Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
I’m back with another fall cookie to add to your list: pumpkin crinkle cookies. You’ll love this festive spin on a favored classic!
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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookie Recipe
Introducing your new favorite fall cookies: pumpkin crinkle cookies. If Lorelei Gilmore were the baking type, she would definitely make these for the Stars Hollow Autumn Festival. Which definitely means you need to whip up this pumpkin crinkle cookie recipe for your yearly autumnal re-watch of Gilmore Girls.
Pumpkin crinkle cookies are the pumpkin-spiced, cool-girl, fall-chic cousin of the popular chocolate crinkle cookie. What that means is that in addition to being a way to get your pumpkin spice fix that rivals Starbuck’s PSL, these cookies have a deliciously fudgy interior and a slightly crisp exterior that is dusted in sweet powdered sugar. To summarize, they’re really freaking good.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
- Butter, softened – I use salted butter, always.
- Granulated sugar + extra for rolling – We roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar so the powdered sugar doesn’t disappear while baking.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar will keep things nice and soft.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin (reduced to 1/2 cup) – We reduce the pumpkin and take out the liquid so that the cookies don’t spread too much and so the powdered sugar stays on the cookies while baking.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon – Don’t skimp on the cinnamon because it really makes the pumpkin shine! You can add nutmeg if you’d like, too.
- Salt
- Powdered sugar – Just for rolling, to get that signature crinkle look!
How to Make these Fall Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Cream until light in color and fluffy in texture (approximately 2 minutes).
- Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Next, reduce your pumpkin. Line a dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels. Measure out the one cup of pumpkin and then spread onto the paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and gently press down onto the pumpkin to remove the liquid from the pumpkin. Repeat this step until the pumpkin is thick and has reduced down to about 1/2 cup.
- Add the pumpkin to the bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the mixer and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Portion out the dough into 3 tbsp portions.
- First roll into granulated sugar and then roll into the powdered sugar. And then arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 375° for 11- 13 minutes or until the cookies spread, crack and crackle.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.Enjoy!
How should I store these cookies?
Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days! These cookies also freeze really well and can be stored in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. I have a post all about how to freeze cookies if you need more guidance!
Can I add mix-ins like to the cookie dough?
While crinkle cookies typically don’t have any add-ins, you can definitely give it a try. Mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts or pecans would probably be really good in this!
Other Fall Dessert Favorites
Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar + extra for rolling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin (reduced to 1/2 cup)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Cream until light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Add the egg and vanilla.
- Line a dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels. Measure out the one cup of pumpkin puree and then spread onto the paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and gently press down onto the pumpkin to remove the liquid from the pumpkin. Repeat this step until the pumpkin is thick and has reduced down to about 1/2 cup.
- Add the pumpkin to the bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the mixer and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Portion out the dough into 3 tbsp portions. First roll into granulated sugar and then roll into the powdered sugar.
- Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 375° for 11- 13 minutes or until the cookie spread, crack and crackle.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
I rolled the cookies in sugar then powder sugar but they lost all the powder sugar during baking. Any suggestion? And My cookies were really caky, is that how they supposed to be?
Yes, they are supposed to be soft and cake-like with a crisp exterior. You can try to add cornstarch to the powdered sugar.
These cookies are amazing! So soft and I can’t stop eating them!
Excellent cookie. I added fresh chopped cranberries and minced pecans to half the batch. Both versions were wonderful. Appreciate the info on reducing the pumpkin.