For those of you who don’t like pumpkin, look away. And for the rest of you who are like me and literally LIVE for pumpkin season (and for me, “season” means all year long), these big Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies are sure to make you drool.
You guys have made this THE most searched dessert on my site and the most pinned on Pinterest, so I figured it was time to update this recipe. It originally made its debut back in 2016 if you can believe it! Time flies 🙂
My goal was to combine two of my favorite flavors into one cookie. I love ginger cookies, but am not really a crunchy cookie kind of girl. I found that adding the pumpkin where an egg might have been, gave me a cookie that was crisp on the exterior and chewy on the interior. Perfect!
I also switched up the spices a bit to lean more towards pumpkin pie spice than a traditional ginger cookie. But don’t worry, there is plenty of ginger in there. So let’s get started, shall we?
The first step is the only real preparation and that is to soften the vegan margarine to room temperature.
Next, add the sugar and beat these together until creamed.
Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) is up next.
Add the molasses and beat well to combine.
In a separate bowl, add the all purpose flour…
Baking soda…
A good amount of ground ginger…
Ground cinnamon…
Ground cloves…
and salt.
Whisk together to combine. Add to the creamed vegan margarine mixture until well incorporated.
The dough is sticky, so using a small scoop, add directly to the sugar for rolling.
I do several at a time and place them on a lined baking sheet.
Using a small glass dipped in sugar, give them a light press. You can opt NOT to do this and get a much softer, fluffier cookie.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until the edges are slightly golden and crisp but JUST until baked through. The longer you bake them, the crisper they will be. Keep in mind too that they will crisp as they cool. You can then remove them to a rack to cool.
I did several sizes this time around. Some larger, some smaller. The smaller the cookie, the crisper they tend to get. I do prefer the larger size.
Way back when I was young, Archway used to make these old-fashioned soft molasses cookies and I attempted to reproduce it here. My grandmother used to butter the cookies and cut them into little wedges for me. Served, of course, tea party style. That “tea” was actually Strawberry Quik. Now called Nesquik I think.
These cookies would be amazing with a little bit of butter or vegan margarine on them. Now that I am older, I’d skip the strawberry drink and opt for a real cup of hot tea with a splash of almond milk creamer and perhaps a zero calorie sweetener.
Stored in a covered container at room temperature, these cookies will last for several days.
These are so delicious, they literally last a maximum of two days in our house!
NOTE: They’ll seem soft when you remove them from the oven, but just let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a rack once you can handle them with a spatula. They firm right up. I love that cake-like consistency in the center. Sooooo delicious.
If you make these Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies, leave a comment for your fellow readers and let them know what you think! Your comments help others decide whether or not to make my recipes & I really appreciate your feedback. Enjoy! #PumpkinLoversUnite
And, if you enjoyed this recipe why not PIN IT FOR LATER! 🙂
SOFT Pumpkin Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter/margarine/vegan margarine softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 C Pumpkin Puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt do not skip the salt, it really brings out the flavor
- Additional sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin puree and molasses, mixing until well incorporated.
- I like to combine the flour, baking soda and spices with a whisk before adding to the butter mixture.
- Do not over mix.
- Using a 1-1/2" cookie scoop, place the dough directly into the sugar. Roll into balls, coating well with the sugar. *Using the back of a small glass dipped in sugar, press each ball lightly to flatten.
- Place onto a cookie sheet about 2" apart as they will spread.
- Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. You will see them start to form the cracks on top.
- They will still be soft so let them cool on the cookie sheet until they firm up a bit
- Using a spatula, remove to a cooling rack to finish setting.
Josee says
Made these today and they are amazing! Mine didn’t flatten out as much as yours did though… maybe halfway. The recipe made more cookies than I was expecting (2 dozen) which was a nice surprise. I think next time I might try adding a bit more pumpkin to see if they flatten out more.
Barbara says
These sounded so amazing but for me the result was disappointing. I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with flat chewy cookies. The taste was good but the texture was not.
aimee says
Hi Barbara, I am not sure what went wrong for you. They ARE a soft, chewy cookie but definitely not flat. The only thing I can think of was that maybe the baking soda wasn’t super fresh OR the baking time wasn’t long enough for your particular oven. I’ve tested this recipe a few times as have others with no issue. I am so sorry you were disappointed in the end result ;(
Emily B says
Hello!
