Saving Room for Dessert

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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies

5 from 41 votes

Soft and sweet, with plenty of pumpkin flavor and loads of pumpkin pie spice

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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies – the perfect fall bite!

Pumpkin spiced crinkle cookies on a cake platter

Soft and sweet, with plenty of pumpkin flavor and pumpkin pie spice, these easy to make cookies are terrific!

These deliciously easy, no-mixer required Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies have been years in the making and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you.

I believe I’m over-the-top hooked on pumpkin this year, or at least my obsession seems worse than most years!  There are so many wonderful ways to use this amazing squash, both sweet and savory, and I can’t seem to get enough.

 

Ingredients needed for Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies:

For the cookie dough:

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder – make sure your baking powder and soda are still active using our simple test
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • pumpkin pie spice – make your own by combining 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • light brown sugar – firmly packed when measuring
  • granulated sugar
  • eggs
  • pumpkin puree – not pie filling!
  • vanilla
  • unsalted butter – it’s okay to substitute salted butter but omit half the additional salt listed above

For rolling the dough balls:

  • granulated sugar
  • powdered sugar

 

A side view of a platter of pumpkin crinkle cookies covered in powdered sugar

How to make Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies:

  1. First combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Next, whisk together the sugars, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. Add the melted butter and whisk until blended.
  3. Add the dry ingredients and fold together until combined.
  4. Scoop small balls of dough and drop directly into a bowl of granulated sugar. Spoon some of the sugar over the dough balls to coat.
  5. Transfer the sugar coated dough ball to a bowl with powdered sugar. Gently coat the cookie dough ball.
  6. Place on a COLD parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the dough balls at least 2-inches apart. Bake!

 

 

An overhead view of a plate of crinkle cookies with pumpkins

This recipe produces a very soft cookie dough.

The cookie dough is very soft and at first you may not think they will form into a ball. However, once covered in sugar the dough will hold a ball shape or at least a sturdy mound.

PRO TIP: Make sure you are forming small cookies and read through all the instructions before starting.

Because the cookie dough has a nice soft texture I find it best to make these into a small, two-bite sized cookies. We use a small cookie scoop only 1 1/2-inches wide. The small cookies consistently achieve perfect-puffiness with the beautiful eye-catching signature cracks. The cookies hold together beautifully, and keep well at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies?

While these cookies are best eaten within a few days of being made, you can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Layer the cookies between sheets of wax paper or parchment and freeze in an airtight container. Once thawed, the texture might be a little more soft and the sugar coating not as pretty, but they’re still good to eat.

We’ve always been fans of the more famous cousin, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

With a soft brownie-like texture and plenty of chocolate flavor, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are one of my favorite treats. This pumpkin spiced version doesn’t disappoint, either. The pumpkin pie spice delivers the warm fall flavors we all love, while the pumpkin puree gives them an amazing cake-like texture.

 

 

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An overhead view of a platter of Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies

 

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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 34 minutes
Yield: 36
Course: Dessert
Author: Tricia
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5 from 41 votes
Soft and sweet, with plenty of pumpkin flavor and loads of pumpkin pie spice.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature

  • ½ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar for rolling
  • 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. Add the butter and whisk until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture just until no dry ingredients remain visible. Set the cookie dough aside for 10 minutes.
  • While the dough is resting, place the ⅔ cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Place the powdered sugar in a separate shallow bowl.
  • Using a small cookie scoop, drop 1 heaping scoop (about 1 tablespoon) of cookie dough directly into the bowl with the granulated sugar. The dough is super soft so it won't be like other sturdy cookie dough balls. Scoop some of the granulated sugar over the dough and gently push it around the bowl until covered. Place the sugared dough ball in the palm of your hand. Form your hand into a cup and gently roll the dough around until it forms a ball. Place the ball of cookie dough in the powdered sugar and roll to coat. Place the dough balls on the parchment lined baking sheets, at least 2-inches apart. Work quickly to roll all the dough balls - there should be about 12 cookies on each pan. Once you have one pan filled, go ahead and bake and keep rolling and forming more cookies. Work as quickly as you can to get them all ready to go.
  • Bake for 14 minutes or until the cookies are puffy, and cracks have formed. The cookies will still be soft and look a little raw in-between the cracks. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

  • Read all the directions before starting this recipe.  The dough is very soft but should form a small ball/mound once rolled in the sugar.  
  • I use a small cookie scoop - size 60 (1 1/2 inches wide)
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Recipe makes approximately 36-40 cookies
  • If you feel the cookie dough will not hold a soft mounded shape, add a few tablespoons of flour but no more than 1/4 cup additional flour. The dough is supposed to be soft. Handle it gently as it doesn't roll up like typical cookie dough.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 589IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

I love my little, inexpensive cookie scoop like the one pictured here.  Click on the photo for more information:

 

If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.

