Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies- A chewy pumpkin spice cookie base topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping. All the fall favorites in a decadent dessert.
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies are seriously to die for delicious! This recipe makes 6 giant bakery-style cookie that have the chewiness of a cookie, the spices of all things fall, and the buttery top that will complete each bite. I wanted to take all the cozy flavors of a classic pumpkin coffee cake and turn them into something handheld. The streusel topping was a must-it gives that perfect crumble with every bite. Think of it as coffee cake reinvented in cookie form, made for sharing… or not!
For more fall related recipes here are some of my favorite
- The Greatest Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cake
- The Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies
- Pumpkin Vanilla Chai Cake
- The Best Coffee Cake There Ever Was!
Why you will love this recipe
- Pumpkin- This recipe uses pumpkin puree, and is filled with pumpkin pie spice and a dash more of cinnamon.
- Easy to make- They are incredibly easy to make and take no skill whatsoever to create.
- Delicious- If being easy isn't enough, they are ridiculously tasty.
- Soft + chewy texture - The cookie base stays soft and chewy, even with the crunchy topping.
- Crowd-pleaser - Perfect for parties, bake sales, or just treating yourself.
- Make-ahead friendly - You can prep the dough ahead, freeze it, and bake whenever the craving hits.
- Unique twist - It's like a mashup of coffee cake and cookies, two desserts in one!
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
This recipe doesn't require too many ingredients, but here are some you might not have on hand! For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below for the full list.
- Pumpkin puree- Remember to buy the puree, not the pumpkin PIE mix.
- Unsalted butter- Don't you go buy that salted butter. It will totally change the flavor of the cookies and make them EXTRA salty.
- Pumpkin pie spice - You can find this in the same isle as all of the spices.
- Brown sugar - Light is my fave here, but dark brown sugar works if that's all you have.
- Granulated sugar - A little extra sweetness and helps with that chewy cookie texture.
- Egg yolk - Just the yolk for richness without weighing the dough down.
- Vanilla extract - A must for rounding out the pumpkin spice flavors.
- Ground cinnamon - For a little extra cozy flavor in the streusel topping and the dough.
- All-purpose flour - The base of your cookies. Fluff and level for the most accurate measure.
- Baking powder - Gives the cookies a little lift so they don't bake up too dense.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a stand-size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
- Add in the whole egg and egg yolk and continued to beat on medium-speed for about 30 seconds.
- Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract, mix on low just until incorporated
- On the lowest speed, add in the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and mix just until there are no more flour streaks.
- Using a large cookie scooper, scoop out 6 equally sized cookie dough balls. Place them on the prepped baking sheet and place them in the fridge while you make the crumb topping.
- To make the topping: in a medium-size bowl, using your hands, mix all the ingredients until they are combined and have a "shaggy" look. There should be no flour streaks. Once the crumb topping is done, coat the top of the cookies with the crumb until they are completely covered.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, while they are baking make the drizzle by combing both ingredients and mixing until incorporated
- Once the cookies are done, let them slightly cool and drizzle with the icing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Creaming the cold butter and sugar is really important. Under creaming will result in a flat and spread cookie.
- Cream that butter + sugar really well - This is the secret to tall, thick cookies. If you under-cream, the dough won't hold structure and your cookies will bake up flat. Don't rush this step!
- Measure your flour carefully - Too much flour = dry cookies, too little = spreading. Fluff, spoon, and level into the measuring cup for accuracy.
- Chill the dough before baking - Even 15-20 minutes in the fridge helps the cookies hold their shape and makes the crumb topping stick better.
- Press on lots of streusel - Don't be shy with the crumb topping; press it gently into the dough so it doesn't fall off during baking.
- Bake until just set - The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out. They'll finish setting on the baking sheet as they cool.
- Drizzle while warm - Add the icing drizzle when the cookies are slightly warm so it melts into all the cracks and crumbs.
- Sift your dry ingredients for the best results
- Don't over mix the flour. Over mixing the gluten can cause a dry cookie.
- Here are my favorite parchment paper liners
Tools You'll Need for Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
These are my favorite tools for making pumpkin coffee cake cookies and the ones I reach for every time I bake them. Having the right equipment makes the process easier and helps the cookies come out tall, chewy, and perfectly baked.
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment - Makes creaming the butter and sugar effortless. A hand mixer works too, but it'll take longer.
