Delicious Pumpkin Pie Cookies: Your Ultimate Fall & Thanksgiving Dessert
Prepare to fall in love with these irresistible Pumpkin Pie Cookies, a delightful fusion of a crisp, buttery brown sugar cinnamon shortbread and a rich, creamy pumpkin pie filling. Each cookie is crowned with a generous dollop of fluffy whipped cream, delivering the complete pumpkin pie experience in a convenient, bite-sized form. This innovative recipe combines the best of both worlds, offering the satisfying crunch of a classic shortbread cookie base with the comforting, spiced goodness of a traditional pumpkin pie center. They are truly the quintessential treat for autumn gatherings, holiday celebrations like Thanksgiving, or simply when you crave the cozy flavors of the season. Think of them as adorable, individual mini pumpkin pies, designed to impress and satisfy every pumpkin lover!
If you’re a true aficionado of pumpkin pie, you’ll also adore our mini pumpkin hand pies! Crafted with a buttery, flaky pie crust, these are another fantastic option for portable, delicious pumpkin goodness.
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🥧 Why You’ll LOVE These Pumpkin Pie Cookies
These Pumpkin Pie Cookies aren’t just a dessert; they’re an experience! Here are several compelling reasons why this recipe will become a cherished part of your fall baking repertoire:
- Irresistible Shortbread Base: Forget complicated pie crusts. Our cookies feature a decadent brown sugar cinnamon shortbread. This base isn’t just a vehicle for the filling; it’s a star in its own right. It boasts a perfectly crumbly yet tender texture and a warm, inviting flavor profile thanks to the brown sugar and cinnamon, creating a harmonious contrast with the creamy filling. This provides a sturdy, flavorful foundation for the rich pumpkin center.
- Authentic Pumpkin Pie Filling: At the heart of each cookie lies a luscious, traditional pumpkin pie filling. Made with real pumpkin purĂ©e and a blend of classic fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, it delivers that signature comforting and aromatic taste you expect from a perfect slice of pumpkin pie. It’s rich, smooth, and perfectly balanced, making every bite a mini celebration of autumn flavors.
- Effortlessly Impressive: Despite their sophisticated appearance and incredible flavor, these pumpkin pie cookies are surprisingly easy to prepare. You don’t need expert baking skills to create these beautiful and delicious treats. The steps are straightforward, from mixing the simple shortbread dough to whisking the pumpkin filling. Even if you’re short on time, a store-bought whipped cream can be a quick and easy topping option, ensuring you can still impress your guests without added stress. They’re ideal for both novice and experienced bakers looking for a rewarding fall recipe.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a casual fall evening, a festive Halloween party, or the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving dessert table, these cookies fit right in. Their individual serving size makes them excellent for potlucks, gifts, or simply enjoying one at a time without needing to slice a whole pie. They offer all the beloved flavors of the season in a convenient, portable format.
Craving even more pumpkin flavor? Instead of plain whipped cream, elevate your cookies with our homemade pumpkin whipped cream for an extra layer of seasonal goodness!
đź“ť Key Ingredients for Perfect Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Achieving baking success starts with understanding your ingredients. Read through these tips for optimal results!
Full steps and ingredient quantities are detailed in the recipe card below.
- Butter: For this recipe, I highly recommend using **unsalted butter**, specifically softened to room temperature. Unsalted butter allows you to precisely control the salt content in your shortbread, which is crucial for achieving the perfect flavor balance. Using softened butter also ensures it creams smoothly with the sugars, creating a light and airy dough that will result in tender, not tough, cookies. While salted butter can be used in a pinch, be aware it contains a slightly higher water content, which can subtly alter the cookie’s texture, making it less crisp.
