Recipe details
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 170g softened butter
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 egg yolks
- 220g light brown sugar
- 120g canned pumpkin (I used Libby's)
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix (you can find my recipe for this here)
- 220g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
For coating:
- 50g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice mix
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 170c and line two trays with greaseproof paper.
- Start by pressing the canned pumpkin between two sheets of kitchen towel, absorbing as much moisture as you can. Repeat this process until there is little to no moisture left on the kitchen towels.
- In a mixing bowl, add the butter and light brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, this should take around 2 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla bean paste and beat for a further 2 minutes. You should have a light, pale fluffy mixture.
- Next, add the pumpkin to the mix, stirring until just combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix together briefly and fold in the flour. Don't over mix, you want a rough cookie dough.
- Roll your cookie dough into 30g balls and roll each cookie dough ball in the pumpkin spice sugar.
- Place them on the prepared baking sheets, around 4-5cm apart to prevent them sticking together when spreading. Bake for 10-11 minutes, they should be lightly golden around the outside and still gooey in the centre.
- You will need to bake these in two batches, unless you wish to save the second batch to bake another day and freeze. I found it best to freeze before rolling them in the pumpkin spice sugar, then let them thaw to room temperature and roll and bake as above.
Why use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?
While fresh pumpkin can be a fun and rewarding experience, especially if you've grown your own, canned pumpkin is a reliable and convenient choice for baking pumpkin spice cookies and other recipes. It ensures that your cookies turn out consistently delicious every time.
What's the best canned pumpkin to use?
The best canned pumpkin to use for baking, including pumpkin spice cookies, is pure canned pumpkin puree. Look for cans labeled "100% Pure Pumpkin" or "Pure Pumpkin Puree" with no added sugars, spices, or other ingredients. It should contain only one ingredient: pumpkin. I use Libby's as I find it always gives great results every time. If you are based in the UK like me, then Amazon have it at a reasonable price. You can find the one I used here
Do I have to make the cookies 30g each?
Absolutely not, you can make them any size you wish, just be sure to add or subtract a few minutes to the cooking time. 15g cookies are a great size for sandwich cookies if you plan to fill them!
Can I add other flavours and textures to these cookies?
Pumpkin spice cookies are a delightful canvas for various additions and mix-ins that can enhance their flavour and texture. Here are some popular additions you can consider:
- Chocolate Chips: Dark or milk chocolate chips are a classic choice that pairs wonderfully with the warm spices and pumpkin flavour.
- Nuts: Chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, add a satisfying crunch and a nutty flavour that complements the cookie's sweetness.
- Dried Fruits: Raisins, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots can bring a pleasant chewy texture and a hint of tartness to balance the sweetness.
- Toffee Bits: Bits of toffee or caramel can add a rich, buttery sweetness to your cookies.
- White Chocolate Chips: White chocolate chips provide a sweeter and creamier contrast to the spices in the cookies.
- Coconut: Shredded coconut, toasted or untoasted, can add a tropical twist to your pumpkin spice cookies.
- Maple Syrup: A drizzle of maple syrup in the dough or as a glaze can infuse a lovely Autumnal sweetness.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Create a thumbprint-style cookie by adding a dollop of sweetened cream cheese in the centre before baking.
- Candied Ginger: Chopped candied ginger can add a zesty, sweet, and spicy kick to your cookies.
- Pumpkin Seeds: For added crunch and a nod to the pumpkin theme, sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on top of the cookies.
Remember that you can mix and match these additions to create your own unique pumpkin spice cookie recipe. Just be mindful not to overload the dough with too many mix-ins, as it could affect the cookie's structure. Start with about 50g of your chosen additions for a standard batch of cookie dough and adjust to your taste. Enjoy experimenting with different combinations to create your perfect pumpkin spice cookies!
How to make all your cookies the same size each time?
I like to use a scoop or spoon to roughly get the same size each time, then weigh them on a scale to get them exact. This method works every time and is very simple to do.
