This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Pumpkin Pie Cookies have all the incredible flavor of a pumpkin pie, without the fuss of pie! Crisp edged, soft gingersnap cookies are filled with a flavorful pumpkin pie filling, and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Serve these for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving dinner, or anytime you’re craving pumpkin pie!
In my cookbook, “The One-Bowl Baker“, I have a pumpkin pie recipe with a press-in gingersnap cookie crust. The flavors meld together so beautifully that I was inspired to transform that recipe into a Pumpkin Cookie with a Gingersnap cookie base, instead of a plain sugar cookie dough base. I hope you love these cookies as much as – or even more than – traditional pumpkin pie.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love these Pumpkin Pie Cookies:
- Pumpkin Pie Filling – This quick, no mixer pumpkin pie filling is deeply flavored and full of real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.
- Soft Gingersnap Cookies – Our pumpkin filling is baked into soft & chewy, yet crisp-edged & sturdy – gingersnap cookies. These flavors pair beautifully together!
- Easy Recipe – No need for a hand mixer or stand mixer – this recipe comes together by hand in no time!
- Festive Dessert – Serve these delicious fall cookies for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Halloween, or a fall party. They’re like mini pumpkin pies, making them a great recipe for Thanksgiving. And, there’s no pie crust required!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Eggs – Use half a large egg at room temperature. I prefer using half an egg to using just the egg yolk or white, as I find it easier to use up the leftover in my morning scramble the next day.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Dark brown sugar adds extra depth of flavor!
- Molasses – Do not use blackstrap molasses. Use regular molasses, found in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- Pumpkin – Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Both come in cans, but pumpkin pie filling has additional ingredients added and is not just pumpkin. No need to get out a paper towel to blot the pumpkin in this recipe!
- Heavy Cream – Pumpkin pie filling is traditionally made with evaporated milk, but I didn’t want you to open a whole can for such a small amount. Heavy cream works beautifully instead, and you can find many uses for the rest of the heavy cream (like the whipped cream to top these cookies!)
Recipe Variations:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted dairy-free products to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-Free – I have not tested this myself, but I have heard a number of readers have had success with my cookie recipes by using a cup for cup gluten-free flour.
- Smaller Cookies – If you want to make these cookies smaller, I recommend reducing them no farther than to 50 grams of dough per cookie. You’ll only be able to fit about 1/2 to 1 tsp of the pumpkin pie filling in, and anything smaller won’t be worthwhile to fill.
How to Make this Pumpkin Pie Cookie Recipe:
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted or browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk in the egg and vanilla next. Stir in the dry ingredients last, until a dough forms.
Step 2: Chill Dough. Scoop cookie dough balls 70 grams in size and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes, or freeze for 30 minutes. Roll in sugar and press an indent into each dough ball about 10-20 mins into the chill time while the dough is still pliable.
Step 3: Make Pumpkin Pie Filling. Whisk together pumpkin, heavy cream, spices, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch.
Step 4: Bake Cookies. Add 1-2 tsp of pumpkin pie filling to each chilled cookie dough ball. Bake 5-6 cookies on a pan, at 365 degrees F for 12-13 minutes. Bake as directed in the recipe card below for best results.
Step 5: Make & Top with Whipped Cream. Beat together powdered sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and cold heavy cream just until stiff peaks form. Add to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe dollops of whipped cream onto the cooled cookies.
If you’re nervous to make whipped cream, don’t be. I wrote a post all about homemade whipped cream, for a more in-depth dive!
Serving + Storing:
Enjoy the cookies immediately once whipped cream has been added. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. They should be refrigerated with or without the whipped cream on top.
Pumpkin lovers will devour these cookies – make my Pumpkin Bars or Pumpkin Scones next!
Expert Success Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes, they need to firm up so they will be sturdy enough to contain the wet pumpkin filling.
Yes! Freeze dough balls on a lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and keep in the freezer for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes.
Yes. Scoop dough into balls and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, baking off cookies as desired. They will hardly spread, and you may need to add 1 minute to the bake time. They’re done when the edges appear and feel just set.
Yes, you can make it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.
Special Tools:
- Round Cutters – Use round cutters to round out your cookies! Place it around your cookie and swirl the cookie inside it. Don’t actually cut off the edges with it.
More Unique Cookie Recipes to Love:
- Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
- Peach Cobbler Cookies
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
- Butterbeer Cookies with Salted Butterscotch Frosting
- Double Stuffed Nutella Cookies
More Favorite Pumpkin Recipes:
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Rum Caramel (chewy pumpkin cookies – not cakey!)
