Pumpkin oatmeal cookies are deliciously thick, soft and chewy pumpkin cookies made with cozy oats and warming spices. Make these oatmeal pumpkin cookies when you need quick and easy fall cookies everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
There are few things I love more than soft, chewy and cozy fall cookies. My Apple Butter Cookies, Honey Cookies, Iced Oatmeal Cookies, Chai Cookies, Chewy Molasses Cookies, Apple Cider Cookies, Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies are just a few cookie recipes I love from the blog. I know you’ll love these oatmeal pumpkin cookies because:
- Layers of cozy flavors and textures. From the soft and chewy pumpkin cookie made with fragrant pumpkin spice and cozy oats to the sweet cinnamon spiced glaze, these iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies will delight your senses.
- Easy to make. Just mix the ingredients, chill for about an hour, then scoop, bake, glaze and enjoy.
- The perfect fall cookie. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are filled with sweet warming spices, nutty oat and fresh pumpkin flavor. They’re the coziest cookies that are guaranteed to make your whole house smell like fall.
Ingredients
This recipe for pumpkin oat cookies requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, quick cooking oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, pumpkin puree, an egg yolk, molasses and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
These oatmeal pumpkin are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these chewy pumpkin oat if you need them.
- All purpose flour: Make these cookies, gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (240 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Quick Cooking Oats: Old fashioned oats also work for this cookie recipe.
- Baking Soda: This helps the make the cookies chewy and puff a bit and also spread. These oatmeal pumpkin cookies haven’t been tested with baking powder.
- Ground Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice: Feel free replace with another spice blend. This cookie recipe needs 3 - 4 teaspoons total of ground spices.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugars: Maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- 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.
- Yolk: The yolk adds fat and gives the cookie more chewiness.
- Molasses: This secret ingredient gives these oatmeal pumpkin cookies a lovely chewy texture and keeps these cookies soft for days. Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap for these cookies. If you must substitute, a dark honey would work the best.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Variations
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: Melt 1 cup (226g) butter on low heat. Allow the melted butter to begin 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 30 minutes at room temperature. There should be ¾ cup (170g) of brown butter. Transfer to the fridge to chill another 45 - 60 minutes. The butter should be almost resolidified or the same consistency as room temperature butter. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Optional mix-ins: Feel free to add up to 1 cup chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts, chocolate chips or white chocolate chips at the same time as the dry ingredients.
How To Make
Learn how to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies in a few easy steps.
Make the Cookies
- Line a medium sized bowl with a 2 layers of paper towels. Measure out 1 cup (260 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. Some moisture will still remain in the pumpkin puree. The puree should reduce down to about ¾ cup (195 g).
- In another mixing bowl whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.
- In a microwave safe bowl heat slices of cold from the fridge butter for 30 seconds. The butter should be mostly solid with softened edges. Transfer the softened butter into a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix the butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until the butter and sugars are well combined. On low, cream in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time. Mix until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes - 2 hours. The longer the chill, the chewier and softer the cookie.
Bake and Glaze the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the oatmeal pumpkin cookie dough into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Bake the oat pumpkin cookies at 350 F (177 C) for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. The center of the cookies will be slightly puffed up. Remove the cookies from the oven. Reshape any cookies using a biscuit or cookie cutter slightly wider than the cookie. 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. Cool the chewy oatmeal and pumpkin cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- In another bowl whisk the powdered sugar, pumpkin spice or cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk together until smooth and well combined. Dip the top of each cooled pumpkin oatmeal cookie into the glaze. Gently shake the excess glaze off the top of the cookie and return the the iced pumpkin oatmeal cookie onto the cooling rack to set. Repeat with all remaining cookies. Allow the icing to set for about 30 minutes and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the pumpkin oat cookie dough to the chilling step. Store the cookie dough covered in the fridge for 1- 2 days. For longer cookie dough storage, transfer to the freezer.
