These soft and chewy maple pumpkin cookies are the perfect taste of fall. Made with real maple syrup, nutty brown butter, pumpkin and lots of cozy warming spices, they’re the perfect fall cookies. Whether you’re baking for your family, sharing a batch with friends, or simply craving something pumpkin-y and cozy, these pumpkin maple cookies are an easy fall dessert you’ll want to make again and again.
Why Make This Recipe
Fall is my hands down favorite season. I especially love creating soft and chewy fall cookies filled with all my favorite flavors of the season. My Caramel Apple Cookies, Apple Butter Cookies, Apple Cider Cookies, Maple Cookies, Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies and Brown Butter Sugar Cookies are all delicious autumn cookie recipes I know you will love. I know these chewy maple pumpkin cookies will also be another cookie you will love.
- You love a classic cookie with a flavorful twist. Classic sugar cookies are classic for a reason. They’re soft, buttery and are filled with nostalgic flavor. Add some nutty brown butter, rich maple syrup, warming spices and pumpkin and you have the perfect cookie for fall.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft, chewy and buttery maple and spiced pumpkin cookie filled with cozy warming spices to the sweet and crunchy spiced cinnamon sugar coating, these cookies will satisfy all your fall cookie cravings.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. These pumpkin maple cookies are super quick and easy to make. Simply mix up the cookie dough, scoop, chill briefly, roll the dough in the spiced sugar, bake, and enjoy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This maple pumpkin cookie recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. If you are missing any ingredients, here are my recommended substitutions.
- All Purpose Flour: Make these soft and buttery cookies, gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Baking Soda: Make sure this in date and fresh. This gives the cookies their chewiness.
- Pumpkin Spice: Make sure to use fresh spices. If you prefer to use your favorite spice blend, aim to add about 2 teaspoons total of ground warming spices.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Light Brown Sugars: Maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Egg Yolk: This recipe has not been tested without eggs. The addition of the yolk provides more fat which keeps the cookies chewy.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: You can use the same amount of fresh pumpkin puree if you have some on hand. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Maple Syrup: Make sure to use real maple syrup, not “breakfast syrup.” Use an equal amount of honey or substitute with an equal amount of light brown sugar.
Variations
If you love your cookies topped with frosting, I highly recommend topping these maple pumpkin cookies with my Maple Frosting. If you prefer to top these cookies with a maple glaze, skip rolling the cookies in the spiced sugar. Mix 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 - 4 tablespoons (30 - 60 ml) milk or heavy cream until smooth and well combined. Top the cooled cookies with the maple glaze. If you like, top the glaze with some finely chopped candied nuts and enjoy.
How To Make
Learn how to make maple pumpkin cookies in a few easy steps.
Prepare the cookie dough
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 20 minutes to room temperature. Transfer the browned butter to the fridge to chill an additional 20 minutes. Now remove the excess moisture from the pumpkin. Line a medium sized bowl with a 4 layers of paper towels. Measure out ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree onto the paper towels. Allow the pumpkin puree to sit on the paper towels for about 5 - 10 minutes. Gather the paper towels and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. The puree should reduce down to about 100 g and feel more tacky and less wet.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk in the cooled brown butter with the light brown and maple syrup until well combined. Whisk in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg, yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Chill, Bake and Cool Cookies
- Line a small baking sheet or large plate with wax paper or parchment paper. This is to hold scoops of the pumpkin cookie dough to chill. Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml), scoop the pumpkin maple cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet. Cover the cookie dough balls with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the granulated sugar with ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice until well combined. Roll the each of the chilled cookie dough balls into the spiced sugar and place the about 6 cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches ( 8 cm) apart.
- Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 12 -14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Cool the pumpkin maple sugar cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the cookie dough recipe as written. Scoop the cookie dough into balls and chill, covered, in the fridge up for 1 day. Thaw at room temperature while the oven pre heats for 30 minutes. Alternatively, scoop and chill the cookie dough for the recommended chilling time, flash freeze the cookie dough balls for 20 minutes and transfer the cookie dough balls to an airtight and freezer safe container. If you plan on chilling the cookie dough, wait to roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar until right before baking. Fully thaw before rolling in the sugar and baking.
