Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies (No Icing!)

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These soft Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies are the perfect way to celebrate fall and welcome the warmth of the holidays. They are amazingly tender and are bursting with fragrant pumpkin spice flavor. This convenient recipe is made with common ingredients you likely already have on-hand at home. It is an easy autumn cookie recipe the whole family will love!

Overhead view Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies on a wire cooling rack on a dark background.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies

These moist, fluffy cookies are like mini pumpkin cakes. They are full of rich pumpkin flavor and warm autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A sprinkling of cinnamon sugar makes them sparkle and gives them an extra touch of spiced sweetness.

This cookie recipe follows the usual formula of first mixing the wet ingredients, then mixing the dry ingredients, then combining them to make the dough. In this recipe, the cookie dough does not need to be chilled prior to baking. This is especially helpful if you’re baking with kids or if you’re short on time. With no chilling required, these pumpkin cookies can be made from start to finish in just 30 minutes.

After making the batter, I recommend using an ice cream scoop to place the cookie dough onto your baking sheets. I find it to be the fastest and easiest way to portion the dough and have uniform cookies. I also like to flatten the unbaked cookies a bit with my fingers, because they don’t spread very much while they are baking.

These pumpkin spice cookies are best enjoyed fresh and warm out of the oven, or on the same day. I find they get a little soft when stored, so try to enjoy them as soon as you can. However, this recipe is always such a huge hit with my family and friends, I usually don’t have to worry about storing very many leftover cookies anyway. 😉

Overhead view of Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies on a wire cooling rack on a dark background.

Are Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies Good For You?

It depends on the recipe. I wouldn’t consider these pumpkin spice cookies to be super healthy, because they contain a good amount of white flour, white and brown sugar, and butter. But, they are homemade, so you know exactly what’s inside the dough. That makes them better than store-bought cookies, which can contain a lot of preservatives and unnecessary additives.

Additionally, I’ve said before that pleasure and health go hand in hand. Healthy eating can definitely include consuming a reasonable amount of sweets and desserts. This is one of those recipes for times when you feel like treating yourself and indulging. Frequency and amount (as in, the number of cookies you eat) are important concepts to keep in mind. So with that said, enjoy recipes like this one in moderation.

More Fall Cookie Recipes

Looking for more fall baking inspiration? Here are some of my favorite autumn cookie recipes:

If you make this Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies recipe, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating ★ below, because I love hearing from you! ♡

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies (No Icing!)

Overhead view of Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies on a wire cooling rack on a dark background.
These soft Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies are the perfect way to celebrate fall and welcome the warmth of the holidays.
Alia Kay
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 97 calories

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cinnamon sugar topping:

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until blended.
  • Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until combined.
  • Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Slightly flatten each one as the cookies will not spread very much in the oven.
  • To make the cinnamon sugar topping, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cookies.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned around the edges. Allow cookies to slightly cool before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies (No Icing!)
Amount per Serving
Calories
97
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
11
mg
4
%
Sodium
 
87
mg
4
%
Potassium
 
53
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
17
g
6
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
1924
IU
38
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
15
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Keyword Pumpkin Cake Cookies, Pumpkin Cookies Without Icing, Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies

This post was originally published on September 15, 2016. It has been updated to reflect new information and helpful content.

© Everyday Easy Eats. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use any of my recipes, text or images without prior permission.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies - These soft, cake-like cookies are the perfect way to celebrate the fall and welcome the warmth of the holidays. | EverydayEasyEats.com

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5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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