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Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Pumpkin gingersnap cookies with warm pumpkin spice, rolled in sugar, and baked until dark, crinkled, and crisp at the edges. Soft centers with caramelized snap come from creaming butter and brown sugar, then chilling the dough for clean cookie shape.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 130
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking soda
ginger
  • 2 tsp ginger
cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
cloves
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
allspice
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
unsalted butter
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
pumpkin puree
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin puree blotted dry
egg
  • 1 egg
molasses
  • 2 tbsp molasses
vanilla
  • 1 tsp vanilla
granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and dry mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, then line baking sheets so the first batch goes in quickly. Look for the oven to fully reach temperature before baking.
  2. Blot the pumpkin puree dry, then whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, black pepper, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in one bowl. Whisk until the spice specks are evenly distributed.
Make the dough
  1. Beat softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar until smooth. The mixture should look lighter and creamier with no visible sugar lumps.
  2. Add the blotted pumpkin puree, then beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla until the dough is uniform. The color should be consistently pumpkin-brown.
  3. Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.
  4. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. It should feel firmer and scoopable for cleanly shaped cookies.
Shape and bake
  1. Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls, then roll each ball in granulated sugar. Coat the surface so it looks sparkly and evenly sugared.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look dark and crinkled with crispy edges. Cool on the sheet briefly so the snap sets before transferring.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the pumpkin puree dry helps the dough bake up crinkly instead of spreading. Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 7 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. If you want a dairy-free option, use a 1:1 plant butter stick and cream it with brown sugar as written.