- Store: Place the maple pumpkin cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that these cookies taste best when enjoyed within 2 - 3 days of baking. If you would like to store the cookies for longer, I recommend freezing them.
- Freeze: Make sure the baked cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Place the cookies in a ziplock bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. For unbaked cookie dough, I recommend scooping the cookie dough into balls, flash freezing the dough for 20 minutes and then transferring the cookie dough balls into a freezer safe and airtight container.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the baked cookies to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed then warm them in the microwave to your preferred temperature. For unbaked cookie dough, transfer the dough to thaw overnight in the fridge. Set the dough out at room temperature while the oven preheats.
M’s Expert Tips
- Brown the butter. This adds a nuttiness that really shines when combined with the maple syrup and brown sugar. If you would like, prepare the brown butter a day or two before and warm the butter to melted but warm, not hot before using in the recipe.
- Use a good quality butter. Butter really shines through as a stand alone flavor. I personally love using KerryGold.
- Use pure maple syrup. For the best maple flavor, use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup. The real maple flavor pairs beautifully with pumpkin and warm spices.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop. The best way to ensure all the oatmeal cookies look the same is to use a cookie scoop. The ideal scoop should hold about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough.
- Don't overbake the cookies. The pumpkin cookies may still look slightly soft in the center when they're ready. They'll continue to set as they cool, so taking them out at the right time helps keep that soft, tender texture.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit or cookie cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
Why are my maple pumpkin cookies spreading too much?
Cookies can spread when the butter was too warm when mixing the dough together, the dough is too soft, or the flour has been under measured. Do not skip the recommended chilling time for the brown butter or the cookie dough. If you’d like to test the dough after 30 minutes, bake off 1 -2 cookies. If the dough spreads too much, chill the cookies an additional 30 - 60 minutes.
Why are my pumpkin cookies dry?
I find that a medium or large cookie scoop, with about 2 - 3 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect chewy sugar cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for 8 - 10 minutes. For a medium size cookie, bake for about 10 - 12 minutes.
Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey?
Pumpkin naturally adds moisture to cookie dough, which can give pumpkin cookies a softer, more cake like texture. Measuring the flour carefully and avoiding extra pumpkin can help you get the intended texture. Make sure to remove the excess moisture in the pumpkin puree before mixing it into the cookies.
What makes these the perfect fall cookie?
It's the combination of pumpkin, real maple syrup, and warm spices. The cookies are soft, cozy, and full of autumn flavor without being overly complicated—exactly what you want from a fall baking recipe.
Other Pumpkin and Maple Desserts to Try
If you try this Maple Pumpkin Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
These maple pumpkin cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with cozy fall flavor! Real maple syrup, brown butter and pumpkin puree make every bite deliciously tender, while warm spices give them that irresistible pumpkin spice flavor. They’re quick and easy to make and are the perfect fall cookies.
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan
- 1 heat safe bowl
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 1 large (3 tablespoon, 45 ml) cookie scoop
- 1 - 2 large cookie sheet(s)
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
Maple Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups (250 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
Spiced Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 20 minutes to room temperature. Transfer the browned butter to the fridge to chill an additional 20 minutes.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Now remove the excess moisture from the pumpkin. Line a medium sized bowl with a 4 layers of paper towels. Measure out ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree onto the paper towels. Allow the pumpkin puree to sit on the paper towels for about 5 - 10 minutes. Gather the paper towels and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. The puree should reduce down to about 100 g and feel more tacky and less wet.½ cup (130 g) canned pumpkin puree
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk in the cooled brown butter with the light brown and maple syrup until well combined. Whisk in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg, yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.1¼ cups (250 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract, 1 large egg yolk
- Line a small baking sheet or large plate with wax paper or parchment paper. This is to hold scoops of the pumpkin cookie dough to chill. Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml), scoop the pumpkin maple cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet. Cover the cookie dough balls with plastic wrap and chill for 30 - 60 minutes while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the granulated sugar with ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice until well combined. Roll the each of the chilled cookie dough balls into the spiced sugar and place the about 6 cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart.¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 12 -14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Within the first minute of removing the cookies from the oven use a cookie or biscuit cutter that is slightly wider than the cookie to gently nudge the cookie edges in a circular motion. Cool the pumpkin maple sugar cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
Notes
Store: Place the maple pumpkin cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that these cookies taste best when enjoyed within 2 - 3 days of baking. If you would like to store the cookies for longer, I recommend freezing them.
