pumpkin pie gingersnap cookies

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!

this recipe

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.

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:

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

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