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (122 g) canned pumpkin puree
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Spiced Sugar Topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Set aside this aromatic topping to sprinkle on the cookies before baking.
- Cream Butter and Brown Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and packed light brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, creating a light base for the cookies.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring a rich flavor.
- Incorporate Pumpkin Puree: Add the canned pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients, stirring gently but thoroughly to combine the moisture and flavor evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually fold this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined to maintain cookie tenderness.
- Form and Top Cookies: Drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle each dough ball with the spiced sugar topping prepared earlier for a sweet and fragrant crust.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden while the centers remain soft and chewy.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes after removing from the oven to set before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overmix the dough once flour is added.
- Ensure egg yolks are at room temperature to blend smoothly.
- Cookies may appear soft when removed but will firm up as they cool.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Substitute canned pumpkin puree with fresh cooked and mashed pumpkin if desired.