- Large mixing bowls - For whipping up the streusel and mixing dry ingredients.
- Cookie scoop - To get even, bakery-sized cookie dough balls. I use a large one for this recipe.
- Baking sheet - Heavy-duty, rimmed baking sheets bake cookies more evenly.
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat - Keeps cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Cooling rack - Essential for letting cookies set up without overbaking on the hot pan.
- Measuring cups + spoons - Accuracy matters here, especially for flour and spices.
- Spatula - For scraping down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
FAQs - Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
- Can I make these into smaller cookies? Yes, you can. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop 12 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes.
- Can these cookie dough balls be frozen? Yes, they can. Store the cookie dough balls in an airtight container or use plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. You don't even have to thaw them before you bake. You can freeze them with the crumb on top too!
- Can I chill the cookie dough overnight? Yes! I recommend scooping them into cookie dough balls first before chilling overnight. Wrap them in plastic wrap. Get your oven up to temp and place them on a cookie sheet to bake. You want them cold.
Storing and freezing
Store these Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies at room temperature in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Freezing Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
You can freeze the cookie dough balls or fully baked cookies. Make sure they are in an airtight container, then they can be stored for up to 6 months.
If you need more ideas for what to bake, here are some!
- Ultimate Biscoff Cake
- The Best and Irresistible Cookie Dough Cake
- Cinnamon Caramel Apple Cake
- Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
- Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Don't forget to save this recipe card and share it! I'd love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you have! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I post so many fun things on all platforms.
Recipe
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies- A chewy pumpkin spice cookie base topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping. All the fall favorites in a decadent dessert.
Ingredients
Pumpkin cookie
- ½ cup butter unsalted chilled and cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the crumb topping
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter cold, cut to pea size.
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
For the powder sugar drizzle
- 1 cup powder sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.½ cup butter unsalted, ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- With a rubber spatula scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add in the egg yolk and continued to beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk
- Scrape down the sides again, and add the pumpkin purree and vanilla extract, mix on low just until incorporated¼ cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add in the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, mix on low just until there are no more flour streaks.1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Using a large cookie scooper, scoop out 6 equally sized cookie dough balls. The dough might be tad bit sticky. Thats okay. Place them on the prepped baking sheet, and place them in the fridge while you make the crumb topping.
- To make the topping: In a medium-size bowl, using your hands, mix all the ingredients until they are combined and have a "shaggy" look. There should be no flour streaks.6 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon, pinch of salt, ¾ cup all purpose flour
- Once the crumb topping is done, coat the top of the cookies with the crumb until they are completely covered.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes for a smaller cookie/15-17 minutes for a larger cookie while they are baking make the drizzle by combing both ingredients and mixing until incorporated
- Once the cookies are done, let them slightly cool and drizzle with the icing.1 cup powder sugar, 2 tablespoons milk
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Rebekah Ma says
Had been craving pumpkin bread but when I saw this I had to try them. Delicious!! So easy. My family loved them and wants me to make them again.
Sarah S. says
I made these yesterday and they were quite possibly the best cookies I have ever made! Easy to follow instructions and easy to make considering how gourmet they look! My roommates loved them and I got so many compliments on them from my friends on instagram! Will definitely be keeping this recipe to make each fall! Thank you!
Jake says
Best cookies I have ever made and tasted
Casey says
I can’t wait to make these! Do you have to blot the pumpkin before using? I have another recipe where it is required (and it’s a pain!). Just curious.
Molly Murphy says
No blotting required 🙂 I agree though, it is such a pain.
Brittany says
In your expert baking tips section, you say to use room temperature butter and that cold butter won’t cream properly. But then in the ingredients list you say to use chilled and cubed butter. Could you clear this up for me please?
Molly Murphy says
Hi. The recipe card is correct. You want cold and cubed butter. When i first developed this recipe 4 years ago, I used room temperature, and have made the adjustment since and didn't catch that when i updated the blog post! Thank you!
Jess says
Hello!! Quick question why is it called pumpkin coffee cake cookie? I don’t see any coffee ingredients in the recipe
Molly Murphy says
Coffee cake is just what is called, it just goes with coffee. Typical coffee cake has some kind of streusel on top.
