These old-fashioned pumpkin sugar cookies are easy to bake and taste like pumpkin pie in a cookie, except in my opinion, they're better than pumpkin pie. Say what? Yep, I said it.
Truthfully, I'm not such a big traditional pumpkin pie fan, but no bake pumpkin cream pie, pumpkin cheesecake, Grandma's pumpkin roll cake, pumpkin applesauce muffins with maple glaze, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, now we're a talking my language.
I like a soft cookie, but I did not want a pumpkin cake or pumpkin muffin top masquerading as a cookie. So three different cookie variations later, you have these melt in your mouth old-fashioned pumpkin sugar cookies. Can I get an amen?
As far as cookies though, these actually use a full cup less sugar than many homemade chocolate chip cookies, but you'll never miss it.
Want more old-fashioned from scratch cooking? The answer is yes, always, yes, then check out over 100+ recipes in my new book Hand Made:the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living, including the 3 bonus videos, coupons, and more here!
How to Make Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
First off, you need some pumpkin. Now, being a homesteader I make sure and plant sugar pie pumpkins in our garden because they produce a sweeter pumpkin flesh for baking.
Thankfully, we grow enough pumpkin I don't have to purchase store bought pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin puree, but if you can't get your hands on some pumpkins to cook, you may use pumpkin puree.
There's just something extra special about using the crops you grow to then produce your meals and recipes. Even after all these years, I still get an immense feeling of gratitude and satisfaction when I prepare a recipe with the bounty of our own land and homestead. It's something I hope every person gets to experience.
This is my favorite way to make homemade pumpkin puree the easy way
If you're starting from a real pumpkin homesteader style, then chop that baby in half, scoop out the seeds to roast and snack on later, and place each half of the pumpkin cut side down in a 9x13 baking pan with an inch of water and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until pumpkin is soft and fully cooked.
Allow to cool, then scrape out the inside of the cooked pumpkin. You are now ready to make your pumpkin cookies.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Recipe
(recipe shared from Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living)
Melt the butter and the add the coconut oil to the melted butter. The heat from the melted butter will soften up the coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, coconut oil, brown and white sugar, and molasses. Then add in and combine the cooked pumpkin.
Dump in all your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and allow dough to chill in the fridge for at least an hour or even overnight. Trust me on this part. Chilled dough makes better flavored and textured cookies. Something magical happens upon chilling and all the flavors mingle together.
Great cookies aren't just about having a good recipe, but knowing tried-and-true cookie baking tips for making the best cookies. You have two options after your dough has chilled:
For a puffier pumpkin sugar cookie, place some sugar in a bowl and roll a good sized tablespoon of dough (use an ice cream scoop to easily create uniformed cookies, this one cleans the scoop for you, making the process faster and a ted bit less messy) into a ball and then roll it around in the sugar until it's fully coated. Place 2 inches apart on an cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
For a flatter, but still perfectly soft pumpkin sugar cookie, take a heaping tablespoon of dough and plop it on your cookie sheet. With your fingers, flatten it out into the desired size of your cookie. The cookie will only slightly spread out and up about a ¼ of an inch thick. Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
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Other Recipes You May Enjoy:
- Great-Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Chewy Molasses Cookie Recipe
- 8 Ways to Preserve Pumpkin
- How to Make a Pumpkin Roll From Scratch
- Pumpkin Applesauce Cake
- Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins Recipe with Maple Glaze
- No Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie
📖 Recipe
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Melt the butter and the add the coconut oil to the melted butter. The heat from the melted butter will soften up the coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, coconut oil, brown and white sugar, and molasses. Then add in and combine the cooked pumpkin.
- Dump in all your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and allow dough to chill in the fridge for at least an hour or even overnight. Trust me on this part. Chilled dough makes better flavored and textured cookies. Something magical happens upon chilling and all the flavors mingle together.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You have two options after your dough has chilled. For a puffier pumpkin sugar cookie, place some sugar in a bowl and roll a good sized Tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll it around in the sugar until it's fully coated. Place 2 inches apart on an cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
- For a flatter, but still perfectly soft pumpkin sugar cookie, take a heaping tablespoon of dough and plop it on your cookie sheet. With your fingers, flatten it out into the desired size of your cookie. The cookie will only slightly spread out and up about a ¼ of an inch thick. Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
Donna
I made these, let them chill overnight and then baked them yesterday. My husband and all my co-workers loved them. They were so good!
MJ
I luv your posts but am baffled by all the sugar n white flour. I know you value health so just wondering the reason for using these two unhealthy items. Thank you.
Melissa Norris
For many people cooking from scratch without using a store bought mix is a start, which is what these cookies are, I do use fresh ground flour for many recipes but not everyone has access to that, so for an occasional treat like a cookie, I don't stress over organic unbleached all-purpose flour and organic cane sugar (which is what we use). Do I eat it every day, no. I don't do a lot of baking with honey because the heat destroys the good benefits and it is converted in the body the same as sugar. I use honey for teas or on top of other things when it isn't being cooked.
Brenda Wagner
Hello, I have a couple of questions about pumpkin...1 I have a sweet Carolina Candy Roaster winter squash that I pressure canned for later use. Can I use this in pumpkin recipes? And 2 is it considered “cooked” after pressure canning? Thanks Melissa!
Brenda
Melissa Norris
Yes, that squash should work find and it's definitely considered cooked after pressure canning. Let me know how you like them.
Jon Wyman
Made these cookies this morning. Tasted great but seemed undercooked in the middle. Kept leaving them in longer and longer but did not seem to make a difference (last batch baked for 12 mins). I appreciate what you do and love all the info you throw our way. Keep it up.
Patty Kasiewicz
Love all your post.
Do you think I could make this using almond flour and splenda . i got two
grandsons that must have gluten free and a husband who is diabetic but loves
anything pumpkin.
Thank You.
Melissa Norris
Patty, I think stevia or splenda would work splendid. I would add a 1/2 teaspoon or so of Xanthan gum with the almond flour and maybe a bit more pumpkin so it's not too dry.
Jen
Just made these last night and we really like them! My husband is not usually a big fan of sugar cookies as he thinks they don't have much flavor. These definitely deliver on the flavor! I have some maple sugar that we reserve for special occasions and I decided it might be a good combination with these pumpkin cookies, so I dipped them in the maple sugar and they are really tasty! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe and for your persistence in coming up with a winning combination of ingredients!
Melissa Norris
Jen,
Yay!! I"m so glad they turned out and I bet the maple sugar was amazing. This recipe is actually a new one I just developed for my new book, but I couldn't wait until it releases next year to share the recipe. I'm so happy you guys enjoyed it.
Mary
Does this recipe require an egg?
Melissa Norris
No, the pumpkin acts as the binder, no egg needed.
Tami Schultz
I feel overwhelmed, so I take one thing at a time to change. I live in the city in ca the bay area. I signed up for your canning classes and think they are so very helpful and very hands on. I want to do more than can jam but am afraid to do vegetables. I want to grow my own vegetables to can but space is small I do have 4 chickens for eggs. I am also hand grinding wheat for homemade bread. I sometimes have trouble with heavy loaves though. I do make my own yogurt as well. Anyway you help me so much to keep going forward when things seem scary, thank you so much. The 2 things I struggle the most with is growing enough for production and or getting food in bulk cheap for canning. It is costly here in ca. The next thing is the actual pressure canning and not have botulism. My time and priorities are not balanced yet on getting these things done. A whole new life style. We'll thank you again for sharing your knowledge!
Sincerely,
Tami