These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy. These pumpkin spice cookies are topped with a cream cheese glaze. There is no chill time for these cookies. They are an easy and quick to make fall cookie!
When I was making these chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies, I wanted an easy to make fool-proof cookie. I also wanted to avoid a very cakey pumpkin cookie.
What really transforms these cookies is the cream cheese glaze on top. The cookies are not the same without the glaze!
If you are looking for more cookie recipes, try oatmeal cream pies, chocolate marshmallow cookies, and sprinkle chocolate chip cookies.
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Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
- Easy to make- These cookies require no chill time!
- Pumpkin season- These cookies have a strong pumpkin flavor and are perfect for pumpkin season!
- Chewy texture- These have a chewy texture because the pumpkin puree is blotted to get rid of the moisture.
- Heavily spiced- There is cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg.
- Cream cheese glaze- This is thin cream cheese glaze that is drizzled on top. The cookies are not the same without it.
Ingredient Notes for Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Here are notes about the ingredients used.
- Unsalted butter- The butter is melted.
- Pumpkin puree- Use Libby's pumpkin. Then, use a paper towel to soak up some of the liquid. Don't use homemade pumpkin puree. It is too liquid.
- Egg yolk- This recipe needs only a little bit of egg.
- Quick oats- Use quick oats for best results. If you use regular rolled oats, pulse in a blender first.
- Pumpkin pie spice- I love this spice. It is full of different blends and I use it a lot during the fall.
- Vanilla bean paste- You can use regular extract. I like the paste to give the glaze vanilla specks.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dairy free- You can use your favorite dairy free options for this recipe!
- Gluten free- I haven't tested this gluten free. Let me know if you do.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are the steps to make and bake the cookies. You don't need an electric mixer, they can be made by hand. You will need two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
STEP 1: First, melt the butter. Melt the butter in a small bowl and let it cool slightly. It should be room temperature before using.
STEP 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the all-purpose flour, quick oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl.
STEP 3: Mix the wet ingredients. Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a large bowl. Then, add in the slightly dried pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and egg yolk.
NOTE: Blot the pumpkin puree with paper towels. You need to soak up the moisture before adding to the cookie dough. If it is too wet, it will cause a cakey cookie.
STEP 4: Add in the flour mixture. Next, mix these in and use a rubber spatula to mix it together. It will make a very wet dough.
STEP 5: Scoop the dough. Use a 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Then, place 6 cookie dough balls per prepared baking sheet.
STEP 6: Bake for 14-16 minutes. Bake until cookies have lightly golden edges. If the cookies are under baked, they will be too floppy.
Cool the cookies on a cooling rack before adding the glaze.
STEP 7: Make the glaze. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle on top of the cookie. Next, use a squeeze bottle or a piping bag to drizzle the glaze.
Baking Tips
If you want cakey cookies, don't blot the pumpkin puree. The extra moisture is what makes the cookie cakey.
If you want chewy cookies, blot the pumpkin puree with a paper towel. It should soak a paper towel. It doesn't take much time. 10-15 seconds is fine.
Don't chill the dough. The oats in the cookie will soak up all the moisture. Bake the cookies immediately!
You can also add white chocolate chips if you desire.
FAQ
No, there is too much moisture from homemade puree.
I haven't recipe tested this. If you make this with an egg substitute, let me know.
No. Don't chill the dough. Bake these cookies right away. This is because of the oats, they will soak up too much moisture if they sit with the dough for a long time.
Yes. The pumpkin cookie flavor intensifies as it sits.
Recipe Variation
- You can skip the cream cheese icing to save time.
Special Tools
- Parchment paper: I use premade sheets of parchment paper vs the roll of parchment paper. It makes baking a lot easier!
- Large cookie scoop: I love this OXO cookie scoop.
Storing and Freezing
Store these pumpkin oatmeal cookies in the fridge after the glaze is added. Store in an airtight container. They will last up to 5 days.
Freeze
The cookies can be frozen. Store in an airtight container. Freeze up to 30 days. Let them thaw for 1 hour before eating.
Other Fall Recipes To Try
Try These Pumpkin Cookie Recipes
- Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
- Pumpkin pie cookies
- Pumpkin caramel cookies
- Pumpkin cheesecake cookies
- Pumpkin s'mores cookies
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 1 cup Unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cups Brown sugar light or dark packed
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 Egg yolk room temperature
- 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups Quick oats
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 2 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste or extract
- ⅓ cup Milk
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, mix flour, quick oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Place pumpkin puree in a bowl. Use a paper towel to soak some of the liquid out.2 ½ cups All-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups Quick oats, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Add in vanilla, pumpkin puree, and egg yolk. Mix until just combined.1 ¼ cups Brown sugar, ½ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 1 cup Pure pumpkin puree, 1 Egg yolk, 1 cup Unsalted butter
- Add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Use a 2oz (2 Tablespoons) cookie scoop and scoop heaping cookie dough balls. Place 6 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet. Flatten the cookie dough balls slightly.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes. The cookies are done baking when the edges are lightly golden brown. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on high. Beat for 1 minute. Add in the sifted powdered sugar. Mix. It will be dry at first, then it will be smooth. Add in the vanilla.2 oz Cream cheese, 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter, ¾ cup Powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste, ⅓ cup Milk
- Add in the milk. Beat until a thin glaze forms. It should be thin enough to spread on the cookies. Place glaze in a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Drizzle glaze on top of cookies.
BW Womac says
I have not tried this yet but hope to do so soon. Looks yummy. Btw, each oz = 2Tbsp, so 2 oz of dough/batter would be 1/4 cup.
Which should I use to scoop -- 2 Tbsp or 2 oz? It matters in order to neither over- nor under-bake. Thanks.
Kayla says
These are so good! Not too sweet either. Our family loved them!
Melissa says
I made these cookies today, and they are absolutely amazing! They will be my fall go-to cookies from now on! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Sienna Lujan says
This recipe was super simple and super delicious! Instantly became a crowd favorite. I made it three times between November and December!
Barbara says
Tasty. Made them yesterday. Do not believe they will be around very long. Seem to be missing one by one.
Inez says
These cookies are a fall hit! I like recipes that incorporate oatmeal and these still maintain a really fluffy texture even with the oats (I opted for the more cakey version so I didn’t pat down my pumpkin purée much). Super easy and fast to make, and turned out perfect. Adults and kids alike loved these at 2 separate dinner parties I brought them to.
Cara says
Love these cookies! Such a great fall treat, not overly sweet, and an awesome soft and chewy texture. I made these five days ago and they're still soft! Love.
Chad says
This is such a wonderful idea. They are so easy to make!
Steven says
These are perfect cookies for fall! My wife and I have had a tradition to have pumpkin cookies every year since we met in college and these are the best ones we have ever had!