Still loving all these pumpkin recipes? Our Maple Pumpkin Butter is another one of those easy, delicious recipes I’m craving every morning stirred in oatmeal or slathered on an English muffin. Actually, we’re featuring all our Pumpkin Recipes this month, so don’t miss a one!

And, I don’t know about you, but I can eat ice cream all year long.  This lovely No Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream from The View from Great Island, is utterly fantastic and so easy to make too.  It’s a must make recipe for sure! To feed a crowd, this Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Butterscotch Frosting from Recipe Girl looks like a real winner.  Isn’t it amazing what can come out of a simple can of pumpkin puree?!

Originally published October 2017, updated October 2020

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104 Comments

  1. Julie G

    5 stars
    Tender cake-like cookie, spices with a warm scent and taste and overall easy to make. What more could you ask for! I was well-prepared after reading all your instructions and tips carefully. I prepped most of the ingredients earlier in the day so when it came time to bake I mixed them up and was ready to go.
    Dropping the cookie with the scoop into the sugar, moving them around with a fork to cover completely made them easy to roll. Popped then in the powdered sugar and used another fork to move them around and right onto the tray. They baked perfectly for 14 minutes, cooled on the tray before moving them to the cooling rack.
    They puffed and ended up looking just like your photos.
    We loved these cookies and I can’t even describe the aroma that filled our house as they baked! Just delicious. *****

    Reply

  2. Kes

    3 stars
    Made this recipe today. Thanks for sharing. I’m wondering, what’s the texture of these cookies is meant to be?

    They’re delicious, with very cakelike texture. I feel I may have missed something.

    Reply

  5. Traci Baehr

    3 stars
    I would recommend instead of rolling the dough in sugar and then in powdered sugar, chilling the dough a few hours if possible then roll in confectionary sugar and bake. My cookies came out more to my liking. There just the right amount of pumpkin.

    Reply

  7. Brooke Lawrence

    3 stars
    I made this recipe twice and both times the cookies spread to the ends of the earth. They turned out so flat though they’re still Cake-ish like crinkle cookies. And the flavor is good I did everything EXACTLY, even down to the gram. And it still happened this way. I put them in the fridge overnight the second time so they would be cold and not spread as much and it still did the same thing. And the granulated sugar was doing nothing to keep the powdered sugar from soaking in. I also used the right pumpkin puree(homemade). I’ve made crinkle cookies before with this oven in the past few months and it never did this. I also regularly bake with this oven and I’ve never had this problem with cookies. Idk. I had good ingredients as well. It Just doesn’t work.
    This makes me sad 🙁

    Reply

  8. Nancy

    5 stars
    These cookies came out perfect and looked just like the picture.
    Handling the dough carefully is the key. I even substituted canned squash in place of the pumpkin because that is what I had. Doubt anyone can tell. Delicious

    Reply

  9. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers

    5 stars
    These are so pretty! I’m all about the pumpkin right now, so I’ll definitely be baking up a batch 🙂

    Reply

  10. Crystal

    1 star
    Disappointed in this cookie recipe. I followed this recipe exactly and did not add any extra flour. They came out a little cake like, dry and a little bland. I’ve made crinkle cookies in the past they have not come out like this. I wont be making these again.

    Reply

  11. Jolina

    5 stars
    My family loved these cookies! My daughters boyfriend said they were his new favorite cookie. They came out perfect! These will become a fall staple in our family.

    Reply

  12. Christina

    4 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! Although mine came out very flat, they were light and fluffy and they tasted delicious. My family loved them. I like the idea of trying a different type of butter, and maybe adding a little bit more flour next time. Happy Fall!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Christina. Thanks for the feedback. Humidity plays a roll in these cookies. If you feel they’re a little too gooey, add a little more flour for sure. Glad the taste was there, however.

