These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are made with canned pumpkin puree, rolled oats, brown sugar, and warm pumpkin pie spice, baked into soft, cake-like cookies.

The pumpkin adds enough moisture that these stay soft for days instead of drying out like a lot of oatmeal cookies do.

I make a batch of these once the weather turns cool, usually alongside a fresh pot of coffee. They’re good for lunchboxes or a fall bake sale table too.

If you like soft, fall-flavored cookies like these, these are worth trying too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Use pure canned pumpkin here, not pumpkin pie filling, since the filling already has sugar and spices mixed in.

A short rest for the dough helps the oats soak up some of the moisture before baking.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Set the dry mixture aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and beat until well combined.
The mixture will look slightly curdled at this stage – that’s normal and it smooths out once the dry ingredients go in.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
Fold in the chopped pecans, if using, with a spatula.
The dough will be soft and a little sticky, thanks to the pumpkin puree.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before scooping.
This gives the oats a chance to absorb some of the moisture, which helps the cookies hold their shape better in the oven.
It’s not a step you can skip and still get the same texture, just so you know.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
These cookies don’t spread much, so flatten each one slightly with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look dry.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Use pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling comes pre-sweetened and spiced, which throws off the balance of this recipe.
Don’t skip resting the dough. A 10-minute rest lets the oats absorb some moisture, which keeps the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven.

Flatten the dough balls before baking. These cookies stay fairly close to their original shape as they bake, so a light flatten with a spoon gives them a more even, classic cookie shape.
These stay soft for days, longer than most oatmeal cookies, thanks to the moisture from the pumpkin puree.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These also freeze well for up to 3 months, either baked or as raw dough balls.
No pumpkin pie spice on hand? Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves as a substitute.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Serve these warm or at room temperature with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. They’re soft enough that they don’t need a topping, though a light dusting of powdered sugar looks nice for a fall gathering.

Storage:

Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies or raw dough balls for up to 3 months.

Customization:

Add white chocolate chips along with or instead of the pecans for a sweeter version, or stir in dried cranberries for some tartness.

A simple maple glaze drizzled over the cooled cookies makes these feel a bit more like a dessert.