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 when I was 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!). You whisk the dry ingredients, cream the butter and sugars with the pumpkin, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. If you like a cookie with a tender chew and sweet maple icing, this is the one.

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 to 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.

Ingredient Notes

Pumpkin Puree

Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Too much moisture is what makes pumpkin cookies cakey, so blot the puree with a paper towel before adding it. This recipe only uses ½ cup, so try the rest of the can in my Healthy Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream.

Flour

This is a traditional pumpkin cookie recipe that anyone can make with simple pantry ingredients. Need 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.

Butter and Sugars

Softened unsalted butter creamed with brown and white sugar is what gives these cookies their chew. Light brown sugar gives a mellow sweetness; dark brown sugar adds molasses depth. If you only have salted butter, skip the added salt.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice give these cookies that cozy fall flavor without pulling out five different jars.

Maple Syrup

Use pure maple syrup in the icing, not pancake syrup. A little vanilla is optional, but it rounds out the maple flavor beautifully.

How to Make Pumpkin Cookies

1. Preheat and 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 the 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, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, then add the 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: 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 for about 15 minutes (start checking at 13), until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. If you like, flatten them slightly with a spatula right out of the oven so the tops are flatter and the glaze sets nicely. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
8. Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk (start with ½ tablespoon, add more as needed) until smooth.
9. Ice and enjoy: Once the cookies are fully cooled, spread or drizzle with icing. Let it set before stacking or storing.

Tips for Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

• Blot the pumpkin puree: Too much moisture can make cookies cakey. Blot the puree with a paper towel before adding.
• Don’t over-mix: Stir the flour in just until you can’t see dry streaks.
• Pull them early: Take them out when the edges are set and the centers still look a little soft. They firm up as they cool.
• Chill option: Chill the dough for 20 minutes if you want thicker, chewier 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.

How to Serve Pumpkin Cookies

These are perfect with a cup of coffee or chai on a fall afternoon, and they’re a lovely addition to a holiday cookie tray. For a fun dessert, sandwich a scoop of pumpkin spice ice cream between two un-iced cookies. You can find more cozy fall ideas in my pumpkin and squash recipes.

Storage

• Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Layer with parchment to prevent sticking.
• Fridge: Keeps up to 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 and re-ice if needed.
• Freeze dough balls: Scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze until firm, then store up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 2 minutes.

Print

Pumpkin Cookies FAQs

Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey?

Pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture, and moisture makes cookies puffy and cake-like. Blot the pumpkin, avoid over-mixing, and pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers are still soft.

How long do you bake pumpkin cookies at 350°F?

About 15 minutes for 1½-tablespoon dough balls. Start checking at 13 minutes. The edges should be set and the centers should still look slightly 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, so flatten each dough ball slightly before baking.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Stick with 100% pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices in it, so the cookies would be too sweet and the texture would be off.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you’d prefer a recipe developed specifically with almond flour, try my Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies.

Can I add chocolate chips?

Fold in about ¾ cup chocolate chips before scooping and you have chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Can you freeze pumpkin cookies?

Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months. Thaw baked cookies at room temperature and re-ice them if needed. 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!)
• Gluten-Free Cookies

If you make these pumpkin cookies with maple icing, let me know how you liked them and leave a star rating in the comments!