- Pumpkin PurĂ©e: Opt for pure canned pumpkin purĂ©e for the most consistent and reliable results. It’s essential to avoid pumpkin pie *filling*, as the latter already contains added spices and sugars, which will throw off the carefully balanced flavors of this recipe. The ideal consistency for your pumpkin purĂ©e should be thick, similar to hummus or Greek yogurt. If your purĂ©e seems too watery, you can gently simmer it on the stovetop for a few minutes to reduce some of the moisture, allowing it to thicken. Have extra pumpkin? Use it to make these popular no-bake pumpkin cheesecake bars.
- Evaporated Milk: A classic ingredient in traditional pumpkin pies, evaporated milk is key to imparting a rich, creamy texture and depth of flavor to our pumpkin filling. Its concentrated nature means it has less water than regular milk, contributing to a luscious, smooth consistency that helps the filling set beautifully within the cookie cup. If you don’t have evaporated milk readily available, you can substitute it with heavy (whipping) cream or half-and-half, though the final richness and setting properties might vary slightly.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: This warm and aromatic spice blend is what gives pumpkin pie its distinctive, beloved flavor. It typically consists of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. These spices harmonize to create that comforting taste of autumn. For convenience, you can purchase it pre-made from any grocery store. However, for the freshest and most vibrant flavor, I encourage you to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend at home. It’s surprisingly easy and makes a noticeable difference!
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This ingredient is essential for creating the light, airy dollops of whipped cream that crown each cookie. For the best results and the most stable, thick, and creamy whip, I recommend using heavy whipping cream with at least 35% milk fat. Ensure your cream is very cold before whipping, and consider chilling your mixing bowl and whisk attachment for a few minutes beforehand. This helps the fat globules emulsify more effectively, leading to perfect stiff peaks that hold their shape.
- All-Purpose Flour: Accuracy in measuring flour is paramount for achieving the correct cookie dough consistency. For the most precise results, I strongly advise weighing your flour using a kitchen scale (300g for 2 ½ cups). If a scale isn’t an option, use the “spoon and level” method: gently stir the flour in its bag or container, then spoon it lightly into your measuring cup until it overflows. Use the flat edge of a knife to scrape off any excess from the top, being careful not to pack the flour into the cup. Over-packed flour can lead to dense, dry cookies that spread incorrectly.
- Brown Sugar (Cookie Dough & Filling): Brown sugar is critical for both its flavor and its impact on texture. In the shortbread, it contributes moisture, chewiness, and a lovely caramel note. In the pumpkin filling, it adds depth of sweetness. Always make sure to pack it firmly when measuring to ensure correct quantities.
- Granulated Sugar (Cookie Dough): This fine white sugar works alongside brown sugar in the shortbread. It helps create the desired crispness on the cookie’s edges and balances the overall sweetness of the dough, providing a delicate contrast to the richer brown sugar.
- Eggs & Egg Yolk: The large egg yolk in the cookie dough adds richness and helps bind the dough without introducing too much moisture, ensuring a tender crumb. The whole large egg in the pumpkin filling acts as a crucial binder and emulsifier, helping the custard set and creating that smooth, creamy texture integral to pumpkin pie.
If you’re a fan of cookies featuring a delicious pumpkin filling, you’ll also love these pumpkin cheesecake cookies!
👩‍🍳 How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Crafting these delectable pumpkin pie cookies is a rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to ensure perfectly baked, delicious results every time.
Cookie Dough Step-by-Step
Step 1: Prepare the Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine your softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, and sea salt. Beat these ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and visibly creamy. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the shortbread’s tender texture. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all ingredients are evenly combined.
Next, add the large egg yolk, ground cinnamon, and pure vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Continue to mix on medium speed until all these additions are fully incorporated, resulting in a smooth, aromatic, and creamy blend. The egg yolk adds richness, while cinnamon and vanilla infuse the dough with warm, inviting flavors essential for the fall season.
Step 2: Incorporate the Flour. Carefully sift the all-purpose flour directly into the egg and butter mixture. Sifting helps prevent lumps and ensures a lighter dough consistency. Using a spatula or your mixer on low speed, gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients. Mix just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. It will appear crumbly at first but will come together as you continue to fold. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much, leading to tough and less tender cookies.
