This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
You know it’s fall when you see iced pumpkin cookies on the menu! These pumpkin cake cookies are so SOFT and delicious and incredibly easy!
*Please note* this post was originally published in 2017. I’ve updated the headings but the original post and recipe remains the same
The title of the recipe says it all. If you’re one of those people that hates a cookie with a cakey texture, than these are decidedly not for you; however, if you love a pillowy soft, fluffy, cakey cookie, then these are most definitely for you. I hope you’re not sick of seeing pumpkin cookies yet, as it seems almost every food blogger has their own version, but I just had to share mine too!
I have a soft spot in my heart for these cookies, because they remind me so much of my time working at a previous job, almost 10 years ago (wow)! There was a café within walking distance that sold pumpkin cookies very similar to these ones, along with the raspberry filled sugar cookies I shared a couple years ago. One of my good friends and I would buy these cookies nearly weekly – I guess my metabolism was 10 years younger too. Le sigh.
Anyway, I had hunted down a copycat recipe to those pumpkin cookies quite a few years ago, but I’ve since tweaked it by changing out the butter for coconut oil and the white sugar for maple syrup. I have to say, the maple syrup is such a nice compliment to the pumpkin flavour!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake Cookies
I love the ingredients that make up these cookies! They’re simple and delicious. You’ll need the following:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- allspice
- salt
- coconut oil
- maple syrup
- pure pumpkin
- egg
- vanilla extract
Note: Be sure to use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I often use the ED Smith brand.
The glaze is also incredibly simple! It’s only 2 ingredients!
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
How Do You Make Pumpkin Cookies?
1. Start by preheating the oven to 350 F, then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and maple syrup. Add in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract and whisk all together until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a large wooden spoon until just combined.
Note: The cookie “dough” texture will have you wondering if you’re doing it right, since it’s fairly soft and more like cake batter than cookie dough – hence – the CAKEY cookie appeal. I find using a spoon to make the mounds on the cookie sheet is the easiest, as the dough is too sticky for a cookie scoop. I usually re-shape the mounds a bit with my fingers too once I’ve got them all spread out!
3. Using a tablespoon, drop mounds of cookie batter (about 1-2 tablespoons each) a few inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Use your fingers or the spoon to shape the cookies into slightly flattened rounds. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?
The recipe makes 15-18 cookies, depending on how big you make them. You could easily double the batch if you wanted to freeze some for later, or give some away! They are best enjoyed within a week. Be sure to double the glaze recipe as well if you’re doubling the cookie dough recipe.
All the fall things! Here’s a few other tasty treats and cookies:
- salted caramel apple crisp
- pumpkin chocolate bread
- salted caramel apple rose pie
- browned butter Reese’s pieces cookies
- caramel stuffed oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Pumpkin Cake Cookies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 15–18 cookies 1x
Description
You know it’s fall when you see iced pumpkin cookies on the menu! These pumpkin cake cookies are so SOFT and delicious and incredibly easy!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup*
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- cinnamon, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and maple syrup. Add in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract and whisk all together until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a large wooden spoon until just combined.
- Using a tablespoon, drop mounds of cookie batter (about 1-2 tablespoons each) a few inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Use your fingers or the spoon to shape the cookies into slightly flattened rounds.
- Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting. Using an electric mixer or your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the powdered sugar with the heavy cream and mix together; the consistency should be fairly thick. Add more cream or sugar as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Using a table knife, frost the cooled cookies with about 2 tsp of icing and top with a dusting of cinnamon.
Cookies store well in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days, or up to 1 week in the fridge. If storing on the counter, the icing may begin to melt into the cookie.
Notes
- The cookies are not overly sweet (pre-icing), so if you prefer your cookies fairly sweet, you could increase the amount of maple syrup to 3/4 cup or whisk in an additional 1/4 cup sugar to the wet ingredients.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Mmmmm I love cakey cookies!! I totally am running to the kitchen to make these now! XOXO
Yay! Hope you love ’em! And guess what – my blog definitely thought you were spam, haha. I saved your comment!
very nice cookies
Thank you!!
I haven’t made pumpkin cookies in ages! Normally I like soft and chewy cookies but pumpkin cookies are different — I love them soft and pillow-y. I’d love a few of these with my coffee right now!
Yes! Pumpkin cookies deserve their own category – soft and pillow-y is the way to go! Thanks Marcie!
My sister will traditionally make this type of cookie for the day before Thanksgiving, along with our Taco Soup, as we’re readying for the big day…. It’s always a hit! Love this!!
Amazing!! I am craving taco soup now, hah! Thanks Annie!!
i have tried this recipe before and it comes out to be the bestest one going to amke this again this weekend thanks for sharing such good recipe 🙂
So happy to hear that Mary!! We love these cookies!
Hi. Was just wondering if these cookies can be
freezes?
Yes! I would freeze them un-iced.