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