      Reply

  13. Theresa

    5 stars
    I started doing a cookie challenge this year and make myself try new different cookies. Today was week 24 cookie challenge and these are so good. They remind me a bit of gingerbread. I used a spoon and found once rolling them in sugar it helps form the ball. I wouldn’t change a thing with this recipe. It got a star on my recipe to try again. Thank you for sharing your recipes!

    Reply

  14. Kristin

    5 stars
    Awesome! I’m a terrible baker. I was hesitant to make these because some of the comments about them not turning out. I followed the very clear instructions and tada!!! Picture perfect cookies!!!! Very tasty. I might add a bit more pumpkin spice in the next batch… could be just my taste or my spice is old as all get out. Thanks for the recipe!!!!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Great to hear Kristin! I bet you’re a much better baker than you think Kristin. So happy these turned out for you. We love them! Thanks for trying the recipe and for sharing your feedback. Bravo!!

      Reply

      • Kelly

        I sure did! I followed the directions exactly, not sure where I went wrong. The sugar melted and gave the cookies a crunchy coating, instead of the crinkle ?

        Reply

        • Tricia Buice

          I have never had that happen Kelly. I’m so sorry these didn’t turn out for you. Be sure you use good quality butter. I’ve had weird issues baking with less than better butter. Sorry I don’t have more to offer.

          Reply

    • Kelly

      5 stars
      Listen. I did everything wrong on these this time; doubled the recipe, spilled the melted butter, let my kid crack the eggs and lose some, used wax paper instead of parchment, made the scoops too big, let my kid help with the sugars and she smashed half of them down in an instant, didn’t let my pans cool before putting more on, and still, they turned out as a darn yummy cookie! Thank you for this recipe and your time and kindness! Happy baking!

      Reply

  16. Beth

    I’m not sure how others had success with this recipe. I’ll start by saying I’m no novice baker and I followed the recipe completely. I’ve made chocolate crinkle cookies and while the dough is softer once you refrigerate it it makes it more manageable. Even with refrigerating this dough it was still sticky and runny. I love the idea of this cookie but the recipe needs to fixed, I’ll experiment to see what works but I’m super disappointed with this one. Like I said, I’m not sure how anyone could get these cookies to turn out with the recipe as written. My cookies were flat and were actually flattening out before I even had a chance to bake them.

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Sorry you had troubles with this recipe Beth. I consider myself an above average baker and recently made two recipes from one cookbook, and both failed. The book was written by a friend so I got in touch with her and asked some questions about the recipes. She was obviously very upset, thinking the cookbook was published with two recipes that didn’t work. My friend adamantly swore the recipes had been tested a dozen times, by different bakers before being published. I moved on to another one of my recipes, which is well tested too. It also failed and was horribly greasy. I finally figured out it was the butter that caused all the trouble. I was using my favorite good quality butter but must have gotten a bad box. I bought new butter and retested the recipes, and they worked just fine. Anyway – you may or may not believe me, and that’s okay. However before you condemn the recipe you might consider there are other reasons this happened. Hope you have a wonderful holiday and great bakes.

      Reply

  17. Ruby

    5 stars
    Delicious! Made these for the first time for a ladies fellowship meeting and had to make a second batch because the kids and I couldn’t stop eating them. Followed the recipe exactly aside from adding an extra minute to the bake time since I was using a baking stone. They turned out great!

    Reply

  20. M Prewitt

    DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe to the core and these cookies came out great, I enjoyed them with coffee this morning ? I will definitely be making them again.

    Reply

    • Jennifer

      5 stars
      These were delicious and easy to make! Me and my 6 year old made them together and I took them to work for a Halloween snack. Thanks for sharing your recipe!?

      Reply

      • Tricia Buice

        That’s terrific Jennifer! Thanks so much for trying these cookies. I love that you made them together. Six is such a great age. You’ll have fun during the holidays for sure. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let us know how they turned out for you. Happy baking!

