These Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are soft, chewy pumpkin cookies with vanilla icing on top! Sweetened with a hint of molasses and flavored with pumpkin spice, this is the perfect fall cookie recipe!
Looking for more easy cookie recipes? Make sure to try my Molasses Cookie Recipe and my Pumpkin Cookies too!
This cookie recipe is the ULTIMATE in fall baking. I’ve paired up a molasses cookie and a pumpkin cookie to create a lightly spiced, buttery, chewy cookie topped with a sweet vanilla icing.
Even if you don’t think you like molasses cookies, you should absolutely give these a try! I didn’t think I liked them either, until I made them myself and realized they didn’t have to be cakey and dry, as they can sometimes be! PLUS add in a little pumpkin, and some pumpkin pie spice, and it’s really a match made in heaven!
I have fully embraced fall baking this year, trying to perfect all the classics, like Apple Pie, Pumpkin Roll, Apple Crisp, and Pecan Pie! So when I had the idea for these cookies, I knew they were a little less “traditional”, but I thought you would love them!
Mixing up favorite seasonal flavors is fun and easy to do, because they all seem to pair so well together! AND cookies are an easy option if you’re not looking for a complicated or time consuming recipe.
Here are a few things you should remember when you’re making these pumpkin cookies:
- Watch your bake time! Pumpkin Cookies can get dry and cakey quick if they are over-baked. The ratio of butter/sugar/pumpkin/molasses in this recipe will set you up for success, but if you over-bake them they won’t be as great. You want the tops of the cookies to be just set, and the edges to be very lightly golden. 9 minutes is perfect in my oven, but since all home ovens tend to vary, I’d keep an eye on them, as you might need to add or take away a minute. If you’re not sure, under-baking slightly is better than over-baking!
- Pumpkin Matters! Make sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin (like Libby’s) not pumpkin pie mix!
- Molasses Can’t Be Subbed. If you don’t have a jar of molasses and want to cheat and use honey or dark corn syrup your results won’t be the same. I’m not saying those ingredients wouldn’t WORK, but you won’t get a molasses cookie without molasses!
Looking for More Pumpkin Cookie Recipes? Try These:
- Pumpkin Praline Cookies
- Pumpkin Crumb Cake Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Pressed Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are a mash up of a classic molasses cookie made with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 1/4 cups flour
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add in the molasses, pumpkin, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined.
- Portion out the dough using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop, and roll each into a ball. Place the balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet 2- inches apart.
- Bake for 9 minutes, or until the tops are just set.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- When the cookies are cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Dip the tops of each cookie in the icing and allow it to set.
Notes
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 154
- Sugar: 15.2 g
- Sodium: 103.9 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.4 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
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These cookies are amazing! Omg!! They’re so easy to make too!
Everyone should try these. I have made these several times since I found this recipe just a few months ago. I haven’t tried them with the icing yet but I am sure they are a hit either way.
Shelly, these cookies are amazing!! I made them for our cookie club and they were a big hit. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed these!!
Shelly, have you ever used real maple syrup instead of the milk in the frosting recipe? Do you think that would compliment the cookie?
That would be great!
Hi Shelly,
Do these cookies freeze well? Maybe it would be better to scoop the cookies and freeze raw?
Thank you,
Lynn
They do freeze well, but I would freeze them without the icing as it can get a little sticky as it thaws 🙂
I was wondering if fresh pumpkin puree would also work? Some recipes require premade pumpkin and fresh ones won’t work as well.
If you use fresh, make sure it is drained well!
Thanks for another great cookies and cups recipe!! Made these today and they are just perfect! They are nice and fluffy, didn’t spread out and flatten like so many cookies do and they are so moist and delicious! They will be s hit at our party later on! Thank u again for sharing!!
So glad you liked them!!
Made these today and there were so good! Such a delicious pumpkin cookie recipe!!
could you please check on how these print… only the big words (description, ingredients, instructions, and notes) print dark and everything else prints very, very light. Thanks!!! we love all your recipes and use them all the time!
I want to try these,,,,,they sound good. No egg, that sounds strange?
The pumpkin in the recipe works a lot like the egg, so to keep a less “fluffy” cookie I omitted the egg and let the pumpkin fill in 🙂