These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Glaze have a delicious cake-like texture and are perfectly moist! The cookies are full of festive pumpkin flavors, and the orange glaze is sweet and tangy. These pumpkin cookies are a perfect, kid-friendly treat for Halloween, Fall, or Thanksgiving.
I know it’s a big statement, but these Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Glaze are the best cookies I’ve ever eaten! They have the perfect texture, the pumpkin flavor is warm and festive, and the orange glaze adds a fresh bite and keeps the cookies soft for days. These are the perfect cookies to celebrate fall with. I don’t make them nearly enough because I struggle not to eat them all…
Why You’ll Love These Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- The texture is perfect – These delicious pumpkin cookies have a cake-like texture that is perfectly moist. The glaze hardens nicely and keeps them soft for days.
- You can make them small or large – One batch of this pumpkin cookie dough can make about 18 large cookies or 25-plus smaller cookies.
- Pumpkin and orange are such a great flavor combination –The soft pumpkin cookie topped with the citrusy orange glaze has such delicious flavor in each bite.
Pumpkin Orange Cookie Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for these cookies. You could also use whole wheat flour or half regular and half whole wheat. I haven’t tried this cookie recipe using gluten-free flour yet, but I think it would probably work great if you use a high-quality gluten-free/all-purpose blend that contains xantham gum.
- Pumpkin Puree – I used one can of pure pumpkin puree for these cookies, but you can also use homemade pumpkin puree.
- Sugar – These soft pumpkin cookies are sweetened with granulated and brown sugar. Coconut sugar could be used in place. Vanilla extract is also added.
- Spices– I like to add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to these cookies. You can use a couple of teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice if you like.
- Butter – Be sure to softened, room-temperature butter that will easily mix together with the other ingredients. Regular butter or vegan-butter substitute can be used.
- Egg – This recipe calls for one large egg. I haven’t made the recipe with a vegan egg substitute yet, but I’m guessing it would work well.
- Baking Soda, Salt
How To Make Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Gaze
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the softened butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until just combined. Next, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix together until fully combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until you have a creamy mixture. It may appear a bit curdled, but it will look different once you add in the flour mixture.
- Add half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and use your electric mixture to mix together. Add and mix the remaining flour until you have a slightly thick, smooth batter.
- You can make these pumpkin cookies whatever size you like. I’ve used a Tablespoon cookie scoop to make smaller cookies and I’ve also used a 1/4 cup scoop to make large cookies, as pictured in this post. Scoop the batter onto the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
- The amount of time your cookies need to bake will depend on their size. If you’re making large cookies, they will need about 20-25 minutes in the oven. Smaller cookies require closer to 10-15 minutes. You know the cookies are done when the top is slightly firm and the bottom just begins to brown.
- Make the glaze while the cookies are cooling. Drizzle a small spoonful of glaze over the top of each cookie and allow to dry completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Health Benefits
I thoroughly recognize that this pumpkin cookie recipe is not “healthy.” So, I won’t try to persuade you that they are, but they do contain a whole can of pure pumpkin puree, and pumpkin has some great health benefits!
- Pumpkin – Pumpkin is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a great addition to your diet! Antioxidants help to reduce inflammation inside the body, which, in excess, can lead to various diseases, including cancer. Pumpkin is naturally low in calories so it’s great for weight loss, which can also help promote cardiovascular health. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A, just like carrots, which is important for protecting your eye health.
Pumpkin Cookie Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten-free? No, I used regular, all-purpose white flour for these cookies, but they could easily be made gluten-free by using a high-quality GF all-purpose-flour blend that contains xantham gum.
- Are these cookies vegan? No, I did use one regular egg for this recipe. I haven’t tried these cookies using a vegan egg substitute at this time, but I think it would work well. The texture might be a bit different.
- Can these cookies be frozen? Yes, I suggest freezing them without any icing. Add icing after you have thawed them. Store cookies in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
- What is the best way to store these pumpkin cookies? To ensure that they last for about five days, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be stored at room temperature; depending on the room’s temperature, they might not last quite as long.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Delicious Fall Pumpkin Recipes?
Baked Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts
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Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Glaze
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20-30 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Glaze have a delicious cake-like texture and they’re perfectly moist! The cookies are full of festive pumpkin flavors and the orange glaze is sweet and tangy. These pumpkin cookies are a perfect, kid friendly treat for Halloween, Fall or Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (measured by scooping the measuring cup into the flour and then leveling off)
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree, or about 1 1/2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons orange juice
- zest of 1 medium sized orange
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Add the softened butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until just combined. Next, add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix together until fully combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add in the pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until you have a creamy mixture. I may look a little curdled, but it will look different once you add in the flour mixture.
- Add half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and use your electric mixture to mix together. Add the remaining flour and mix until you have a slightly thick, smooth batter.
- You can make these pumpkin cookies whatever size you like. I’ve used a tablespoon cookie scoop to make smaller cookies and I’ve also used a 1/4 cup scoop to make large cookies, which is what I have pictured in this post. Scoop the batter onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Make sure there is a little bit of room between each one because they will spread a little bit. You can use your fingers to pat the top of the cookie dough down, or you can leave them in mounds.
- The amount of time your cookies need to bake will depend on what size they are. If making large cookies, they will need about 20-25 minutes in the oven. Smaller cookies will require closer to 10-15 minutes. You know cookies are done once the top is slightly firm and the bottom is just beginning to brown. Remove cookies from the oven, let sit on the pan for a minute or two before transferring them to a wire wrack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze while cookies are cooling. Add the sifted powder sugar to a medium sized bowl and then pour in one tablespoon of orange juice. Start mixing together and mix until you have a smooth glaze that is still a little opaque looking. You can add in the remaining tablespoon of orange juice if you need too. Add in the orange zest and mix until combined.
- Drizzle a small spoonful of glaze over the top of each cookie and allow to dry completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Unsalted butter is usually recommended for baking recipes. I have made these cookies with both salted and unsalted butter and both batches were great.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert, Cookie
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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