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
- Mom’s Best Ever Pumpkin Bread
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Pumpkin Pie Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter, 170 grams
- 1/3 cup molasses, Do not use blackstrap molasses
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 163 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 156 grams
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled, 422 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
For Rolling Dough Balls
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1/2 a large egg, 2 tablespoons or half, eyeballed, of 1 beaten egg. Save the rest for your morning scramble!
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp canned pumpkin puree, 73 grams
- 2 tbsp heavy cream, Evaporated milk works too, if for some reason you have some to use up. 30 grams
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar , 28 grams
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of cloves
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of allspice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
For the Whipped Cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 15 grams
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of nutmeg, optional, but elevates the whipped cream to a new level!
- 1/4 cup cold heavy cream, 60 grams
Instructions
- Make Cookie Dough: Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Whisk in the molasses. Add the sugars and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, about 30-45 seconds. Stir in the dry ingredients, making sure to get any dry bits hiding in the bottom of the bowl.3/4 cup salted butter, 1/3 cup molasses, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Scoop Dough Balls & Chill: Scoop dough into balls that are 70 grams each, and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge or 10 minutes in the freezer before rolling in granulated sugar & adding the indent. (This makes it easier to add the indent, and prevents the dough from cracking if you try to add it later when the dough is fully chilled.) Make the indent with the back of a teaspoon, making sure not to press too far down so the bottom of the cookie stays intact. Return the dough balls to the freezer for 20-30 additional minutes or to the fridge for 1-2 additional hours.See notes below about make-ahead tips & storing the dough longer.1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
- Make Pumpkin Filling: Whisk together all pumpkin pie filling ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined and smooth. This can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.1/2 a large egg, 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp canned pumpkin puree, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract , 2 tbsp dark brown sugar , pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, pinch of cloves, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of allspice, 1 tsp cornstarch
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 365℉. Place 5-6 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Add 1-2 tsp of pumpkin pie filling to the indent in each cookie. Don't over fill them. Bake for 12-14 minutes. The edges will appear set and the pumpkin filling will also appear just set. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10+ minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a large bowl (to help contain the mess) beat together the powdered sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and heavy cream on medium high to high speed with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. (To check for this, turn the mixer off and lift the beaters straight out of the bowl – if peaks are left standing where the mixers lifted out, it's ready!) Don't keep mixing past this point. Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a tip, or a ziploc bag with the tip snipped off, and pipe dollops onto the cooled cookies.2 tbsp powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract , pinch of nutmeg, 1/4 cup cold heavy cream
- Serve & Store: Serve cookies once they're topped with the whipped cream! Store leftover cookies (with or without whipped cream) in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing Cookie Dough & Make-Ahead Tips: Cookie dough can be balled, indented, and frozen on a sheet pan until solid, then transferred to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 mins to the bake time. You can also refrigerate the dough balls for 3-4 days, adding 1 minute or so to the bake time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Any chance half and half would also work in place of the heavy cream for the pie filling?
Hi Jessica! I think this would work just fine, but I haven’t tested it myself. Let me know how you like the recipe!
Hi- I was going through my saved TikTok’s and came across this recipe again. I’ve made Gingersnaps in the past and the recipes don’t typically call for salted butter. Is the salted butter correct and necessary? I’m not huge on overly salted baked goods but if it makes a difference, I’m willing to try! Also do you have a preference on brand? Is KerryGold the standard or will any salted butter do?
Hi Julia! I prefer salted butter for all my cooking and baking because I think it makes everything more flavorful. You can certainly use unsalted if you prefer, and any brand of butter will work. Let me know how you like the recipe!
These absolutely SLAPPED. Everyone loved them at Thanksgiving. If you are willing to put in the work to make these, do it. Better than pumpkin pie (fight me).
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Trevor!
These were delicious.
Thanks so much, Luis!
Made this recipe — cookies came out lovely! I made a quick royal icing and piped little flowers instead of the whipped cream (flavored with the same spices as listed for the whipped cream) so that the cookies would be more shelf stable. This worked well, though note that any royal icing put onto the center pumpkin section will dissolve away so best to keep the design to the cookie part. The cookies were well received and someone suggested that a cream cheese danish type filling would be a good alternative to the pumpkin. These cookies took a really long time for me to make, a real baking project! Beautiful and tasty though!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Laurel! Happy baking!
The perfect pumpkin sweet treat. Made these for Thanksgiving and everyone loved them.
Thanks so much, Melissa!