She Strengthens

Soft and Sweet Pumpkin Cookies

A Delicious Twist on a Classic Treat

Pumpkin adds a beautiful golden-orange hue to these soft, cakelike cookies. The secret to their smooth tops? Using an ice cream scoop to form the cookies, which bake into perfectly rounded treats.

Customize to Your Taste

Want to mix things up? Substitute miniature chocolate chips for the butterscotch chips for a different flavor profile.

Get Ready for a Treat

This recipe is part of our Easy Weeknight Dinner menu, making it perfect for a quick dessert or snack. Take it to the next level by pairing it with our buttercream recipe or pumpkin frosting.

Yield and Difficulty

Yield: 14 cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup canola or corn oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Let’s Get Baking!

Step 1: Prep the Oven and Baking Sheets

Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, coat the paper with butter, and set aside.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Step 3: Cream the Eggs and Sugar

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

Stop the mixer and using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla, and mix until evenly blended.

Step 5: Combine the Mixtures

Add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated. Add in the butterscotch chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Step 6: Scoop and Bake

Using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2 inches apart. Using a thin metal spatula, smooth the tops of the mounds. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes.

Step 7: Cool and Dust

Cool them on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar.

Storage and Enjoyment

The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Enjoy!