Several glazed pumpkin cookies on a wire cookie rack.
Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies

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I just love this homemade glazed or iced pumpkin cookies recipe! They are so soft and packed with flavor, I can’t eat just one.

Pumpkin cookies are a Fall and holiday favorite for many people. I can see why they are so delicious. Seriously if you like pumpkin or are have a craving for something pumpkin-related, you have got to try these pumpkin cookies, you won’t be disappointed.

They are so incredibly easy to make too! The cookie dough comes together in about 15 minutes, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

Several ingredients in glass bowls on a wooden table.

In order to make these incredible iced pumpkin cookies from scratch you need some basic easy to find ingredients:

  • Flour – All-purpose/plain flour
  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg (optional)
  • Ground cloves (optional)
  • Butter – The butter needs to be soft and can be salted or unsalted butter.
  • White Granulated Sugar
  • Brown Sugar – Or you can use all white sugar if you like or if you don’t have brown sugar.
  • Egg
  • Vanilla extract
  • Canned pumpkin – This is the star of this recipe. You can’t have pumpkin cookies without the pumpkin! You can also use this homemade pumpkin puree.

Other additional ingredients you can try

  • Chocolate chips – milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark, etc.
  • Chopped nuts – walnuts or pecans work really well.
White plate full of iced pumpkin cookies.

Glaze

  • Butter – melted, can be either salted or unsalted.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar – Also known as icing or confectioner’s sugar.
  • Milk

Tools

  • Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer or wooden spoon
  • Spatula
  • Sheet pan or cookie sheet
  • Spoons or small ice cream scoop
  • Kitchen spray for the bottom of bowl or glass (to flatten the cookies)
  • Wire cookie rack

Step 2: How to make glazed or iced pumpkin cookies

Hand whisking dry ingredients in a medium glass bowl on a wooden table.

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 F/176 C.

Now whisk or sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and the nutmeg and cloves if you are using those ingredients.

Pumpkin cookie wet ingredients creamed together in a large glass bowl on a wooden table.

Next, cream together the softened butter and the brown and white sugar with and hand or stand mixer or use a wooden spoon if you don’t have a mixer. You can use all white sugar if you like instead.

Then add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix those ingredients in, just until combined, followed by the star of this recipe the canned pumpkin puree. Scrape the sides of the bowl after you are done mixing those wet ingredients.

Bowl pouring dry ingredients into a larger bowl with pumpkin cookies dough in it.

Now all you have to do is mix in the dry ingredients about a third of it at a time until just barely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula.

Large glass bowl full of finished homemade pumpkin cookies dough.

Remove the beaters and put the mixer away. Then do one final scraping of the bowl and mix in any remaining dry ingredients that may have been missed by the mixer or stuck to the sides of the bowl. If you would like to add the nuts and or the chocolate chips, fold them into the cookie dough at this point.

And just like that the pumpkin cookies dough is done and ready. Super easy right and didn’t take very long at all.

Step 3: Bake the pumpkin cookies

Hand pressing down pumpkin cookie dough with a glass bowl.

Time to bake those yummy cookies! Take two spoons and and use one to scoop some cookie dough and the other to scrape it off onto an ungreased sheet pan or cookie sheet. Space the pumpkin cookie dough about 2 inches apart.

Then it is a good idea to press them down and flatten them a little bit. Since the cookie dough is sticky, take a bowl or glass and spray the bottom with cooking spray then press down on the cookie dough to flatten them a bit.

Twelve freshly baked pumpkin cookies on a wire rack.

Bake the pumpkin cookies in the oven, middle rack position for 15 to 20 minutes. In my oven 17 minutes is perfect. They should be slightly golden brown on the bottom edges and a little bit on the top.

Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer them to a wire cookie rack to cool completely. And just like that, the pumpkin cookies are done. You can eat them as is or move onto the glaze.

Step 4: The glaze

Bowl of white glaze on top of a wooden table.

To make that yummy glaze, mix together the melted butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Add the milk a little bit at a time until you get the consistency that you want.

Hand breaking apart a pumpkin cookie.