Carrie says
I made one much smaller. I divided the recipe into 16 cookies, and they turned out almost raw in the middle. I started at 10 minutes baking, and by the last pan I was up to 18 minutes of baking. Those ones are almost baked through but they are now extremely dry. Not sure how you were able to get the giant cookies to bake through if I couldn't even get the small ones to?
Molly Murphy says
I'm so sorry to hear that. My sister did the same thing with my recipe, but use gluten free flour, and she had no issues. I might suggest getting an oven thermometer and test your temperature of your oven. I am so sorry to hear that.
Amber says
the best pumpkin cookies ever! they’re the one pumpkin cookie i MUST make every fall! the texture of the cookie is melt in your mouth delicious and the strudel on top takes it next level!
Pam says
These cookies are absolutely amazing! My new favorite fall cookie! They are fantastic! I have made them 3 times in the last week or so and have given most of them away (thank goodness or I would be eating them all!) I have a few great cookie recipes and this will be joining them! Thank you Molly!!
Molly Murphy says
Thank you so much!!!! that makes me so happy to hear its been added to your collection 😉
Jessyka says
Hello, how long are these to chill in the fridge before baking?
Molly Murphy says
Hi! Just while you make the stressful topping!
Bri says
These cookies were a hit! A bit more involved than a simple chocolate chip or other traditional cookies, but worth the extra effort! I subbed bread flour for the all purpose for extra chewiness. I doubled the recipe and opted for smaller cookies as they were for an event with more people. Worked great, will make again
Samantha says
These turned out SO good, and we’re so easy to make!! I love that it’s a smaller batch too, because the self restraint it takes to not devour these is ridiculous. For the crumb topping I did 1/2 cinnamon and 1/2 pumpkin pie spice for a little extra pumpkin kick and it was a 10/10!
Molly Murphy says
That is a great idea! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Claire says
LOVED these cookies!! They are my new favorite fall obsession!
Morgan Whitecotton says
These were delicious!!!! My dough turned out a little dry (I used a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer) and the crumble was a little dry. I also made 12 cookies instead of 6. But they turned out delicious!!!! Got lots of compliments from friends.
Kayla says
I made these and they came out great! I didn’t have enough ingredients for the crumb but the cookies taste flavorful and lovely just fine. I love the fluffy cakey texture!
Hailee says
The cookies are delicious! I had to increase the baking time with smaller cookies and baked them for 11 minutes @350. So excited to take them to a party this weekend! They're sure to be a hit.
JH says
I'm confused, why would smaller cookies take longer to bake?
Sarah says
Hi! I love your recipe. I made them twice already. The second time, I froze half of the batch. How long is the cooking time when you take them out of the freezer and put them directly into the oven?
Molly Murphy says
Hi! I would add 1-2 more minutes!
Nancy says
Very simple and good. The overwhelming flavor is the crumble. Texture is nice, but I can't taste the pumpkin nor the spices.
Nicole says
Make these. So delicious!
Lynn McBride says
Should the dough balls be slightly flattened before adding the streusel topping?
Molly Murphy says
I don't because i want mine thick, but you can if you want a thinner cookie!
Beth says
Can I use dairy free butter?
Molly Murphy says
I have never tried it before, but it might work!
Aprillyna says
Such a perfect treat!
A says
Made these tonight and they are delicious but my cookies spread a lot!
Molly Murphy says
Hi! Sorry to hear that! When that happenes it means the butter and sugar could have possibly not been creamed enough or it was baked on a silicon mat!
Monika says
Any chance of seeing ingredients by weight? This seems to help me bake more consistently. Can’t wait to make these when it’s not 100 degrees outside!
Anonymous says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
courtney says
so yummy! i followed the recipe exactly, but made smaller cookies and got 13 instead of 6. absolutely delicious!
Holly says
The cookies were very pillowy with good flavor. The only challenge I have is i cant get the cookie to look as golden beown or the crumble topping to be as thick and crumbly... 🤷♀️ i had hoped to offer these in my home bakery but not sure I can replicate it. Still, it was a delicious cookie the family gobbled up
John Glaze says
Love the flavor but the dough was so sticky I had a hard time even getting it off the cookie scoop. I tried to flatten then slightly because the topping wouldn’t stay on these little mountains of stickiness! So, where did I fail? I didn’t alter the amounts at all, but now think maybe more flour might’ve helped. Or maybe remove cookies after they’ve flattened out and put the topping on for the rest of the bake?