Pumpkin Pie Cookies
These pumpkin pie cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies filled with creamy pumpkin pie filling and topped with whipped cream. They look like adorable mini pumpkin pies and are perfect for fall or Thanksgiving. You can make them with all-purpose flour or a tested gluten-free flour blend.
I tested these pumpkin pie cookies eight different ways to find the quickest method that still gives you nicely shaped cookies with a properly baked base and creamy filling. Between these and my Pecan Pie Cookies, I made the two recipes 16 times total.
They use the same sugar cookie base, so if you want both flavors for Thanksgiving, make one batch of cookie dough and half a batch of each filling for 12 pumpkin pie cookies and 12 pecan pie cookies.
Although there are a few chilling and cooling periods, every step is there for a reason. The actual hands-on work is simple, and the pumpkin filling just gets mixed together in a bowl.
Ingredients
Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just notes on select ingredients.
For the cookie base:
For the filling:
- Flour – you can use all-purpose flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. I tested the King Arthur blend and the gluten-free cookies came out perfectly. More on other gluten-free flours below.
- Butter + oil – I use a combination of butter and oil for the best flavor and texture.
- Pumpkin puree – use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I prefer canned pumpkin for baked recipes because its texture and moisture level are much more consistent. Homemade pumpkin puree can vary depending on the pumpkin and how well it has been drained. That consistency is why I usually use canned puree in my pumpkin recipes. If you want to make your own, here’s my homemade pumpkin puree tutorial.
- Pumpkin pie spice – if you don’t have any, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. This makes 4 teaspoons, so you’ll have some left after making these cookies.
You only need half of a 15-ounce (425-gram) can of pumpkin puree for this recipe. My No-bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie also uses exactly half a can and is another great Thanksgiving dessert. Or use some of the leftover pumpkin and spice in this Pumpkin Smoothie.
And if you’re looking for another pumpkin bake, this Pumpkin Coffee Cake from Lifestyle of a Foodie looks delicious.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cookies
I tried quite a few shortcuts while developing these mini pumpkin pie cookies. Unfortunately, the shortcuts didn’t produce cookies nearly as good as the method in the recipe.
I compared chilling the dough with not chilling it and also tested cooking down the pumpkin puree first, as I do for my Crustless Pumpkin Pie.
Chilling the dough was necessary, but cooking the pumpkin puree first didn’t make enough of a difference to justify the extra step. So thankfully, you can skip that.
I also tried adding the pumpkin pie filling to the unbaked cookie dough and baking everything together. Those came out terribly.
Another test involved filling the cookie bases immediately after their first bake instead of letting them cool for at least 15 minutes. That version wasn’t very good, either.
So for the best results, make the cookie dough, shape it in two greased standard muffin pans and chill it. You don’t need to press the dough all the way up the sides to form a thin pie crust. You just need enough of an indentation to hold the filling.
These are made in standard muffin pans, not mini muffin pans. The cookies look like miniature pumpkin pies, but the recipe is written for regular muffin-pan cavities.
After prebaking the cookie bases, press the centers down again to create a more defined indentation and let them cool for at least 15 minutes. Mix the filling, spoon it into the mostly cooled cookie cups and bake again.
Let the finished cookies cool completely before running a thin, sharp knife around the edges and removing them from the pans.
The exact amounts, temperatures and baking times are in the recipe card below.
If this sounds too fussy and you just want an easy way to use up canned pumpkin, these easy fudgy brownies from Sage Alpha Gal use a whole can.
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough – this helps the cookie cups hold their shape while baking.
- Don’t overmix – mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Don’t make the cookie shell too thin – you just need an indentation to hold the pumpkin filling rather than a thin pie crust around the entire muffin cavity.
- Let the cookie bases cool before filling – I tested skipping this step, and the cookies were much better when the bases cooled for at least 15 minutes first.
- Don’t overfill the crusts – keep the pumpkin filling below the edges so it doesn’t overflow.
- Let the cookies cool completely – they’re much easier to remove from the muffin pans without breaking once they’ve cooled.
