These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and super easy to make. With the pumpkin and spices, they are the perfect cookie for Fall! And no mixer required – just a bowl and a whisk!
I absolutely love baking with pumpkin in the Fall. I have so many recipes that I love, like my pumpkin pie blondie bars and pumpkin bread, that it can be hard to decide what to make. There’s no doubt that cookies are also a good choice though, given how shareable and portable they are. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the newest in my list of tasty pumpkin cookies.
The recipe started from my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and were adjusted from there to make room for the oats. They are insanely soft and chewy and stay that way for days. The pumpkin keeps them moist, and their texture only gets better with time. They have great pumpkin and spice flavor and are hard to resist.
These cookies really are a must-try. I took some with me on a girls trip – hoping to share them – and ended up keeping them all to myself. Whoops! They are THAT good. And because they stay moist and tender for so long, they are great for making ahead and sharing!
Why These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Are So Good
- Soft & chewy. These cookies have the BEST texture! Removing moisture from the pumpkin helps make them chewy instead of cakey, just like a good oatmeal cookie should be.
- Easy to make. Even with the additional step of removing moisture from the pumpkin, it still only takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time to make these cookies. They bake in less than 15 minutes, too! Just remember that the dough needs to chill for at least an hour.
- Stay fresh for days. While it’s highly unlikely these pumpkin oatmeal cookies will last more than a day or two (because they’re just that good!), they can be stored for up to a week! I’d even go as far as to say that they’re even better the next day, thanks to the moisture in the pumpkin.
Ingredient Notes
These cookies are made with pretty basic ingredients! Here’s a look at everything you need and why. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin – You will need to use paper towels to remove some moisture from the pumpkin. Pumpkin has a lot of extra moisture that will make the cookies too cakey. Just spread the pumpkin onto a plate and press lightly on it with paper towels until it’s reduced by ¼ cup. It doesn’t take long, since you aren’t removing a whole lot of moisture. Stick with canned pumpkin puree for consistent results. Homemade puree may have more moisture.
- All-purpose flour – I like to use a food scale but if you don’t have one, use the spoon and level technique (outlined in this post) for accurate measuring.
- Spices – I like to make my own pumpkin spice blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger for the best flavor.
- Baking soda – Helps achieve the soft, chewy texture and add a little rise.
- Salt – Don’t skip it! It amplifies the flavor already present in the cookies. Without it, the cookies will be bland.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter. If you use salted, you can probably skip the extra salt.
- Sugar – Both light brown sugar and granulated sugar are added to the cookies. The brown sugar adds extra moisture, flavor and chewiness.
- Vanilla extract – Adds another layer of flavor.
- Oats – I really like the quick cook oats in these cookies, which are softer and smaller. But if you really wanted to, you could use old fashioned oats. The oats would just be more prominent in the texture of the cookies.
How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies are super easy to make; just remember to plan time for the dough to chill! The detailed printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and lining the cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat.
Spread the pumpkin on a plate. Use a paper towel on top to absorb the liquid.
Once the pumpkin reduces from 1 1/4 cups to 1 cup, place in a bowl and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk the melted butter and sugars together.
Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Mix until combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients and oats. Chill the dough for at least an hour, or overnight.
Make 2 tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough.
Press the dough to almost the desired thickness.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until they look fully baked.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cookies
- Canned pumpkin puree. Stick with canned pumpkin for these cookies. Homemade puree can vary in moisture content and that will alter the outcome of your cookies.
- Measure accurately. One of the biggest culprits of a dry cookie is over measuring your flour. I highly recommend a food scale, but you can also use the spoon and level method. Be sure not to pack your flour into the cup.
- Remove some moisture. Using paper towels to absorb some moisture from the pumpkin is essential for cookies that are chewy and not super cakey. The amount of pumpkin should reduce by ¼ cup during the process.
- Press the dough down. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies do not spread a ton when baking, so be sure to press the dough balls down to almost the thickness you want them to be.
- Refrigerate longer. While you can just refrigerate these for an hour, they can also be refrigerated overnight for prepping ahead. The longer they’re refrigerated, the more moist they are and the longer they last.
- Fully bake the cookies. Unlike some other cookies, you want these ones to look fully baked when you remove them from the oven. If they look underbaked, they are.
Proper Storage
- Counter: These pumpkin oatmeal cookies taste even better after a day or two! You can keep them in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days.
- Freezer: They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw on the counter before enjoying.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (305g) pumpkin puree
- 1 ⅓ cups (173g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (169g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup (224g) light brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup (104g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (153g) uncooked quick cook oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) and set aside.
- To remove some moisture from your pumpkin, spread your pumpkin out onto a plate. Place a paper towel over the top and gently press to absorb some of the liquid. Continue pressing paper towels onto the pumpkin to remove liquid until it has been reduced from 1 ¼ cups (305g) to 1 cup (244g). Set aside.
- Combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and sugar together until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and oats and fold together with a spatula until well combined.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least an hour or overnight. They get even more dense and chewy the longer they are refrigerated. Plus, the cookie dough is thick, but wet. It’s easier to work with after being refrigerated.
- Make balls of 2 tablespoons (35g) of cookie dough and place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Press the cookies down to about the thickness you want them to be. They will spread a little bit, but won’t spread a lot.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they just look fully baked. They should not look under baked.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Once cool, serve or store in an airtight container. Because of the moisture from the pumpkin in these cookies, they get even better the next day and stay good for 5-7 days.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
