Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
These amazing spiced pumpkin cookies are perfect for anyone who loves cozy fall flavors without all the guilt! Your whole family will go crazy for these soft, chewy treats that are packed with warm spices and only 72 calories each.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Cook Time: 30 minutes, Additional Time: 45 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, Serves: 36 cookies (3 dozen).
Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb, Diabetes-Friendly, Dairy-Free, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Heart-Healthy, Low-Calorie.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 72 Calories, 2g Fat, 13g Carbs, 1g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Whole-wheat pastry flour: You’ll need 2/3 cup of this special flour that’s milled from soft wheat. It gives you all the good stuff from whole grains but keeps your cookies super tender! You can find it at most big grocery stores.
All-purpose flour: Another 2/3 cup of regular flour helps give these cookies the perfect texture. Just use whatever brand you have in your pantry!
Baking powder and baking soda: 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda work together to make your cookies nice and fluffy.
Salt: Just 1/2 teaspoon brings out all those amazing flavors.
Warm spices: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg create that perfect fall spice blend that smells incredible!
Eggs: 2 large eggs help bind everything together and add richness.
Brown sugar: 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar gives you that deep, molasses-y sweetness. Or you can use 1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking if you want to cut the sugar in half!
Pumpkin puree: 3/4 cup of canned unseasoned pumpkin puree makes these cookies super moist and adds that lovely pumpkin flavor.
Neutral oil: 1/4 cup of canola or avocado oil keeps things dairy-free while adding moisture.
Dark molasses: 1/4 cup gives you those deep, rich flavors that make these cookies taste amazing.
Raisins: 1 cup of raisins adds natural sweetness and a fun chewy texture!
How to Make Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 3 baking sheets with cooking spray so nothing sticks.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all your spices. Make sure everything is mixed really well so every cookie gets those amazing flavors!
Step 3: In a second bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar (or Splenda), pumpkin puree, oil, and molasses. Keep whisking until everything looks smooth and well combined.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients and raisins into the dry ingredients. Stir everything together until it’s all mixed up and you have a nice cookie dough.
Step 5: Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto your prepared baking sheets. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart so they have room to spread a little.
Step 6: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Your cookies are done when they feel firm to the touch and look lightly golden on top. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Easy and Quick Spiced Pumpkin Cookies Version
Want to make these even easier? You can use pumpkin pie spice instead of mixing all the individual spices! Just use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Also, if you don’t have whole-wheat pastry flour, you can use 1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour instead. They’ll still taste incredible!
Serving Ideas
These cookies are perfect on their own with a glass of cold milk or a warm cup of coffee. They also make amazing sandwich cookies if you want to spread a little cream cheese frosting between two of them! Serve them at fall parties, pack them in lunch boxes, or enjoy them as a guilt-free afternoon treat.
Storage
Store your cooled cookies in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers for up to 2 days at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just wrap them in plastic wrap first, then foil to keep them fresh and prevent freezer burn.
Substitutions
No whole-wheat pastry flour? No worries! Use all-purpose flour instead. Want to skip the raisins? Try chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips. Don’t have molasses? You can use honey or maple syrup, but the flavor will be a little different. If you’re out of pumpkin puree, mashed sweet potato works great too!
Pro Tips
• Get the best texture: Don’t overmix your dough once you add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Just stir until everything comes together.
• Perfect spacing: Use a small cookie scoop if you have one to get evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate.
• Fresh spices matter: If your spices have been sitting around for more than a year, get fresh ones. You’ll taste the difference!
• Check for doneness: Gently press the top of a cookie with your finger. If it springs back, they’re ready!
FAQs
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
You bet! These cookies actually taste even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to blend together. Just store them in an airtight container and they’ll stay soft and delicious.
What if I don’t have whole-wheat pastry flour?
Sure! You can substitute it with regular all-purpose flour cup for cup. Your cookies will still be amazing, just without the extra fiber and nutrients from the whole wheat.
Can I use regular sugar instead of brown sugar?
You can, but brown sugar gives these cookies that rich, molasses flavor that pairs so well with the pumpkin and spices. If you only have white sugar, add an extra tablespoon of molasses to make up for it!
How do I know when the cookies are done?
Look for cookies that are lightly golden on top and feel firm when you gently touch them. They might look a little underdone, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan for a minute after you take them out.
I hope you love these spiced pumpkin cookies as much as my family does! They’re such a perfect treat for fall, and I love that you can feel good about eating them. Let me know how yours turn out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!