        Reply

  22. Janet

    5 stars
    Made these cookies this morning for a Halloween party tonight!
    I used 2 1/4 cups of flour and followed instructions exactly. The cookies turned out perfect! We had to try one and just like pumpkin pie in a cookie!
    I’ll definitely make them again
    Thanks for a perfect fall cookie

    Reply

  23. Kim

    5 stars
    The specific directions helped this recipe turn out perfectly! It’s rare that my product looks like the pictures. I was nervous to work with such a soft, sticky dough, but once I plopped the dough ball in the granulated sugar, it was super easy to manage. I didn’t have a cookie scoop, so I used a tablespoon instead. It got the job done, but I think I’d prefer the cookie scoop.

    Reply

    • Teresa

      These cookies came out perfect. I bake alot but have never made a crackle cookie. Great recipe. For those that came out to runny, may I suggest letting the dough rest for the 10 minutes. Was absolutely fantastic!

      Reply

  25. Angry Baker

    1 star
    I noticed the batter was liquidy so I added the extra flour but that didn’t fix anything and you said it was supposed to be soft. When I baked them they all spread out and turned into one giant cookie blob on my pan. The bottom was burnt on and the inside was all undercooked so now I’ve spent the last 40 minutes scrubbing my pan. I followed all of the steps yet it still turned out like this. Not trying this recipe again.

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Wow – so sorry you had such a hard time Angry Baker. Something must have gone terribly wrong. I would check your oven temperature especially before you start holiday baking. I don’t know what happened but perhaps you used pumpkin pie filling instead of puree? I’ve made mistakes when baking – even with old recipes I’ve made a hundred times. This is a good recipe and yes the batter is soft but it doesn’t spread into one giant cookie blob as you described. It sounds like your oven was really hot on the bottom and not at all on the top. Perhaps you have a burnt out element?

      Reply

  26. Chia

    5 stars
    The recipe was on point! My family devoured the cookies! Loved the easy-to-follow instruction. I was able to find all ingredients at Target. Thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply

  27. Pam

    5 stars
    Awesome hit at our community picnic. I used my measuring spoon , the tablespoon size perfect cookies. And I also used the extra 1/4 cup of flour.

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      I am not sure Mijuki – I haven’t tried chilling the cookie dough. I don’t usually chill any kind of cookie dough that includes baking powder as the leavening agent however. I don’t think they will rise and be puffy as they are in the photos. If you give it a try please let us know how it turns out for you. Sorry to be late in responding – we were traveling for a few days.

      Reply

    • Sarah

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Had to stop myself from eating them all…I let my dough sit for about 15 minutes and highly reccomend sifting your powdered sugar before, made tossing the balls much easier and cleaner without all the clumps. I didnt have any issues with the dough other than putting sugar all over my counter, I found it was easiest and resulted in a perfect ball by placing the dough into the sugar, spooning the sugar around the dough then picking it up and hand barreling it with the powdered sugar. It took some time (approx.15 min for 24 cookies) but I absolutely love the turn put. Great recipe!

      Reply

  30. Barbara Gill

    5 stars
    Somewhere I read where people have had trouble with this recipe. I think the problem is in handling the ball of cookie dough too much. I put a scoop full in the granulated sugar, cover it with sugar from a spoon, kind of pat it a bit, put it in powdered sugar, pat sugar on the ball, then transfer it to the cookie sheet. I believe if you roll it in your hand it will melt it too much. Also, be sure and let the batter rest for 10 minutes before you start to scoop them out. My cookies look just like the picture and taste delicious. I made 10 dozen for a women’s event at church.

    Reply

  36. Shannon @loveatfirstbento

    Oh my god I NEED these cookies in my life! My boyfriend has been bugging me to make (more) pumpkin pie, so I’ve been trying to think of an easy pumpkin dessert alternative I could make instead (since, you know, pies are a bit of work). I think these cookies are the answer I’ve been looking for! I also have the perfect amount of leftover pumpkin puree – yet another sign that me making these cookies is meant to be. Thanks for such an epic pumpkin dessert idea Tricia! And, as always, those closeup shots of those perfectly crinkled cookies are gorgeous 😉

    Reply

  39. SippitySup

    You have mastered the crinkle. Mine have never looked quite so crinkly. I’m thinking the pre-roll in granulated follow by the final roll in powdered is where I’ve gone wrong in the past. GREG

    Reply

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