Place the cookie rack and cookies over a sheet pan. This will catch the excess glaze that drips off the cookies. Then drizzle the glaze on the cookies using a spoon. Or alternatively, you can put the glaze in a little plastic bag and snip off the corner and use it as a piping bag.

Another thing you can do if you like is dip the whole top of the cookie in the glaze. There are a few options you can try. Allow the glaze to dry for a few minutes and then they are ready to eat. Enjoy!

How long do the glazed pumpkin cookies last?

Store the cookies in an airtight container or zip lock bag they will last 3 to 4 days at room temperature or a few days longer in the fridge. You can also freeze them for about a month. Although if you are going to freeze them, I don’t recommend freezing them with the glaze on them.

Can I use fresh pumpkin?

If you want to use fresh pumpkin follow the instructions found in this homemade pumpkin puree recipe.

Glazed pumpkin cookies pin for Pinterest
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Here are a few more pumpkin recipes you may like:

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Donuts

Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Several glazed pumpkin cookies on a wire cookie rack.
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5 from 13 votes

Pumpkin Cookies

If you love pumpkin then you have got to try these glaze/iced pumpkin cookies. They are soft chewy and delicious! I love how easy to make they are as well. The cookie dough comes together in about 15 minutes. If I can do it, you can do it!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Cooling Time12 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chewy, Christmas, Halloween, soft, sweet, Thanksgiving
Servings: 20 people
Calories: 143kcal
Author: Matt Taylor

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer or wooden spoon
  • Spatula
  • Sheet pan or cookie sheet
  • Spoons or small ice cream scoop
  • Kitchen spray for the bottom of bowl or glass (to flatten the cookies)
  • Wire cookie rack

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups of all-purpose/plain flour 205g
  • 1/4 tsp. salt 1g
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2g
  • 1 tsp. baking powder 5g
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 3g
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1g optional
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1g optional
  • 1/3 cup softened butter 76g
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 100g
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 100g
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5ml
  • 2/3 cup canned pumpkin 168g

Other Additional ingredients you can try

  • 1 cup of chocolate chips 170g optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 75g optional

Glaze (optional)

  • 1 tbsp. butter melted (14g)
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 2ml
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar approx. doesn’t need to be exact (150g)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. milk 30 to 45ml

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C.
    In a medium bowl whisk or sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In a large bowl add the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. If you don't have brown sugar you can use all white sugar. Blend those ingredients together with a hand mixer or stand mixer or wooden spoon.
    Now add in the egg, vanilla extract, and blend it in until just incorporated. Follow that up with the canned pumpkin puree. Mix until just combined.
  • Mix in the dry ingredients about a third of it at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
    If you want to add the optional nuts and or chocolate chips fold and stir them in at this point.
  • Now, use two spoons or a mini ice cream scoop and drop a scoop of cookie dough onto an ungreased baking or cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
    Then spray the bottom of a glass or bowl with some cooking spray and press down the cookies a little bit, to help them be flatter.
  • Bake them in the oven, middle rack position, for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are slightly golden brown on the edges and on the top. You can also poke them with a toothpick, if they come out clean they are done. In my oven, 17 minutes is perfect.
    Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes then transfer them to a wire cookie rack to cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Then add in the powdered sugar and a little bit of the milk. Stir and add additional milk as necessary to get the consistency you want.
  • Drizzle the glaze on with a spoon or place it in a plastic bag and snip off the corner with scissors and pipe the glaze on the cookies for a bit more control. You may also just dip the whole top of the cookie in the glaze too if you want.
    Allow the glaze to dry for a few minutes. Then they are ready to eat. Enjoy!

Video

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies | Easy Soft Glazed Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

Notes

Note: This recipe makes 18 to 24 cookies depending on the size that you make them.
These nutritional facts are based on 20 cookies, with glaze but no nuts and no chocolate chips.
List of nutritional facts for pumpkin cookies
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal

Do you like this recipe? Pin it! Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

44 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow….I have never heard of these before. I must make them for myself soon. The post-lockdown times are getting freer.

  2. 5 stars
    I love Pumpkin Cookies! It’s so easy to do. Also, it’s very timely for the season.

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