How to Make Ahead
The cookie dough can be wrapped well, placed in a resealable bag or airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
You can also prepare the pumpkin filling ahead of time. Because it contains raw egg, keep it covered in the refrigerator and use it within 24 hours.
You can also bake the cookies ahead since they keep well in the refrigerator and freezer. Wait to add the whipped cream until shortly before serving.
How to Store
Once baked, refrigerate the pumpkin pie cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze them, let the cookies cool completely, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or for a couple of hours at room temperature. Add the whipped cream after thawing and shortly before serving.
If you want another make-ahead pumpkin dessert, these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars are soft and fluffy with cream cheese frosting, and they can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Decorate
I piped whipped cream onto the cookies with a star tip to make them look even more like little pumpkin pies.
You can also sprinkle a little extra pumpkin pie spice over the whipped cream or add chopped Maple Walnuts or Candied Pecans for some crunch.
Gluten-Free Option
For the gluten-free version, I used King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. The result was perfect, and nobody could tell they were gluten-free.
I haven’t tested Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in this recipe. I think it would probably work, but it may give the cookie cups a slightly sandier texture, so King Arthur is my recommendation.
Flours such as oat, coconut and almond flour won’t work as a direct substitute in these cookies. You need a gluten-free flour blend designed to replace all-purpose flour 1:1.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you’re planning your Thanksgiving desserts or just want to do some more fall baking, here are a few more pumpkin favorites:
I hope you’ll enjoy these pumpkin pie cookies! If you make them, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks! :)
Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 2 1/4 cups (281 grams) flour see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter room temp
- 1/2 cup (102 grams) vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg 50 grams out of shell, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (212 grams) canned pumpkin puree half a 15-ounce can
- 5 tablespoons (63 grams) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg 50 grams out of shell, room temp
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
To decorate:
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
Make the cookie bases:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.2 1/4 cups (281 grams) flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In another large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter, oil and granulated sugar until well blended.1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (102 grams) vegetable oil, 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually beat in the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a Ziploc, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Grease 24 cavities of two standard muffin pans.
- Roll the dough into twenty-four 27-gram balls. Place one in the center of one of the cavities and squish down to create a little crust that you’re going to fill. You don’t need to create a thin pie crust kind of shell.
- Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 15. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and place a baking sheet large enough for your muffin pans in the lower third section of your oven.
- Place the cold muffin pans on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until nicely browned. The bottom won’t brown as nicely as the sides, but that’s normal.
- Remove from the oven, press them down with your fingers or a spoon to make a more defined indentation where the filling will go.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling and lower the temp to 350 °F (175 °C).
Make the filling:
- Mix all the ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (212 grams) canned pumpkin puree, 5 tablespoons (63 grams) brown sugar, 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Spoon 1 tablespoon (16 grams) of filling into the mostly cooled crusts. Do not fill it over the edges of the crust.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Let cool completely in the pans and then remove by running a sharp knife around the edges. I was actually able to remove them after only about 10-15 minutes, but to be on the safe side, I think it’s best if they cool completely (about an hour) before trying to remove them.
Decorate:
- In a small or medium mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the heavy cream. Start on low so it doesn’t fly everywhere, and gradually increase the speed to high. Continue beating until you have stiff peaks. But don’t overmix, or it’ll break down into butter.1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- Pipe on the whipped cream using a star tip.
How to store:
- Once cooled, these pumpkin pie cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- If you want to freeze them, let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For the flour, you can use all-purpose flour or for gluten-free, use King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
These look delicious and am going to try them. For variation could a person use lemon, apple , or cherry pie filling instead of pumpkin?
Thanks! Unfortunately, there’s really no way of knowing without trying each individual filling recipe. It could be that some fillings are too wet and penetrate the cookie, making it soggy. But since you pre-bake them and then let them cool mostly, I’m guessing most fillings would work. It’s just a guess, though! And instead of letting them cool mostly when using other fillings, I’d let them cool completely just to be on the safe side.