I’m planning to make these this weekend and I was wondering if you had any suggestions to keep them more chewy than crispy? Also how many about does it make?
aimee says
Hi Emily! They will stay soft and chewy, even when stored. I got approximately 24 (2″) cookies from this batch, but it really depends on how large (or small) you make them. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the recipe after you make them 🙂
Emily B says
YUM! Just ate one fresh from the oven and they are delicious. The pumpkin is a little light on flavor but the spices all taste so good! Definitely going to make a second batch and send to the family! Thanks for the recipe
Helene says
Just finished baking these. OMG! Yummy 🙂
aimee says
Hi Helene, I am so glad you liked them! They didn’t last long at all in this house 😉
SkinnyMe says
These look amazing. I love gingersnap cookies. And that they’re pumpkin infused…nice! The pumpkin keeps the gingersnaps extra soft and moist, which is a must.
Kristen says
Is there anything to use in place of molasses and cloves? I have everything else in hand except these two items and these look/sound delicious!!
aimee says
Hi Kristin! You could either omit the cloves and/or use a bit more ginger. As far as the Molasses, I have not personally tried these, but found this resource which will hopefully help you make the substitutions: https://www.thebalance.com/molasses-substitute-1388891 If you do make them, I would love to know your thoughts on the recipe 🙂
Jean S says
I baked mine for a bit longer than 12 min and they seemed raw in the middle. Is that how they are supposed to be? They taste delicious though!
aimee says
Jean, everyone’s oven is so different, they may have needed to bake a bit longer. I would call them “chewy” but definitely not like a raw cookie. I think if you bite into it while it’s still warm, it might seem that way but should firm up more as it cools. These are a soft cookie. I’m sorry they didn’t come out perfect the first try, but I am glad you enjoyed the taste 🙂
Cathy says
These are fabulous! Beautiful texture, rich flavor. I used Sucanat, local (NY State) sorghum molasses, and Nutiva coconut oil. Next time I’ll cut the sugar and try whole wheat pastry flour.
With a small cookie scoop, my yield was 48. I didn’t roll them into balls, and the scoop marks look like a pumpkin. Thanks for a great recipe, Aimee!
aimee says
I am so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Leti says
I changed a bunch, but it came out wonderful! I used coconut oil instead of butter, 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup and 1/2 cup of pumpkin. I didn’t have cloves so I used pumpkin spice and I didn’t roll in sugar. They didn’t flatten, perhaps bc I changed up the ingredients, so about 5 min in when I saw these big balls expanding, I flattened them with a spatula and baked for another 10 min. They came out soft inside and crunchy on the outside, delicious.
aimee says
I’m glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Krista Ridley says
I made these today for my daughter’s housewarming. I doubled the batch and played around with a couple of batches. The first batch didn’t flatten out at all but they tasted good. The second batch was picture perfect. Before I put them in the oven, I pressed the balls out a bit to achieve a flatter cookie. Perfection! The third batch, I added caramel chips and toffee bits. I also left them stay in a little longer to achieve a crisper cookie. These were amazing! I loved each iteration. The crispy ones are going to be used as a crust for my pumpkin cheesecake. My only note is the pumpkin flavor was too light for me. I love pumpkin flavor, so I am going to increase the pumpkin and pull back on the molasses next time. Thanks for a great recipe!
aimee says
I’m glad you liked them Krista and great job playing around with the recipe! 🙂
SaraK says
I made these cookies this evening. I subbed coconut oil for the butter and rolled in sugar with pumpkin pie spice. They are fabulous! I rolled in sugar then flattened in my palm. They came out soft in middle and crispy on edges!
Caroline @ chocolate & carrots says
These were delicious! I baked them up in a flash yesterday and it was the favorite of my dessert bar!
aimee says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Lainie says
Can you freeze these cookies or will they get crispy?
aimee says
I don’t honestly think these would freeze well at all. They are soft and chewy and best enjoyed after baking 🙂
Bree says
I made and they turned out great. I definitely recommend.
aimee says
So glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Bonnie Anderson says
Wow!!! These cookies are so delicious!!! I will be making these every Christmas season:) Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
aimee says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Daniela says
Hi!
I was wondering if I could make the dough ahead of time and freeze it.
aimee says
Hi Daniela, I have honestly never tried with this particular dough. The cookies are so light and airy it might??? affect the outcome. I think if you could make them and enjoy without freezing, that would be your best bet. That being said, it’s always worth a try, right? If you do, let me know how they come out 🙂
Daniela says
I just made them and they were great.
