5 Star Reader Comment
Best pumpkin cookies EVER!
Bethann
The Cookie That Finally Won Mr. Southern Soul Over
My husband has never been a pumpkin person. Every fall I try something new on him, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, even a slice of pie he barely touched, and every fall he politely passes. Then I made a batch of these cookies, and I watched him go back for a second one without even realizing he’d done it.
That is how I knew this recipe was something special. These cookies are soft, a little cake-like, and full of warm spice from my own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, then rolled in powdered sugar so every cookie comes out of the oven looking like it cracked open just for you.
If pumpkin has ever been a hard sell at your house too, this might be the recipe that changes their mind, just like it changed his.
What Makes These Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies Different
The secret is in the spice. My own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend gives these cookies real warmth, layered with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice, not just sweetness.
The texture is what people notice first, though: soft and a little cake-like, with a crackly sugar coating that makes them as pretty as they are easy to eat.
That crackle happens because the top sets before the inside finishes rising, so the surface cracks as the center keeps spreading underneath. That is the whole trick behind the crinkle cookie look.
Donya’s Best Tips
Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. This one trips people up every time. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it will throw off the whole recipe. Plain puree is what you want.
Let your butter soften all the way. Cold butter will not blend smoothly.
Do not fight the sticky dough. This dough is soft and a little sticky by nature. That is exactly how it should be. Work quickly, keep your hands lightly dusted if you need to, and trust the process.
Roll straight from the scoop into the sugar. Scoop the dough and drop it directly into the powdered sugar bowl, then shape it into a ball in your hands. This keeps the coating even and helps you avoid a sticky mess.
Use a small cookie scoop, size 60. That is the 1½ inch scoop, and it gives you the perfect cookie size for even baking.
Give them a second dusting before baking. Right before the pan goes in the oven, a little extra powdered sugar on top helps create those deep, pretty crinkles as the cookies bake and spread.
Pull them the moment they set. These cookies go from perfectly soft to overbaked fast. Take them out when the edges look set, and the tops have cracked, even if the centers still look a touch soft.
What Goes Into These Cookies
- All-purpose flour gives these cookies their structure without weighing them down.
- Baking soda and baking powder work together for the lift that keeps these cookies soft and a little puffed instead of flat.
- My homemade pumpkin pie spice blend is the flavor backbone here, a warm mix of cinnamon, ginger, and clove that tastes far more layered than a store-bought jar.
- White sugar and brown sugar bring sweetness and a touch of richness.
- Butter creamed with the sugars is what gives the dough its tender, cake-like crumb.
- Pumpkin puree is the star ingredient, adding moisture, color, and that unmistakable fall flavor. Just be sure it says puree, not pie filling, on the can.
- Egg and vanilla round out the wet ingredients and help everything bind together smoothly.
- Powdered sugar is the finishing touch, rolled onto each dough ball before baking to create that signature crackled look.
How To Make Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
- Whisk together your dry ingredients in one bowl, then cream the butter and sugars in another until they’re well blended.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla, then fold in the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix, the dough should stay soft and a little sticky.
- Scoop the dough directly into a bowl of powdered sugar, roll into a ball, and place on your prepared pan with a little extra sugar dusted on top.
- Bake until the edges are set and the tops have cracked, then move the cookies straight to a wire rack to finish cooling. For full details, quantities, and cook times, see the recipe card below.
Getting the Bake Just Right
| Step | Temperature | Time | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bake the cookies | 375°F | 13 minutes | Edges set, tops cracked, centers still soft |
| Cool on the pan | Room temperature | A few minutes | Firm enough to move without breaking |
| Cool completely | Room temperature | On a wire rack | Fully set before storing |
Make-Ahead Tips That Actually Work
Chill the dough if you want it easier to handle. The dough does not have to be refrigerated before baking, but 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge makes it less sticky and easier to shape. A little stickiness is still a good thing here, since it helps the powdered sugar stick to the dough.
Freeze the dough for later. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Store baked cookies at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container for the best texture. I will admit, these rarely last long enough at my house to test how many days they keep.
More From My Kitchen, Made for Your Table
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, blend together the sugars and butter. Add in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Blend until mixed well. Add in the dry ingredients and blend until just mix. Do not over mix the dough.
- Add powdered sugar to a small mixing bowl. Using a small cookie scoop, drop a heaping scoop of dough into the sugar and roll around to coat. Take the ball out of the sugar and roll it in your palm to make a ball. Place cookie ball on prepared pan and dust with additional powdered sugar. Continue making and place about 10 cookies on the pan.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 13 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and immediately remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- ***This is cookie dough is very sticky. I've made this recipe many times and the key to making the cookies is to have patience while working quickly to get the cookies coated in the powdered sugar.
Nutrition
A Few Ways I Switch This Recipe Up
- Add a little citrus. A small amount of orange zest mixed into the dough brightens up the warm spice beautifully.
- Swap the spice ratio. If you love a bolder ginger flavor, add a touch more ground ginger to your homemade spice blend.
- Make them extra festive. A light drizzle of white chocolate over the cooled cookies turns these into a dessert tray standout for a holiday gathering.
- Go bite-size. Use a smaller scoop for mini crinkle cookies, perfect for a cookie tray alongside other holiday treats, just watch the bake time closely since they will cook faster.
Questions I Get About This Recipe
The top of the cookie dries out and sets before the inside finishes rising. While the center keeps expanding and spreading, the surface cracks open into those little crevices we know as crinkles.
This can happen at higher altitudes, where cookies tend to rise more before they set. If you are baking above about 3,000 feet, try reducing the leavening slightly or adding a touch more flour to help them hold their shape.
Coat the dough balls generously in powdered sugar, and do not skip the extra dusting right before they go into the oven. That second layer helps create deeper, more visible cracks as the cookies bake.
If you tried these Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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Saw this recipe months ago and saved it. Pulled it out today to help me get in the mood for the coming holidays and fill the house with wonderful smells of baked pumpkin delights. I usually bake tons of pumpkin loafs in Nov & Dec but thought I’d try something new. Your cookie recipe was a nice change and a similar flavor but bite size. I noticed my cookies were a lot more ‘dome’ shaped coming out of the oven though than yours appears in the photo so I wonder if I need to make an adjustment. I live at 3,700 ft. so I’m right at that area where sometimes recipes are affected and sometimes they aren’t. Any suggestions? Other than the shape, they taste great! Thanks for sharing
Hey there Laurie!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that you’re giving it another try! Since I live in a lower altitude area, I do not have a lot of expertise in high altitude baking. I think it’s a safe assumption that the cookies became dome shaped as a result of the altitude, but there are some changes to the recipe that you can make to adjust for that. I came across a blogger a while back that specializes in high altitude baking because of where she lives, and I will copy and paste a link at the bottom of this comment that details the adjustments you’ll need to make while baking at a higher altitude. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out if you give the recipe another try!
https://www.wheatmontana.com/content/high-altitude-baking-how-make-your-recipes-work-mountains
~Donya
Do you have a recipe for old fashion raisin pie, (no sour cream)
Hey there Patsy!
No, at this time I do not have a recipe on my blog for an old fashioned raisin pie, but I will definitely keep it in mind. Thank you for your interest in my content, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Best pumpkin cookies EVER
Thank you so much! I’m tickled that you liked them.
Have a wonderful day, sweetie!
~Donya
Love it!!!
So glad you liked them!
Have a great day,
~Donya