Pumpkin Cookies With Walnuts or Pecans Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/22/22
Pumpkin Cookies
Tina Crespo/Moment/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 36 servings
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
89 Calories
3g Fat
15g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 89
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 38mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 37mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These pumpkin cookies are drop cookies, which means you don't have to spend time slicing, shaping, or cutting them out. They're a snap to mix and bake.

With pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices, these are the quintessential fall cookie. If using canned pumpkin, be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened. The cookies have a chewy, almost cakey texture, and the walnuts add crunch. Set them out after a family dinner, at a Halloween party, or serve at any fall gathering.

Swap out the walnuts for pecans or leave out the nuts altogether if you are allergic. Feel free to add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cranberries to these cookies for more flavor and texture.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup canned or mashed pumpkin

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts, or pecans, chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

  3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla extract.

  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and spices; stir to blend.

  5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and stir well. Stir in the chopped nuts.

  6. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto greased baking sheets.

  7. Bake in the upper half of the oven for about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving.

How to Store

  • Store cooled, leftover pumpkin cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days.
  • If you'd like to freeze the pumpkin cookie dough, form it into a ball or log and wrap in plastic wrap. Wrap in a layer of aluminum foil and label before freezing for up to a month. To bake, defrost the dough overnight in the fridge before scooping and baking.
  • Baked pumpkin cookies can also be frozen, but the texture will degrade quite a bit. It's best to eat baked cookies fresh or freeze the unbaked dough.

Why are my pumpkin cookies flat?

A few issues can cause a cookie to spread and flatten when baked. If the recipe calls for softened or room temperature butter, make sure it is not too warm or melted. Also double-check that you measured out all of the ingredients accurately, including the flour, and don't use hot baking sheets. Lastly, make sure your baking powder has not expired.

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