I didn’t freeze the dough.
aimee says
So glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Sharon says
What about maple syrup or honey
Why can’t you freeze them and why is there no eggs in this recpie
aimee says
You can substitute maple syrup or agave. As for the eggs…this is a vegan site. So no eggs,no honey.
Anna says
I made these cookies for our Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue bake sale. They sold out! I was able to donate $40 to the rescue.
I added a little bit more pumpkin puree but other than that the recipe is absolutely perfect! And my house smelled amazing!
aimee says
Anna this makes me SOOOO happy! As a rescuer myself, I love hearing this. I hope you’ll stay tuned, because I am working on an animal rescue site that should be launching within the next couple of months 🙂
Anna says
That is great to hear! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
TappinTamara says
This is my second time making these in the last two weeks. I’ve had to use orange blossom honey instead of molasses just because I didn’t have that on hand. These turn out great. I’ve also just been making 1/2 the recipe so I will eat less! Delicious, especially with good tea or coffee!
Darlene says
These turned out amazing. As mentioned above, I used coconut oil instead of butter and half cup of pumpkin. Also I added some chocolate chips! Excellent!
Ryanna says
Um.. Yum. And yum again!!!???
These disappeared as they left the oven!!
I used coconut oil and olive oil and added cardamom, more pumpkin and less molasses (picky hubby?)
They are moist, Sweet, spicy and delicious… I will be doing these again!!!
Even our Puppy is trying to obtain more than the fallen crumbs!!????
aimee says
They are pretty addictive and a bit dangerous to have around 🙂 I am glad you (and your puppy) enjoyed them!
Cheryl says
Can I sub almond flour in this recipe?
aimee says
Hi Cheryl, are you trying to make this recipe gluten-free? Almond flour has quite a different texture than all-purpose in baking. I always recommend something like the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend. It’s the closest thing I can find and yet still may affect the texture. If you do try it, stop back and let me know how they turned out! These cookies are so addictive. I think you’ll love them 🙂
Barb says
These were fantastic! I doubled the pumpkin to 1/2 cup approx and added 1/2 cup extra flour. Wow! I also glazed them with almond milk, powdered sugar, and the spices in the recipe
Definitely a repeat! Thanks for the delish recipe!!
Barb says
These were fantastic! I doubled the pumpkin to 1/2 cup approx and added 1/2 cup extra flour. Wow! I also glazed them with almond milk, powdered sugar, and the spices in the recipe
Definitely a repeat! Thanks for the delish recipe!!
Leah says
GREAT cookies! I make them all the time for my vegan friends, all of whom have asked for the recipe immediately upon taking a bite. My non-vegan friends can’t even tell that they are vegan, which is a huge compliment since they are generally an unimpressed bunch of college boys. Thank you so much for a lovely go-to recipe!
aimee says
Wow! Thank you Leah. You just made my entire day 🙂
Sherry says
YASSSSSS I fed these to my cat and she died!
Kerianne Brennan says
Hi! My friends and I used to make these cookies before the recipe was changed in 2018. Is there a link to the old version? We really loved how much pumpkin it had, and I think the original recipe was vegetarian instead of vegan. Thank you!
Lisa says
Used to LOVE this recipe. Now whenever I make it the dough is extremely sticky – sticks like glue to my hands. No extra amount of flour or chilling the batter helps with this problem. Very disappointed.
Akhila Ram says
I just made these, and they were amazing! I changed the recipe a bit: I reduced the butter to 2/3 cup, and used oil instead, and I increased the pumpkin to 3/4 cup. I also changed up the spices, adding pumpkin spice and some fresh ginger. The batter was pretty sticky at first, but I chilled it so it was workable.
The texture turned out great, and will definitely make again!
Thanks!
Sheryl Clark says
Best cookie for Fall, for sharing, I WILL REPHRASE THAT…BEST COOKIE!!!
I made these using Plugra butter and didn’t have AP flour so I used my bread flour. Just an amazing flavor with the cloves , ginger and pumpkin 🎃. My new favorite cookie that will be on repeat all year long! Thank you so gift for sharing this recipe, its like a little present that I loved trying & will keep giving year after year.
Lindsey says
These cookies are delicious! The pumpkin is super subtle (we could hardly taste it), but the flavor of the cookie is fantastic as is. They were loved (and devoured) by vegan and non-vegan eaters alike.
Claire says
This is the second time I’ve made these and they are amazing!! I didn’t press the dough down, just put the dough balls rolled in sugar in the oven and it made those perfect crinkles. Thanks for the recipe!