Tip:
- To cut down on prep time, prepare the brown butter the day before. Heat the chilled brown butter in the microwave for about 30 - 45 seconds, until mostly liquid with some solid pieces floating in the melted butter.
- Do not skip the recommended chilling time for the brown butter or the cookie dough. If you’d like to test the dough after 30 minutes, bake off 1 -2 cookies. If the dough spreads too much, chill the cookies an additional 30 - 60 minutes.
- Cookies are too cakey: Make sure you’re measuring the flour accurately and using the amount of pumpkin called for in the recipe. Make sure the pumpkin has been blotted as written in the recipe steps. Extra moisture or flour can make pumpkin cookies more cake like.
- Cookies spread too much: The brown butter may have been too warm before making the cookie dough, or the dough may be too soft if not chilled for long enough. Make sure to cool the butter for the recommended amount of time, scoop the cookie into balls before chilling and make sure to chill the cookies for the recommended amount of time.
- Cookies didn't spread enough: If the dough is very cold or contains too much flour, the cookies may stay thick.
- Cookies are dry: They may have been overbaked or contain too much flour. Remove them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft and are puffed up.
- Cookies aren't very maple-y: For the best maple flavor, use pure maple syrup. A maple glaze or drizzle can add an extra boost of maple flavor after baking. See below for a maple frosting or maple glaze.
- Decrease the flour to 2 ¼ cups (270 g)
- Decrease the baking soda to ½ teaspoon
- Decrease the light brown sugar to 1 cup (200g)
- Decrase the maple syrup to ⅓ cup (80 ml)
- Follow the recipe instructions as written, but chill the cookie dough for 6 - 8 hours before baking.
- Use a medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop
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Pia says
Would this recipe still work if I cooked fresh pumpkin rather than using canned?
Megan says
Hi Pia! Yes, you can use fresh pureed pumpkin in place of the canned pumpkin. I would pay extra close attention to absorbing as much of the excess moisture from the pureed pumpkin as you can before using it in the recipe. Extra moisture = a more cake like cookie. Let me know how it works for you!
Megan says
These sound like fantastic flavor changes! Im going to have to give them a try. So happy to read you enjoyed them!
Dani says
Hi Megan! I see that baking powder is needed for this recipe but it is not listed with a corresponding measurement in the actual recipe. How much baking powder is needed? Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Dani,
Apologies for the confusion. I reworked the recipe to ensure a chewier cookie vs. a more cake-like cookies as some readers reported having. There is no longer baking powder needed in the cookies, only baking soda. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. The recipe should reflect only baking soda in the measurements and instructions.
Dani says
Thank you so much for the (quick) clarification! Can't wait to try these tomorrow!
Amy G says
I just stumbled on your recipe. I will be attempting a cookie cake version. Then cutting them out to get perfect uniform cookies. Hope they come out!
Megan says
Hi Amy! Please let me know how this method works for you! I'd love to try it out!
Megan says
HI Tracy! I am so happy to read everyone loved the cookies. How exciting to start such a fun tradition! I recently reworked the recipe and revised some of the ingredients to ensure a chewier cookie. Baking powder is no longer needed for the recipe. Since you have already made these once before, please let me know if you need the original recipe. If not, the recipe listed now is equally tasty!
Nicole says
Hello!! I made these last night into smaller 1.5 Tbsp cookies, and they are AMAZING!!! They look exactly like yours but smaller. I love pumpkin and CHEWY snickerdoodles, so this was the perfect cookie to me. Thank you for the recipe!