When the crisp air arrives and you want to fill your home with something warm, turning to fall cookie recipes is the coziest move. These spiced, soft cookies come together from one simple base dough, so you can bake a few variations without pulling out extra bowls.
Soft Pumpkin-Maple Cookies
This dough yields about 2 dozen cookies. Use canned pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and the oats until just combined. Chill the dough for 15 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops spring back lightly when touched. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Three Easy Fall Twists
This dough is a friendly canvas. Use the same base method and try one of these mix-ins:
- Maple-Pecan: Skip the oats, and fold in ½ cup toasted chopped pecans with the dry ingredients.
- Chocolate Chip & Spice: Stir in ½ cup dark chocolate chips and ¼ cup dried cranberries for a sweet-tart kick.
- Fresh Apple: Grate one small peeled apple, squeeze out the extra juice, and fold it in with the oats. Add an extra ¼ cup flour to keep the cookies from spreading too much.
🍪 Note: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Start with one variation this weekend, and you’ll have a new seasonal snack to look forward to every time the leaves start changing.
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