Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe

I’m excited to share my White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies that need no chilling and use a straightforward spice mix with white chocolate chips to make fall baking faster than you’d expect.

I’m obsessed with my take on Pumpkin Spice Cookies With White Chocolate Chips. They feel familiar on every list of Fall Baking Recipes yet they do something a little different: pumpkin puree gets folded into a cookie that stays soft in the middle, while white chocolate chips melt into tiny, dangerous pockets.

I didn’t want something overly twee or cloying, more like a cookie that makes you pause mid-scroll and rethink dessert. Youll find spice notes sneaking in, salt balancing the sweet, and crumbs that make you plan the next tray before the first is gone.

Try em once.

Why I Like this Recipe

* I love how soft and chewy they are, they kinda melt in my mouth
* They look homemade and a little rustic, like something my grandma made
* They always get people asking for more, cant resist sharing them at parties
* The smell that fills the house is so cozy it makes me slow down and sip my tea

Ingredients

• Main structure provider, mostly carbs with little protein refined so low fiber.
• Adds richness and moisture mostly fat high calories gives a tender crumb.
• Pure sweetness almost all simple carbs no real nutrients but it helps brown.
• Adds molasses notes and extra moisture, little minerals yet still sugary.
• Great source of fiber and vitamin A, moistens dough and tastes earthy.
• Give protein and structure they bind and add richness and color.
• Very sweet mostly sugar and fat they melt into creamy pockets.
• Mix of warming spices no calories but it packs a lot of flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
• 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (about 255 g) white chocolate chips
• flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and note this is a no-chill cookie so you’ll bake them right away.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with dense cookies.

3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl down so everything mixes evenly.

4. Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk one at a time, beating after each, then mix in 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling) and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until combined. Dont overbeat here, just get it uniform.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low until just combined. Overmixing will make the cookies tough, so stop as soon as there are no big streaks of flour.

6. Fold in 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips by hand, reserving a handful to press on top of the dough balls before baking. If the dough seems way too loose (sometimes pumpkin varies), add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour, one at a time.

7. Scoop dough with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or heaping tablespoon if you want smaller) onto the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. Press a few reserved chips onto the tops and sprinkle flaky sea salt if using.

8. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so dont wait for the centers to be fully firm.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven preheated to 350°F, and oven mitts for safety
2. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Mixing bowls, one medium for dry stuff and one large for the wet mix
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want exact weights
5. Stand mixer or hand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding in chips
7. 2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon and a small spoon)
8. Wire cooling rack to let the cookies finish setting

FAQ

Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour → whole wheat pastry flour (use 1:1 by weight, 280 g AP = 280 g WW pastry). It’ll be a tad denser and more nutty, so chill the dough a little longer before baking.
• Unsalted butter → solid coconut oil or vegan butter, use equal weight (226 g). Cookies spread a bit differently and you may taste coconut if it’s unrefined, but texture is very similar.
• Packed light brown sugar → make-your-own: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses = 1 cup light brown sugar. Or swap for dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses note.
• White chocolate chips → semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, use same volume (1 1/2 cups). If you want texture instead, chopped toasted pecans or walnuts 1:1 works great too.

Pro Tips

– If the dough feels too loose, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it holds shape better. Dont dump a bunch at once or you’ll end up with cakey cookies. If you want taller cookies, chill the scooped dough 15 to 30 minutes, but you can bake right away if you prefer softer spread.

– Press a few chips on top right before baking and reserve some to add after they come out while the cookies are still warm. It makes them look bakery-fancy and gives pockets of melty white chocolate instead of all the chips sinking into the middle.

– Use an oven thermometer and rotate your pans halfway through. Ovens lie, and light colored baking sheets bake more evenly and prevent overbrowned bottoms.

– Sprinkle flaky sea salt the instant the cookies come out of the oven. It lifts the flavor big time. For keeping them soft, store in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a damp paper towel folded in, and rewarm for a few seconds if they get a bit firm.