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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies – the perfect fall bite!
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! ย 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 powderย – make sure your baking powder and soda are still active using our simple test
- baking soda
- salt
- pumpkin pie spice – make your own by combiningย 2 teaspoons cinnamon,ย 1/4 teaspoon allspice andย 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
How to make Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies:
- First combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- Next, whisk together the sugars, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. Add the melted butter and whisk until blended.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold together until combined.
- 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.
- Transfer the sugar coated dough ball to a bowl with powdered sugar. Gently coat the cookie dough ball.
- Place on a COLD parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the dough balls at least 2-inches apart. Bake!
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.ย 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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Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon baking soda
- ยพ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperatureโจ
- ยฝ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- โ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ยฐF. 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, ยฝ 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 โ 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. ย The dough is very soft but should form a small ball/mound once rolled in the sugar. ย
- 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
I love my little, inexpensive cookie scoop like the one pictured here. ย Click on the photo for more information:
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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. ย This lovely No Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream from The View from Great Island, is utterly fantastic and so easy to make too. ย 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. ย Isn’t it amazing what can come out of a simple can of pumpkin puree?!
Originally published October 2017, updated October 2020
Darcy
Can you freeze these cookies?
Tricia Buice
Hi Darcy – yes you can. Enjoy!
Angry Baker
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.
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?
Chia
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!!!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Chia! So happy you and your family enjoyed the cookies ๐
Pam
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.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Pam – glad they worked out for you. Thanks for the feedback and for trying our recipe!
Jeanette
Is there an extra 2 in front of the flour amount? 2 1/4 cups?? Am I reading it wrong??
Tricia Buice
Hi Jeanette – that should read 2 to 2 1/4 cups of flour. I’ll update it so that it’s more clear. Thanks!
Jeanette Shaw
They turned out absolutely perfect!! I used the full 2 1/4 cups of flour. Thank you. I realized once I read the directions the second.
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much Jeanette! So happy you liked them and we appreciate your feedback as I’m sure it will help others too. Bravo!
Jen
How long will they stay in a container? Well that’s if I dont eat them all. Ha ha
Tricia Buice
Just a few days Jen. They are best eaten in two to three days tops. Enjoy!!!
Miyuki
Will chilling the dough hurt the outcome?
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.
Sarah
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!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Sarah – great tips! So glad you enjoyed the cookies ๐
Barbara Gill
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.
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for the feedback Barbara – you are right about not handling the dough. It’s so light and the cookies are divine!
Susan
Such perfect little bites, Tricia! A great idea for the grands too ๐
Tricia Buice
Thanks Susan! These were fun little cookies to make and eat ๐
Gerlinde
What great cookies, I would love to have some right now with my coffee. Soft pumpkin cookies are irresistible!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Gerlinde! These are pretty irresistible, and perfect with coffee or tea ๐
Abbe@This is How I Cook
I hope these aren’t going to any but the most special trick or treaters! They sound fabulous!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Abbe!
Wendy
So pretty! The cookies look like little loaves of artisan bread….only sweeter! ๐ A soft pumpkin cookie and tea is fall comfort food.
Tricia Buice
I like your analogy Wendy – I think they have most of the same ingredients as pumpkin bread! Great cookie with tea for sure.
Liz
Two bite cookies are perfect! Then I can have seconds. Love these pumpkin crinkles!!
Tricia Buice
Yeah for seconds Liz! Thank you ๐
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 ๐
Tricia Buice
You leave the sweetest comments Shannon! I really hope you give these a try and that your pumpkin loving boyfriend loves them too ๐ Thank you, thank you, thank you!
cheri
These cookies are so adorable, and I bet they are delicious too, how creative!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Cheri – so yummy too ๐
Monique
Gosh they are cute!!All crinkle cookies get to meโฅ
Tricia Buice
Thank you Monique!
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
Tricia Buice
Thanks Greg – I love that little tip, even though it adds a little more sugar, it really works! Good luck ๐
Denise Browning
Hi, Tricia! My kids are crazy for all things pumpkin. Thank you for this amazing cookie recipe. Happy Fall!
Tricia Buice
You are so welcome Denise ๐ Hope you get the chance to give them a try! Thanks!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
How perfect are these cookies? So pretty and no-doubt irresistibly delicious ๐ Can’t wait to try these.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Jennifer ๐
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Soft, cakey and Fall perfect! I would take a dozen, Please :-))
Tricia Buice
Thanks Angie! I wish I could share them with you ๐
Chris Scheuer
Tricia, these are so pretty and I love the miniature size, perfect for a little sweet attack! I’m picturing a pile of them under my cake dome. They look quite irresistible!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Chris – we really enjoyed these cookies and the recipe makes enough so you can share too!