Name: Fudgy-Chewy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 2 teaspoons King Arthur Pumpkin Pie Spice; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 14 tablespoons (198g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 cup (227g) pumpkin purée; 1 1/3 cup (266g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract; 1/4 cup (57g) coarse sparkling sugar

Ingredients

2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons King Arthur Pumpkin Pie Spice*

1 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons (198g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup (227g) pumpkin purée

1 1/3 cup (266g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup (57g) coarse sparkling sugar, for rolling

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Step 2: To brown the butter, melt it over medium heat in a medium saucepan or skillet with high sides. Continue cooking, stirring frequently near the end, until it smells nutty and has brown bits at the bottom, about 5 to 7 minutes after melting.

Step 3: Lower heat to low and add the pumpkin purée to the browned butter. Stir steadily with a whisk or spatula until combined. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, for 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture thickens and bubbles slowly. It should leave a distinct line when you drag a spatula through it. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup; you want about 1 1/4 cups (290g). If there’s too much, return to the pan and cook a bit longer. Otherwise, proceed.

Step 4: Pour the pumpkin butter mixture into a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and whisk vigorously until smooth, thick, and glossy, about 30 seconds. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients from step 1 and mix with a flexible spatula until a smooth dough forms with no visible flour patches. Cover the dough surface with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 6: Scoop dough with a leveled jumbo cookie scoop or two tablespoons onto the baking sheets. Roll each portion into a ball, then roll in coarse sparkling sugar to coat. Press each ball down to about 1/2 inch thick (roughly 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide) using a cookie stamp or the bottom of a glass.

Step 7: Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets once halfway through. The centers should be cooked through and the cookies should feel firm. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Tips & Variations

For a deeper spice flavor, increase the pumpkin pie spice to 2 1/2 teaspoons or add a pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg.

You can substitute canned pumpkin purée if fresh pumpkin is unavailable; just ensure it’s plain pumpkin without added ingredients.

Roll cookies in cinnamon sugar instead of sparkling sugar for a different but equally delicious finish.

Chilling the dough for several hours improves flavor and helps cookies hold their shape better during baking.

FAQs

Can I use regular all-purpose flour instead of unbleached?

Yes, you can use regular all-purpose flour if unbleached is not available. The texture and flavor may be slightly different, but the cookies will still turn out delicious.

What if I don’t have coarse sparkling sugar for rolling?

If you don’t have coarse sparkling sugar, you can use coarse sugar crystals, sanding sugar, or even regular granulated sugar. The sparkle adds a nice texture and appearance but is not essential.