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2-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

2-ingredient pumpkin cookies made with spice cake mix and pumpkin puree, baked into thick, mostly non-spreading drop cookies with set, no-longer-shiny tops. Finish with powdered sugar, cream cheese frosting, or a simple chocolate drizzle for an easy fall-style dessert.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Spice cake mix
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) spice cake mix Use the full box for consistent cookie texture.
Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Optional toppings
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar Optional; dust after cookies cool completely.
  • 0.25 cup cream cheese frosting Optional; spread or dollop after cookies cool.
  • 2 tbsp chocolate Optional; drizzle with melted chocolate after cookies cool.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy release.
Make the dough
  1. Stir the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree together until a thick, sticky dough forms with no dry pockets.
Shape
  1. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space since the cookies spread very little.
Bake
  1. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F until the tops are set and no longer shiny.
Cool and finish
  1. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets before adding any toppings to keep the finish from melting or sliding.
Add optional toppings
  1. If using powdered sugar, dust the cooled cookies lightly for a sweet, dry finish.
Add optional toppings
  1. If using cream cheese frosting, add it only after the cookies cool completely so the frosting stays intact.
Add optional toppings
  1. If using melted chocolate, drizzle in thin lines over fully cooled cookies for a contrast finish.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the cookies as heaping tablespoons so they bake into thick drop-cookie mounds instead of thin rounds. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days (let them come back to room temp for best texture). Freezing is yes—freeze baked cookies without toppings up to 2 months, then thaw and add toppings fresh. For a gluten-free swap, use a gluten-free spice cake mix (same box weight) to keep the dough thickness and bake timing similar.