These super soft Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies have been a hit in our house. They are so delicious and fun of fun fall and winter pumpkin and spice flavors. This recipe is so easy it has become one of our go-to recipes when my kiddos want a sweet treat. Sometimes we all get too busy and overwhelmed during the holidays to do even the simplest of things. But we all like to enjoy delicious pumpkin cookies this time of year.

So how do you bake delicious, tasty treats without lots of time? That’s easy – find fun recipes where the kids can help like this simple cookie recipe. Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies are a great starter for kids to help you bake that first batch of cookies of the holiday season.

When the kids are wanting to help with small jobs around the house, giving our little ones tiny tasks will keep everyone involved. These cookies are easy, soooo good and there’s nothing better than that fresh baked pumpkin spice smell throughout the house.

Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies are Easy Baking for the Busy Family

Pumpkin spice is a fall and winter favorite that’s on my mind no matter the season. The smell of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves gives me all the holiday feels. I try to keep the over snacking down during the holidays but how can we resist pumpkin anything?

Cookies are one of my children’s favorite foods during this time especially when they want to have something sweet after dinner or an after-school snack and this recipe is one they request every year. Another one of their always requested desserts during the holiday months is this super fun Swirled Grinch Fudge.

Besides eating these scrumptious cookies we always make extra dough to give some baked goods to family and friends as Christmas gifts. I love these gift boxes for cookies. And I found these really fun ideas for food gift-giving over at Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

5 cups of flour
1 cup of butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
2 large eggs
½ cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla (you can use imitation if you prefer)
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
A dash of salt

Needed for rolling the dough out

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
¼ cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Mix butter and both sugars together for 3 minutes until the mixture is creamy.
2. Next, you will add the eggs to the mixture and mix for another minute or so until completely combined together.
3. Once you’ve mixed in the eggs it’s time to blend in the pumpkin puree for about a minute.
4. Now is the time to get the yummy smells going. Add in the vanilla, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix until it’s smooth and creamy.
5. Begin adding in the flour, you will want to do this slowly by adding in half or one cup at a time, and mix until everything is completely incorporated.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 90 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
8. Mix the sugar and pumpkin ingredients needed for rolling the dough in a small bowl or dish.
9. Using a cookie dough scoop or a small spoon make small balls of dough and drop them into the pumpkin spice sugar you made in the bowl. Roll the balls around in the sugar mixture until all sides are coated evenly.
10. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet about 2” apart. I really like these cookie sheets, they are always non-stick which makes clean-up a breeze.
11. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown.

How to make these cookies chewy or crispy

Love chewy cookies? I have a couple of kids that always want chewy cookies. To get these Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies chewy just undercook them a little. If you really want them chewy add in an extra egg.

For those of us (yummy) that like their cookies a little more crispy you can omit the brown sugar and add substitute more white sugar. I don’t think these taste quite as good. But it does accomplish crispier cookies. Another option is to bake at a lower temperature for longer. With a large family making many batches I don’t have much time for this. A quick option that still tastes good is omitting 1 egg, which usually does the trick for crispy drop cookies.

FAQs about baking pumpkin spice cookies

How do you know when your cookies are done?

When the edges and tops of your cookies are golden brown, they’re done.

Why is my cookie dough crumbly?

This may be due to overmixing or possibly an ingredient was omitted or an incorrect amount for the ingredients were put in. Try adding in more butter or water and see if that helps.

What can I do with the leftover dough if I don’t want to bake more cookies?

Freeze it!!! This is our favorite thing to do. I roll the dough into a log, wrap it in parchment paper then wrap foil around the parchment paper. So easy to thaw and make more cookies when you’re ready.

Why did my cookies bake together?

Drop cookies will spread out as they are cooked. Making sure they are at least 2″ apart will ensure your cookies don’t bake together. BUT they are still yummy… go ahead and eat those and make a new batch.

Do you have more Pumpkin Recipes?

Yes! I have a whole bunch you can find here. I can’t wait to hear which is your favorite.

Storing our delicious drop cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container. You can also wrap them in plastic or foil to prevent them from absorbing moisture and becoming hard. There are many ways to store these Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies, including freezing and refrigerating. During the holidays or actually anytime… we like to make TONS of dough and freeze it so all we have to do is thaw the dough and then bake.

Busy Family Holiday Baking

I hope you enjoy these pumpkin spice drop cookies. Let me know what you think of them, and if they are a new favorite for your family this holiday season! As busy mommas, it can be tough to find time to bake, but the memories we make and enjoy together are priceless.

These cookies are perfect for those of us who don’t have much time or energy left by Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and all the days in-between. Let me know how this recipe turned out in your kitchen if you give them a try – it’s always fun to hear from other moms too 🙂