These Cookies Are My Autumn Superpower

You know those recipes that seem to sneak their way into your family’s folklore? Well, these pumpkin spice cookies pretty much did that by sheer force. I started making them one October when I couldn't find my usual banana bread recipe (long story involving a jam jar, a dog, and the recycling bin—don’t ask). Fast forward a couple years, and now the second anyone spots those cans of pumpkin purée at the supermarket, I get texts from my sister. “Are you making the cookies?” She doesn’t even ask nicely anymore, just all-caps. And honestly, I get it; these have a way of vanishing before the kettle’s even boiled.

Why You'll Love This, or at Least Why We Do

I usually bake these on chilly, drizzly Saturdays when everyone’s kind of grumpy and needs a bit of a pick-me-up (and by everyone I mostly mean myself). My family goes crazy for these because they’re soft, a little chewy and, let’s be frank, taste like fall in a biscuit tin. I love that pumpkin does most of the heavy lifting for the texture, so you don't have to worry about chilling dough or timing things super precisely. Once, I ran out of allspice and just added... extra cinnamon. No one noticed. Oh, and the leftover cookies (on the rare occasion there are any)—they make for dangerously good midnight snacks.

What You’ll Need (But I’m Not Judging If You Improvise)

2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour (but I've even used half wholewheat because that’s what I grabbed form the cupboard—turns out fine, a bit nutty)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (my gran swears by Maldon flakes, but I just use the cheap stuff)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (heaping ones if you love it as much as I do)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened (in a pinch, I used margarine... results: slightly meh, but edible!)
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 cup (245g) canned pumpkin purée (fresh is lovely if you want to go the extra mile, but honestly it’s not necessary)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (270g) chocolate chips or chunks (or skip entirely and chuck in pecans, butterscotch, or nothing—your call)

How I Actually Make These (Not Always by the Book)

Preheat no matter what: 180°C/350°F. I always “forget” and start mixing first, then hastily turn on the oven halfway through. (Don’t be me; just do it first!)
Prep your trays: Either line them with baking paper or, if you live dangerously like I sometimes do, just give them a wipe of oil. (Just keep an eye so you don’t end up chiseling cookies off later.)
Dry stuff first: In a big-ish bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and those lovely spices. Sometimes I double up the cinnamon if I’m feeling wild.
Cream it up: In another bowl, beating the butter and both sugars 'til it looks soft and fluffy—as pale as a rainy English morning. If I’m lazy and the butter’s still cold, I just nuke it a touch.
Egg, pumpkin and vanilla in: Everything gets a good whisk, don’t worry if it looks a bit split; it will come together. This is usually where I sneak a taste (who hasn’t, right?).
Combine: Gently add the dry stuff into the wet, trying not to whisk flour everywhere. On second thought—folding with a wooden spoon is less mess. Stir in your chocolate chunks or whatever you fancy.
Dollop time: Scoop generous spoonfuls onto your trays—about two inches apart. They spread a bit, but not too madly. I sometimes make them too close and get a cookie sheet, basically. Which isn’t all bad.
Bake: 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops still look a bit soft. Don’t overbake—unless you like them crispy, I s’pose.
If they come out looking puffy, they’ll settle as they cool.

Lil’ Notes from My Many Mishaps

Letting the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes—vital. The first batch I made, I tried moving them instantly and ended up with sad, floppy halves.
If they turn out cakier than expected, it’s usually from overmixing. Or sometimes just random kitchen fate.
I think these taste even better the next day. If you manage not to inhale them straight off the tray, that is.

Variations I’ve Tried (And a Fail)

White chocolate & cranberry: Very Christmassy, but a bit sweet for me if I’m honest, though my aunt loves them.
Chopped pecans instead of chocolate: Delicious; gives a nice crunch.
Gluten-free flour blend: Worked pretty well, though more fragile when warm. Maybe just leave them to cool longer.
FAIL: Trying to use fresh pumpkin chunks instead of purée made cookies that tasted like... well, vegetable soup bread. Don’t recommend.

If You Don't Have Fancy Gear—No Biggie

I usually use an electric hand mixer, but honestly, a wooden spoon and stubbornness work fine. Once I even used a clean jar as a rolling pin for another cookie recipe (don’t try that with hot butter, though). For scooping, two spoons, or just your hands if you like rustic vibes. Sally's Baking Addiction has cool tricks for portioning out cookies if you want to level things up.

How I Store Them (If There’s Any Left)

Technically, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day! If it’s sweltering, stick them in the fridge—but bring them back to room temp before eating. They do freeze, but why would you bother?

Want to Make Them Fancy? This Is How We Serve ‘Em

I like these best plain with a mug of milky tea, but kids love ‘em dunked in hot chocolate. Last Christmas, Mum sandwiched vanilla ice cream between two cookies—not bad at all. Sometimes I bring a plateful to bonfire night, wrapped in foil so they stay gooey in the middle.

Real Life ‘Wish I’d Known That’ Pro Tips

I once tried rushing the creaming step and regretted it because the cookies turned edible but slightly brick-ish. Actually, I find giving the butter and sugar a good 3–4 minutes makes all the difference.
And don’t bother chilling this dough—tried it, got more cakey cookies (not terrible, just not classic chewy ones).
If the kitchen’s hot, the dough gets sticky—just flour your hands. Or give up and go for scoop-and-drop blobs. They taste the same, let’s be honest.

The Big Cookie Q&A (Because Friends Always Ask These)

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Short answer: Nah, it doesn’t work out well. You can try roasting & puréeing but... it’s a faff. Stick to the tin for best results. See King Arthur’s guide which kind of agrees.
Does it matter if my dough is a bit sticky? Nope! Stickiness is normal. Spoon-and-drop is easier than trying to roll them.
Can I use just white sugar? Sure, but you'll lose a bit of caramel magic from the brown stuff. Roll with what you’ve got.
Could you double the recipe? Yes, but you’ll need a very big bowl. Or maybe just make two batches. I’ve overflowed a bowl before (what a mess!).
Do the cookies really taste like spice? They do, but it’s gentle—not like eating a scented candle, promise.
Help, my cookies went cakey: You probably mixed too hard. Next time, maybe just fold until combined (I learned that the crumbly way).
Can you freeze the dough? Yep; shape into balls, freeze flat, then bake form frozen (just add a minute or two to the bake time).
Wait, is pumpkin spice an actual thing or just “cinnamon”? It’s a bunch of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and sometimes ginger/allspice. You can fake it if you’re low on one thing (I do, frequently).

If you try these, let me know how you tweak ‘em! Drop me a line (or tag a picture of your messy batch—makes me feel better about my own kitchen chaos). Or if you're feeling nostalgic, you could check out Serious Eats’ pumpkin spice cookie variations for a bit of inspiration or just to see how wild others get with theirs.

Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies