Soft, cakey, and full of fall flavor, these pumpkin cookies are everything I want this time of year. I made these with 100% unsifted fresh milled flour, but you can absolutely make them with all-purpose or white whole wheat flour. The optional glaze adds a little extra sweetness but they’re just as delicious plain. And these easy-to-make cookies are even better the next day!
When it comes to pumpkin cookies, I want them moist with a definite pumpkin spice flavor, and this recipe does not disappoint. These are big, soft cookies that go perfectly with coffee or your favorite drink, whether it’s for an afternoon treat or just a little something sweet after dinner. They feel like bakery-style treats but are made with healthier ingredients and less sugar. They’re soft and pillowy, almost like little pumpkin cakes.
The glaze is completely optional. Honestly, I normally wouldn’t frost or glaze these, but I thought it might look pretty in pictures, and I think it does! Unfortunately, the glaze does tend to disappear into the cookie after a day or so. If that bothers you, use a frosting instead. I think a cream cheese frosting would be delicious on these. The glaze or frosting adds extra sweetness and flavor, but these are just as delicious plain.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
If you’re looking for something easy, sweet, and packed with classic pumpkin spice flavor, you’re going to love these. They’re special enough to share but simple enough to make at a moment’s notice. As a bonus, your kitchen will smell amazing! Bake a batch and share them with a friend, or keep them all to yourself. No judgment here!
About This Recipe
My goal for this recipe was to make a soft, cakey cookie that’s healthier, lower in sugar, and full of pumpkin spice flavor. This recipe checks all the boxes, and I’m excited to enjoy these all season long. Made with whole wheat, pumpkin puree, and my favorite sweeteners, they’re as healthy as any treat has a right to be. Honestly, I like these so much, I might just keep making them long after pumpkin season is over!
Ingredients
Key Ingredients
Flour: I used 100% unsifted soft white wheat flour. If you mill your own flour at home, you already know the great results you can get with fresh flour. If not, you can read a little bit about why I choose to mill mine. I love making treats that are healthier and better for me. Using fresh flour with all its fiber and nutrients is an important part of that.
Of course, you can also use store-bought flour, either all-purpose or a blend of all-purpose and white whole wheat flour. See recipe notes for details.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can use your favorite pumpkin pie spice mix for this recipe. I like to make my own homemade pumpkin pie spice mix using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. The nice thing about making your own is that you control the ingredients and proportions. However, your favorite store-bought mix will work perfectly, or you can use the individual spices as listed in the recipe card.
Butter: As with all my recipes, I used regular salted butter.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar will work great. If you’re into sugar-free baking, feel free to swap some or all the white sugar for your favorite granulated sweetener that can be used one-to-one with sugar. I used allulose granulated sweetener instead of white sugar and that worked perfectly for me.
Brown Sugar: I used coconut sugar for this, but you can substitute light or dark brown sugar if you prefer. Other options might be sucanat or your favorite sugar-free “golden” sweetener.
Pumpkin puree: I used store-bought pumpkin puree for this recipe. Of course, make sure to use pure unsweetened pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
Other ingredients: You’ll also need basic pantry and fridge ingredients such as baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract.
Optional Glaze: I used powdered sugar and a bit of milk and maple extract to make this glaze. You can definitely use your favorite glaze or frosting, or just leave them plain.
Instructions
Just a few quick steps and they’ll be ready for the oven.
Step 1: Combine the flour and other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream together the sugars and butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat until creamy.
Step 3: Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. If using fresh milled flour, allow dough to rest for about 10-15 minutes while oven preheats.
Step 4: Drop by 1/4 cup scoops onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. I like to do 6-8 cookies per tray. Using a cookie scoop is the way to go with these. The dough is pretty sticky so I wouldn’t try to roll them by hand.
Step 5: Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes, or until set.
For the optional glaze: Add powdered sugar to a small bowl and drizzle with milk. Add maple or vanilla extract and stir until smooth. For a thinner glaze, add a little more milk. For a thicker glaze, add a bit more powdered sugar.
FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of fresh milled flour?
Yes! If you don’t mill your own flour, you can use all-purpose or a blend of all-purpose and white whole wheat flour. See recipe notes for details.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the dough a day ahead and store it covered in the fridge. You might need to bake a minute or two longer to account for the temperature of the dough. You can also let it sit at room temp for about 15–20 minutes before scooping and baking.
How should I store these cookies?
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them to keep them fresher longer, or freeze them for up to 2 months. If you use the glaze, make sure it has set before stacking the cookies.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Fresh Milled Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) fresh milled soft white wheat flour See recipe notes
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice, OR 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp cloves)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar or sugar-free granulated sweetener I used allulose
- ½ cup coconut sugar, brown sugar or sucanat I used coconut sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
- ½ teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Combine flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together both sugars and butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and beat until creamy. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- If using fresh milled flour, allow dough to rest for 10-15 minutes while oven preheats.
- Drop by 1/4 cup cookie scoops onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes or until set.
For the glaze:
- Add powdered sugar to a small bowl and drizzle with milk. Add maple or vanilla extract and stir until smooth. For a thinner glaze, add a little more milk. For a thicker glaze, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Drizzle over completely cooled cookies. Allow glaze to set completely before stacking cookies.
Notes
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