Soft Pumpkin Cookies

These simple and easy to make Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies are like little pumpkin bread muffin tops with a soft texture in a puffy happy cookie that’s great year round!

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Icing

Top them with the sweet vanilla glaze, and you have a delicious classic fall cookie that everyone will love.

And everyone will ask for your recipe.

These cookies aren’t the typical crunchy cookie texture; they’re more like a muffin top or a small cake. Soft. Puffy. Little cakes.

The perfect fall treat.

And they’re delicious with or without the icing. These delightful pumpkin cookies are sure to become a family favorite.

Only uses part of a can of pumpkin

This recipe uses part of a can of pumpkin.

Which is great for those times where you needed a little bit for another recipe. This way, the pumpkin doesn’t get wasted.

Classic cookie recipe

I first started making this recipe back in 1994 when I found it on the back of the canned pumpkin label.

I still have that original recipe that I cut out and taped into a 3-ring binder.

It’s so good, and everyone always asks me for the recipe, that I thought I’d share it here.

Make ahead

The dough can be made ahead of time, and frozen.

I like to scoop out the dough into balls and freeze it so that it’s easy to pull out how many cookies you want to bake and pop them into the oven.

Frozen dough will take a little longer to bake than raw dough. Increase the baking time accordingly.

Recipe tips

Line the cookie sheet or baking tray with parchment or a Silpat baking mat, so the cookies don’t burn and stick.

The cookies don’t spread much at all, so you can fit more on the baking tray than you think.

Place them close together and they will be fine.

Watch the baking times closely, as the color doesn’t change much between “raw” and “baked”. It’s a subtle golden brown that happens.

Try putting the icing in a plastic bag, and cut a corner off the bag for more control over the cookie drizzle.

Or, simply allow the icing to cool and use a spoon to cover the top of each cookie with icing.

It’s your choice if you want a stipe-y drizzle, or a dollop drizzle (like I did for the pictures).

Additional add-ins you may enjoy

Chocolate chips

Walnuts (or any nut for that matter)

Raisins

I think they would be really pretty with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg over the top of the glaze as well

Make a cream cheese frosting to go over the top instead of the glaze

Or toss in some dried cranberries

Try adding about a half cup of quick oats for a chewier pumpkin cookie

Kitchen tools you may need

Cookie dough scoop

Cookie sheets

Silpats

Parchment paper

Cooling racks

Cookie boxes to give as gifts

Cookie storage container & carrier

Other delicious fall treats you’ll love

I love fall. So many delicious treat to try.

Pumpkin Cake with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, and Pumpkin Candy Bites are all great pumpkin treats.

And some of my apple treats: Apple Walnut Cake, and Apple Pie Ice Cream.

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Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies Recipe