Description
These Soft-Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are delightfully tender with warm spices and a perfect balance of sweetness. Packed with pumpkin puree, oats, and your choice of add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, they make a cozy autumn treat that stays soft and flavorful even days after baking.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (60ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; Grandma’s brand preferred)
- 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 and 1/2 cups total add-ins (chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pepitas, chopped pecans, or a combination)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Fold in the rolled oats. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium bowl. Whisk in the molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add in the egg yolk and whisk until combined. Then whisk in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until thick and fully incorporated.
- Form the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. The dough will be thick, heavy, and sticky—avoid overmixing. Fold in your chosen add-ins gently.
- Scoop cookies: Using about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, scoop onto the prepared baking sheets. Slightly flatten each cookie dough mound to help them spread during baking, but do not completely flatten. Optionally, press a few add-ins onto the tops for an attractive finish.
- Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned and the centers still appear soft. The example bake time was 14 minutes. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft.
- Cool and store: Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheets. The flavor improves by day 2. Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh and soft for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Do not use blackstrap molasses; unsulphured or dark molasses like Grandma’s brand works best for flavor.
- The dough is thick and sticky—mix gently to avoid tough cookies.
- Cookies will be soft when removed from the oven; let them cool fully to set.
- Flavor improves after resting for 24 hours.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days to maintain softness.
- Feel free to customize add-ins based on preference: chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pepitas, chopped nuts, or a mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 115 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