Step 3: Shape the Cookies. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; this prevents sticking and aids in even baking and easy cleanup. Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough into uniform balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Once all the dough is scooped, gently press your thumb into the center of each ball to create a shallow indent. This will be the well for your pumpkin pie filling.
To ensure the filling stays securely in place during baking, use your fingers to carefully press up the sides of each cookie, forming a small “wall” around the thumbprint indent. This creates a sturdy, leak-proof cup for the creamy pumpkin filling.
Step 4: Chill the Dough. Once the cookies are shaped, place the entire baking sheet into the freezer to chill while you proceed with preparing the pumpkin pie filling. Chilling the dough is a crucial step that helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they maintain their shape and that the butter doesn’t melt too quickly. This short chill also allows the gluten to relax, resulting in a more tender cookie, and helps the flavors meld and deepen. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking.
Pumpkin Pie Filling Step-by-Step
Step 1: Combine Egg and Sugar. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the large egg and packed brown sugar until they are well combined and the sugar has largely dissolved. This forms a smooth, rich base for your creamy pumpkin filling, ensuring even sweetness and a good consistency throughout.
Step 2: Mix the Remaining Filling Ingredients. To the egg and brown sugar mixture, add the pure pumpkin purée, cornstarch (which acts as a thickener, helping the filling set beautifully), a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavors, the aromatic pumpkin pie spice blend, and the evaporated milk. Whisk all these ingredients vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and lump-free. Ensure everything is thoroughly incorporated to create a consistent and flavorful filling that will set perfectly in the cookies.
Step 3: Fill and Bake. Retrieve the chilled cookie dough from the freezer. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet, ensuring there are at least 2 inches of space around each one to allow for proper spreading during baking without them merging. You might need to bake in a few batches to prevent overcrowding. Carefully spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the prepared pumpkin pie filling into the center indent of each cookie. Be mindful not to overfill, as the filling might overflow while baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the pumpkin filling is set and no longer jiggly in the center. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for just one minute after removing them from the oven, then carefully transfer them using a spatula to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This helps prevent them from becoming soggy and ensures a crisp shortbread base. Repeat for any remaining cookie dough and filling.
Step 4: Prepare the Whipped Cream Topping. For the fluffiest, most stable whipped cream, place your mixing bowl and wire whisk attachment in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes before you begin. Once chilled, add the very cold heavy whipping cream (35% fat content is ideal), pure vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to the bowl. With the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should be thick, creamy, and hold its shape perfectly. Transfer this luscious topping into a piping bag fitted with your favorite star tip (a Wilton 1M works wonderfully for beautiful swirls). Pipe a generous dollop of this homemade whipped cream onto each cooled pumpkin pie cookie just before serving for the ultimate fresh taste and presentation. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle a tiny bit of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped cream.
✔️ Expert Tips for Pumpkin Pie Cookie Success
Achieve bakery-quality pumpkin pie cookies with these essential tips:
- Accurate Flour Measurement is Key: For the most consistent and tender cookie dough, always weigh your flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, use the “spoon and level” method: gently fluff the flour in its container, then spoon it into a measuring cup without packing it down. Level off the excess with the flat edge of a knife. Packing flour can add too much dry ingredient, resulting in dense, dry, or crumbly cookies that don’t spread correctly in the oven.
- Don’t Skip Chilling the Cookie Dough: This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a crucial step! Chilling the dough allows the gluten to relax, which prevents the cookies from becoming tough. More importantly, it firms up the butter, which slows down its melting process in the hot oven. If the butter melts too quickly, the cookies will spread out before the flour and other ingredients have a chance to set their structure. A cold dough means they maintain their shape better and results in a more tender, flavorful cookie. Even a quick 15-20 minute chill in the freezer can make a significant difference.
