If you’re looking for the perfect fall baking recipe, these Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Icing are it. Soft and chewy, never too cakey, and topped with a silky maple glaze, they’re cozy, festive, and ready in under 30 minutes.

I kid you not—when my mom made these in high school, a guy friend of mine took a bite and yelled, “They taste like angels!” And honestly, he wasn’t wrong.

These are soft, chewy pumpkin cookies—not the extra-cakey pumpkin cookies you may know from Martha Stewart-style recipes (which are also great!). If you like a cookie with a tender chew and sweet maple icing, this is the one.

Need Gluten-Free? This is a traditional pumpkin cookie recipe that anyone can make with simple pantry ingredients. To make it gluten-free, simply swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free blend—or check out my Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Soft and chewy, not dry or overly cakey
• Simple pantry ingredients you probably have on hand
• Quick—mixed and baked in under half an hour
• Finished with an easy maple icing you whisk together in minutes
• Perfect way to use up leftover pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients

For the Cookies

Wet ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup light brown sugar (dark brown sugar also works for a deeper flavor)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)

Dry ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free AP flour)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or Kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)

For the Maple Glaze Icing

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½–1 tablespoon milk (any kind works, plant-based or dairy)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but rounds out the flavor)

Variation: Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips before scooping for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat & prep
   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Have a wire rack ready for cooling.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients
   In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugars
   In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or beat by hand) to cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 1–2 minutes.
4. Add wet ingredients
   Beat in the egg, then add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Mix until smooth. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage, which is normal.
5. Combine
   Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed or fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not over-mix.
6. Scoop and shape
   Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the dough into dough balls (about 1½ tablespoons each). Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake
   Bake 13–15 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Option to flatten slightly with a spatula when they’re right out of the oven to make them flatter on top to help the glaze set. Let the baked cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
8. Make the icing
   In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk (start with ½ tablespoon, add more as needed) until smooth.
9. Ice and enjoy
   Once cookies are fully cooled, spread or drizzle with icing. Let set before stacking or storing.

Notes & Tips

• Blot the pumpkin puree: Too much moisture can make cookies cakey. Blot puree with a paper towel before adding.
• Chill option: Chill the dough for 15–20 minutes if you want thicker, chewier cookies.
• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar gives a mellow sweetness; dark brown sugar adds molasses depth.
• Chocolate chip variation: Fold in chocolate chips to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
• Brown butter variation: For a richer flavor, brown the butter over medium heat until golden with brown bits on the bottom. Cool before using.
• Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days, in the fridge for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and re-ice if needed.

Storage

• Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Layer with parchment to prevent sticking.
• Fridge: Keeps 3–4 days in an airtight container.
• Freeze baked cookies: Freeze flat, then transfer to a bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
• Freeze dough balls: Scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze until firm, then store up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.

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Pumpkin Cookies FAQs

How do I keep these chewy instead of cakey?
Blot the pumpkin, avoid over-mixing, and pull them from the oven when the edges are set but centers are still soft.

Why did my cookies spread too much (or not enough)?
Too much spread usually means warm dough or not enough flour. If they didn’t spread, you may have added too much flour—flatten each dough ball slightly before baking.

Can I add chocolate chips?
Yes, about ¾ cup chocolate chips turns these into chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Yes! Simply swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you’d prefer a recipe developed specifically with almond flour, try my Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies.

Do I need vanilla in the icing?
It’s optional, but a little vanilla rounds out the maple flavor beautifully.

Can I freeze them?
Yes. Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months. Always store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

More Fall Cookie Recipes

If you loved these pumpkin cookies, try these out next:

• Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies (GF)
• Almond Flour Christmas Cookies
• Chocolate Crackle Crinkle Cookies
• Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Easy Healthy Shortbread Cookies (GF)
• Easy Dark-Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Cookies
• Almond Butter Cookies (Just 5 Ingredients!)