- Store: Place the baked oatmeal and pumpkin cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Make sure the chewy oatmeal pumpkin cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Skip the icing until the cookies are thawed.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet or large plate. Flash freeze in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove the cookie dough balls and transfer to an air tight, freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookie dough in the fridge overnight or bake from frozen. The cookies will take a few minutes longer if baking from frozen.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the oatmeal and pumpkin cookies to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed. Warm the thawed cookies in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for a “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Blot the pumpkin. The cookie dough needs some of the moisture from the pumpkin puree, but not all the moisture. Blot the pumpkin enough to reduce the weight and volume of the pumpkin to ¾ cup.
- 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.
- Chill the cookie dough. For a better tasting cookie that doesn’t spread as much, make sure to chill the cookies. Even as little as 30 minutes can help the flour hydrate, allow the gluten to relax and help the butter resolidify. The result is a chewier, tastier cookie.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first 30 - 60 seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit 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.
- Top with icing. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are delicious on their own, but they really shine with a light glaze.
FAQs
What makes pumpkin oatmeal cookies soft and chewy?
Some moisture is removed from the pumpkin puree. This adds moisture but keeps the cookies chewy, not cakey. The brown sugar egg yolk and molasses gives the pumpkin cookies extra chewiness and moisture. Slightly melting the edges of the cold butter allows the cookies to have chewiness without melting into a thinner cookie. Baking the cookies just until they are set and allowing them them to finishing “baking” on the hot cookie sheet helps keep them soft and chewy.
Why did my oatmeal pumpkin cookies fall apart?
This is typically due to overmixing and overbaking. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Check the internal oven temperature with an oven thermometer (not just the panel on the oven).
Can I make these oatmeal pumpkin cookies smaller?
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for 8 - 10 minutes. For a larger cookie, use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml) and bake for 14 - 16 minutes.
Other Oatmeal Recipes to Try
If you try this Pumpkin Oatmeal 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
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Pumpkin oatmeal cookies are deliciously thick, soft and chewy pumpkin cookies made with cozy oats and warming spices. Make these oatmeal pumpkin cookies when you need quick and easy fall cookies everyone will love.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 cup (260 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (80 g) quick cooking or old fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cold and sliced
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) molasses
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Spiced Vanilla Icing
- 1½ cup (180 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk, as needed
Instructions
- Line a medium sized bowl with a 2 layers of paper towels. Measure out 1 cup (260 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. Some moisture will still remain in the pumpkin puree. The puree should reduce down to about ¾ cup (195 g).1 cup (260 g) canned pumpkin puree
- In another mixing bowl whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1 cup (80 g) quick cooking or old fashioned oats, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon , 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a microwave safe bowl heat slices of cold from the fridge butter for 30 seconds. The butter should be mostly solid with softened edges. Transfer the softened butter into a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix the butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until the butter and sugars are well combined.¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cold and sliced, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg yolk , 2 tablespoons (30 ml) molasses , 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- On low, cream in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time. Mix until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes - 2 hours. The longer the chill, the chewier and softer the cookie.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the oatmeal and pumpkin cookie dough into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart.
- Bake the oat pumpkin cookies at 350 F (177 C) for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. The center of the cookies will be slightly puffed up. Remove the cookies from the oven.
- Reshape any cookies using a biscuit or cookie cutter slightly wider than the cookie. 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. Cool the chewy oatmeal and pumpkin cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- In another bowl whisk the powdered sugar, pumpkin spice or cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk together until smooth and well combined. Dip the top of each cooled pumpkin oatmeal cookie into the glaze. Gently shake the excess glaze off the top of the cookie and return the the iced pumpkin oatmeal cookie onto the cooling rack to set. Repeat with all remaining cookies. Allow the icing to set for about 30 minutes and enjoy.1½ cup (180 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice, 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk, as needed
Notes
Store: Place the baked oatmeal and pumpkin cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week.
See Variations section of the blog post to make these pumpkin oatmeal cookies with brown butter or to add nuts, chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
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