These Cakey Eggless Pumpkin Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth soft and loaded with warm spices! Every bite is an explosion of fall flavors. Simply irresistible! The recipe includes step-by-step instructions and lots of tips.
This is the season to crave everything pumpkin, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share my fave recipe for these amazing Cakey Eggless Pumpkin Cookies!
These cookies are deliciously melt-in-your-mouth soft and loaded with warm spices. I promise that every bite is an explosion of fall flavors. And the best part is that they’re pretty simple to make.
Yeah, they totally rock! These Cakey Eggless Pumpkin Cookies are the perfect little fall snack or treat, and a little bird told me that they are delicious with your morning coffee, too {wing}.
They’re bursting with all the season’s goodness. Pumpkin + warm spices = YUM!!!
I’ve made them ahead of time, and they stay soft and flavorful for days.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Dry ingredients:
- Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour.
- Baking soda & Baking powder: Make sure they’re not expired or too old. To avoid a chemical aftertaste, make sure your baking powder is labeled aluminum free. I usually use the Clabber Girl brand, and though the ingredients state aluminum, I’ve never noticed an aluminum aftertaste.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This is a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice and is easily found in most American grocery stores. If this blend is not available in your country, you can use 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, 1/4 ginger, 1/8 tsp cloves, and 1/8 tsp allspice.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
Wet ingredients:
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar o caster sugar. I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cookies.
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Pumpkin puree: It must be pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I use and recommend Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin.
- Cream cheese: Make sure you use the full-fat version that comes in blocks.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Combine Dry Ingredients
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 2 – Beat the Sugar and Butter
In a large mixer bowl, beat with an electric mixer sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Step 3 – Add Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until combined.
Step 4 – Form the Cookie
Drop onto prepared baking sheets by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly with fingers.
Step 5 – Bake
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the edge is firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies, if desired. Enjoy!
Measure the ingredients correctly! A kitchen scale is always the best option, in my opinion, but if you don’t have a kitchen scale, be sure to use a measuring cup made for dry ingredients (NOT a liquid measuring cup) and a liquid measuring cup for liquid ingredients. Also, do NOT dip a measuring cup directly into the flour bin, or you can compact it and get up to 25% more flour; instead, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, and then use a knife (straight-edged) to level the flour across the measuring cup.
Don’t overmix your cookie dough, or you will end up with dense cookies.
For evenly sized cookies (better for baking), use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop to spoon out the dough.
Bake the cookies until they are JUST golden around the outside. The cookies might still look a little raw in the center, but once they cool, they will be perfect. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for just a few minutes, around 2. If you leave the cookies on the baking sheets for too long, they will continue cooking, and they will be hard.
Optional Add-Ins
Feel free to fold 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries into the dough after you mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
Freeze
Cookie dough balls may be frozen for up to 2 months. After rolling cookie dough balls in sugar, place them on a plate or baking sheet and freeze until solid. After the dough is frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To bake frozen cookies, place frozen cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake as instructed.
Frequently Asked Questions
These cookies are soft and cakey. If you are looking for chewy pumpkin cookies, try my Eggless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Canned pumpkin is best in this pumpkin cookie recipe; I use and recommend Libby’s brand.
About 30 – 32 cookies.
I haven’t tried it personally, but I can’t see why not! I recommend a 9×13 inch baking pan. I’m unsure of the best bake time, though.
They freeze really well if baked and then frozen for up to two months. Just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
More Egg-Free Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love!
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread in a Mug [Video]
- Easy Eggless Pumpkin Pie
- Eggless Pumpkin Bread
- Eggless Pumpkin Muffins
- Eggless Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Browse more recipes…
Recipe Card 📖
Cakey Eggless Pumpkin Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup (240 g) pure pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup (30 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze (optional):
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and vanilla extract; mix until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, then mix on low until combined.
- Drop dough onto prepared baking sheets by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly with fingers. TIP: For evenly sized cookies (better for baking), use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop to spoon out the dough.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft. Cool on pan 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies, if desired.
GLAZE:
- Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.
- Measure the ingredients properly! A kitchen scale is always the best option, in my opinion.
- Don’t over-mix your cookie dough, or you will end up with a dense cookie.
- For evenly sized cookies (better for baking), use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop to spoon out the dough.
- Bake the cookies until they are JUST golden around the outside. The cookies might still look a little raw in the center, but once they cool, they will be perfect. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for just a few minutes, around 2. If you leave the cookies on the baking sheets for too long, they will continue cooking, and they will be hard
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in September 2017, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in September 2022.