- Always Use Parchment Paper: Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper is non-negotiable for these cookies. It prevents them from sticking to the pan, ensures even heat distribution, and promotes uniform spreading, leading to beautifully shaped cookies with perfect bottoms. Silicone baking mats also work wonderfully.
- Give Your Cookies Room to Breathe: Overcrowding your baking sheet can lead to cookies that merge into one another or bake unevenly due to restricted airflow. Always leave at least two inches of space around each cookie. This allows hot air to circulate properly around each individual cookie, ensuring even baking and preventing them from touching as they spread slightly. You may need to bake in batches.
- Master the Whipped Cream: For the ultimate fluffy and stable whipped cream, start with very cold heavy whipping cream (35% milk fat is ideal). Take it a step further by chilling your mixing bowl and wire whisk attachment in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before you start whipping. This extra cold environment helps the fat in the cream stay firm, allowing it to emulsify and whip up into a much thicker, creamier, and more stable consistency that holds its shape beautifully on your cookies.
- Avoid Overfilling the Centers: When adding the pumpkin pie filling to the cookie indents, be conservative. Using 1 to 2 teaspoons is generally sufficient, depending on the size of your thumbprint. Overfilling can cause the pumpkin mixture to bubble over the shortbread walls during baking, leading to messy cookies and potentially a burnt or runny filling.
- Calibrate Your Oven: Oven temperatures can be notoriously inaccurate, often varying by a significant margin from the set temperature. Investing in an inexpensive oven thermometer and checking your oven’s actual temperature is highly recommended. If your oven runs too hot or too cold, it can significantly impact how your cookies bake and spread. Adjust your oven setting based on the thermometer’s reading for consistent, perfect results.
🥄 Make Ahead and Storage Tips
These pumpkin pie cookies are certainly at their absolute best when enjoyed on the day they are baked, with the shortbread still crisp and the filling freshly set. However, thoughtful preparation and storage can help you enjoy them for longer or make your baking process more manageable, especially during busy holiday seasons.
For storage of baked cookies, once they have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because of the moist pumpkin filling, the shortbread base may soften slightly over time. To restore some of that delicious crispness, you can gently reheat them in a preheated oven (around 300°F/150°C) for a few minutes until warmed through and the crust firms up again. Remember, the whipped cream topping does not store well once piped, becoming watery and deflated, so it’s always best to apply it onto the cookies just before you plan to serve them.
The good news is that many components of these delightful cookies can be prepared well in advance! To make the cookie dough ahead of time, simply follow the recipe steps to mix and shape the dough balls, including making the thumbprint indents and building the walls. Once shaped, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe airtight bag or container, where they will keep for up to 5 days. When ready to bake, you can bake them directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time, without needing to thaw.
The pumpkin pie filling can also be made ahead of time. Prepare the filling as directed, then transfer it to an airtight container or jar. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Give it a good whisk or stir before spooning into your cookie dough when you’re ready to bake, ensuring it’s smooth and well-combined.
As mentioned, the whipped cream is truly at its peak when freshly whipped and piped on right before serving. This ensures it’s light, airy, and holds its beautiful shape, providing the perfect creamy contrast to the spiced pumpkin. If you’re looking to infuse even more autumnal flavor, consider making our pumpkin whipped cream for an extra boost of pumpkin spice goodness.
âť” Troubleshooting: Why Did My Cookies Spread Too Much?
It can be disappointing when cookies don’t turn out as perfectly round and contained as you hoped. If your pumpkin pie cookies spread excessively in the oven, several factors might be at play. Understanding these can help you achieve ideal results next time:
- Inaccurate Flour Measurement: This is one of the most common culprits. How did you measure your flour? If you scooped it directly from the bag with your measuring cup, you likely packed in too much flour, leading to a dough that’s too dense and doesn’t have enough structure to hold its shape against the melting butter. Weighing flour with a kitchen scale provides the most accurate and consistent results, preventing this issue and ensuring the right flour-to-fat ratio.
