Description
These Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Cookies are a perfect autumn treat blending warm spices with rich pumpkin puree for moist, flavorful cookies. Easy to make and optionally studded with chocolate chips, they offer a festive twist on classic cookies with a tender, chewy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Pumpkin and Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, then beat until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips (Optional): If using, fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips with a spatula evenly throughout the dough for extra sweetness and texture.
- Form Cookies: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded spoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to firm up perfectly.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to ensure a soft, chewy texture.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based margarine or coconut oil.
- Adding chocolate chips is optional but recommended for extra flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
