As soon as the air turns crisp and the porch fills with leaves, I find myself reaching for this recipe. There’s something about the scent of spiced pumpkin cookies baking that instantly wraps the whole kitchen in warmth. They’re soft, sweet, and gently spiced — the kind of treat that just feels like fall.
These spiced pumpkin cookies are a fall favorite for good reason. They’re quick to make, gently sweet, and have that cozy, soft texture everyone loves. With just 15 minutes of prep and another 15 to bake, you’ve got yourself a batch of moist, cake-like cookies that feel like a hug in every bite. Want to make them festive? Try decorating with easy chocolate spiders — perfect for Halloween or cozy autumn nights.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
They’re soft and tender — almost like tiny pumpkin cakes in cookie form.
The flavor is sweet but balanced, with just the right amount of warm spice.
You can prep and bake them in under 30 minutes, start to finish.
Decorating with chocolate buttons turns them into fun Halloween treats the whole family can help with.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cookies
- 300g plain flour – measured by weight for best accuracy.
- 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda – helps the cookies puff gently.
- 3 tsp mixed spice – or use a pumpkin spice blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- 150g caster sugar – keeps things lightly sweet.
- 125g butter – softened for easy creaming.
- 1 egg – just lightly beaten.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract – adds warmth and depth.
- 250g pumpkin purée – tinned or homemade (just make sure it’s not overly watery).
For the Optional Decoration
- White and milk chocolate buttons (60g each) – perfect for melting and piping.
- Want a shortcut? You can also use ready-made chocolate icing tubes instead.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice. Set aside.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until fluffy and pale.
3. Add the Wet Ingredients
Stir in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée. The mixture may look slightly curdled at first — that’s okay.
4. Combine
Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.
5. Scoop and Space
Drop heaped tablespoons of batter onto your lined trays. Leave some space between each one — they’ll puff and spread slightly.
6. Bake
Bake at 160°C fan for 15 minutes. They should feel set but soft.
Cool them completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Decorating the Cookies (Optional)
This part is fun — especially if you’ve got kids around.
- Bring water to a boil. Drop the unopened chocolate button packets into the hot water for 1 minute.
- Check if melted by gently squeezing the packet. If soft, snip a tiny corner.
- Pipe spider webs across the cookies.
- Stick a full button on each cookie as the spider’s body, then pipe on legs.
- Alternate white and milk chocolate for contrast.
Not into piping? Use store-bought icing tubes and keep things simple.
Tips, Variations & Substitutions
- Spice it your way – Add a pinch of ground cloves or swap in all cinnamon if you prefer.
- Pumpkin purée – Tinned works great. If using homemade, strain it well to remove extra moisture.
- Storage – Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – Undecorated cookies freeze beautifully. Just thaw at room temp.
- Want more maple flavor? Check out this guide on how to make pumpkin cookies with maple glaze.
FAQs About Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
What are the 2 ingredient pumpkin spice cookies?
These usually combine a boxed spice cake mix and canned pumpkin purée — quick and convenient, but different from this made-from-scratch version.
What are the spices in pumpkin cookies?
Typically, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger — often bundled as “pumpkin spice.” Some mixes also include cloves or allspice.
What is the secret to moist cookies?
Pumpkin purée adds natural moisture. Also, avoid overbaking and don’t skip the butter!
How to make pumpkin spice flavour?
Combine ground cinnamon (2 tsp), ginger (1 tsp), nutmeg (1 tsp), and a pinch of cloves. You can tweak amounts to suit your taste.
Spiced Pumpkin Cookies Recipe Card
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Spiced Pumpkin Cookies – Soft, Sweet & Perfect for Fall
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
Description
Soft, lightly spiced pumpkin cookies with a moist, cake-like texture. These cozy fall treats are perfect for Halloween or autumn snacking, with an optional chocolate spiderweb decoration for festive flair.
Ingredients
300g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tsp mixed spice (or pumpkin spice blend)
150g caster sugar
125g butter, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g pumpkin purée
Optional Decoration:
60g white chocolate buttons
60g milk chocolate buttons
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan.
2. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper.
3. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, and spice.
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
5. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée. Beat well.
6. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
7. Spoon tablespoon-sized amounts onto trays, spaced out.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
9.
10. Decoration (Optional):
11. Boil water and place chocolate packets in hot water for 1 min.
12. Check if melted by squeezing gently.
13. Snip a corner and pipe spiderwebs onto cooled cookies.
14. Add one button as spider body and pipe legs.
15. Repeat with both chocolate types.
Notes
Tinned or homemade pumpkin purée both work well — just strain homemade to avoid excess moisture.
For a shortcut, use ready-made chocolate icing tubes.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze undecorated cookies for 2–3 months and thaw at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Halloween Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 112
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 118
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 14
More Such Recipes
If you loved these, you’ll probably also want to try:
- These chewy maple pumpkin cookies for fall snacking
- Our cozy mini pumpkin pie crescent rolls
- Or this fun pumpkin s’mores cookies recipe
Final Thoughts
Whether you make these spiced pumpkin cookies for Halloween or just for a cozy weekend bake, they’re always a hit. The soft texture, gentle sweetness, and warm spice feel like the best parts of fall, baked into a single bite. Try adding chocolate decorations for a playful touch, and don’t forget to share your creations — I’d love to see them!
You can also check out my latest seasonal bakes on Pinterest or stop by Facebook and say hi.