- Insufficient Dough Chilling: Did you chill your cookie dough before baking? This step is vital. Chilling allows the butter in the dough to re-solidify, which slows down its melting process in the hot oven. If the butter melts too quickly, the cookies will spread out extensively before the flour and other ingredients have a chance to set their structure. Chilling also hydrates the starch in the flour and relaxes the gluten, both contributing to a better texture and significantly less spread. Even a quick 15-20 minute chill in the freezer can make a significant difference.
- Incorrect Oven Temperature: The temperature of your oven plays a critical role. If your oven temperature is too low, the butter in the cookies will melt gradually, giving the cookies ample time to spread extensively before they begin to bake and set. Conversely, if your oven is too hot, the outsides might set too quickly but the insides won’t cook properly, leading to an irregular spread or a less pleasant texture. I highly recommend using a separate oven thermometer to verify your oven’s accuracy, as built-in thermostats can often be off by 25-50°F (15-30°C). Adjust your oven setting based on the thermometer’s reading.
- Butter Temperature Issues: While the recipe calls for softened butter, “softened” means pliable but still cool to the touch, not melted or greasy. If your butter was too warm to begin with (e.g., melted or very soft, almost liquid), the dough will lack the necessary firmness and structure to prevent spreading. Ensure your butter is at the ideal room temperature – it should indent slightly when pressed, but not be oily.
- Overmixing the Dough: Overmixing the cookie dough can develop the gluten in the flour too much, making the dough tough and less likely to hold its shape when heated. This can contribute to excessive spreading, as the gluten strands prevent the cookie from setting properly. Mix only until the ingredients are just combined and a soft dough forms.
đź“– Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely! You can adjust the size of these cookies to your preference. If you opt for larger cookies, you may need to increase the baking time by one to two minutes, keeping a close eye on the edges for that lightly golden brown cue and ensuring the filling is set. For smaller cookies, reduce the baking time by one to two minutes to prevent overbaking. Always bake a small test batch first to determine the perfect baking time for your desired size, ensuring the shortbread is cooked through and the filling is perfectly set.
I strongly advise against using pre-made pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling is a completely different product from pure pumpkin purée; it already contains added sugars, spices, and sometimes other ingredients like thickeners. Substituting it would significantly alter the consistency, sweetness, and spice level of our carefully balanced pumpkin filling, resulting in a flavor and texture that would be entirely different and likely not optimal for these cookies. For the best results, always use pure canned pumpkin purée.
Yes, chilling the cookie dough is a highly recommended and crucial step for the best results, and I absolutely recommend doing it. A quick chill in the freezer while you prepare the filling helps to firm up the butter in the dough, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. This ensures your cookies maintain their beautiful shape and the shortbread base has a perfect tender-crisp texture. It also allows the gluten to relax and the flavors to meld, leading to a more tender and flavorful cookie.
While homemade pumpkin purĂ©e can certainly be used, it’s important to ensure it has a very thick consistency, similar to good quality canned pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin can sometimes be more watery, which could make your filling too loose and prone to overflowing. If your homemade purĂ©e is thin, gently simmer it on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently, until some of the excess moisture evaporates and it thickens to the desired consistency. Make sure to let it cool completely before incorporating it into the filling mixture.
Yes, you can freeze the baked pumpkin pie cookies! For best results, freeze them *without* the whipped cream topping. Once the cookies are completely cooled, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them until solid (about 1-2 hours). Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven (around 300°F/150°C for a few minutes) before adding fresh whipped cream and serving.
🍂 More Related Fall Recipes You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Pumpkin Biscotti
- Pumpkin Whipped Cream
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đź“– Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Mary
Pin Recipe
Shop Ingredients
Equipment
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electric mixer
Ingredients
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Â
Cookie Dough
- ÂĽ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 300g (weighed for accuracy)
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 large egg
- ÂĽ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup pure pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- â…› teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ÂĽ cup evaporated milk
Whipped Cream Topping
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream very cold, 35% fat recommended
- ÂĽ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar