Description
Delight in the cozy flavors of fall with these Pumpkin Pie Cookies, featuring a spiced soft dough rolled in graham cracker crumbs and topped with a creamy pumpkin filling. Perfectly balanced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these cookies bring the essence of pumpkin pie into a hand-held treat that’s ideal for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (for rolling)
Filling
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ⅓ cup pure pumpkin purée
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly combined. This creates a well-spiced base for the cookie dough.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add egg yolk, vanilla, and pumpkin: Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and ⅓ cup of pumpkin purée into the butter and sugar mixture until fully combined, creating a moist and flavorful dough.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually stir the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients to form a soft dough, making sure not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Form dough balls and coat: Scoop out dough portions about 1.5 tablespoons in size, roll them into balls, then carefully roll each in the graham cracker crumbs for a crunchy exterior coating.
- Shape cookies on baking sheet: Place the dough balls spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheet and use your thumb or a small spoon to gently press an indentation into the center of each ball, creating room for the filling.
- Prepare filling: In a small bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt to create a smooth, spiced filling for the cookies.
- Fill the cookies: Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the pumpkin filling mixture into the indentation of each cookie ball, being careful not to overfill to prevent spillage during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set but still soft.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Ensure pumpkin purée is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling to control sweetness and texture.
- You can substitute graham cracker crumbs with finely crushed digestive biscuits if preferred.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- These cookies can be lightly warmed before serving to enhance the filling’s flavor and softness.
- For a festive touch, sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top before baking.
