Pumpkin coffee cake cookies are one of those recipes I knew I had to figure out because nothing combines fall flavors quite like this. You get a soft, chewy pumpkin cookie base with that buttery brown sugar crumb topping right on top, and a sweet spiced glaze to finish it all off. They taste like a bakery cookie and a coffee cake had the best possible fall baby.
I created these because I wanted all the cozy coffee cake vibes in a cookie you can just pick up and eat. Coffee cake is always a hit, but sometimes you just want something a little more snack-able. These deliver that same crumb-topped, spiced, glazed experience in cookie form, and I am so glad I landed on this combo.
If you love this kind of thing, my chewy snickerdoodle cookie bars are another great option when you want a bar that feels a little more special than your everyday cookie. Both are totally easy and made with simple pantry staples.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Coffee Cake Vibes in a Cookie: You get that buttery crumb topping and sweet glaze, all in a cookie you can grab with one hand.
- Loaded with Fall Flavor: Pumpkin pie spice in the cookie dough, the crumb topping, AND the glaze. Every bite has that warm, cozy flavor.
- Easy to Make: No mixer required for the crumb topping or the glaze, and the cookie dough comes together quickly. These are a great one for baking with kids too.
- Great for Sharing: These hold up well, transport easily, and look great on a plate. They're a go-to for fall gatherings, bake sales, or a weekend treat at home.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin Puree: You need to blot the pumpkin before using it. Measure out ⅓ cup, spread it on a paper plate, and press with paper towels until the towel comes away clean. You'll end up with about 3 tablespoons. This step is key - too much moisture will make the cookies spread and lose that chewy texture.
- Butter: Use salted butter for both the cookie dough and the crumb topping. For the crumb topping specifically, you want your butter soft so it mixes easily with the dry ingredients.
- Brown Sugar: You'll use it in both the cookie dough and the crumb topping. It adds that warm, molasses flavor that makes these taste like a real coffee cake.
- Egg Yolk: Just the yolk here, no whole egg. This helps keep the cookies chewy rather than cakey - a must when you're already adding pumpkin to the dough.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: It goes in all three components: the dough, the crumb topping, and the glaze. Feel free to use a store-bought blend or make your own.
- Glaze: Just powdered sugar, milk, and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. It's simple but it makes these look and taste like something from a bakery. You can also skip it and dust with powdered sugar if you prefer.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Measure out ⅓ cup of pumpkin and place on a paper plate. Using some paper towels, blot the pumpkin, removing liquid until the paper towel wipes clean. When done the pumpkin should measure more like 3 tablespoons (50g).
- Step 2: In a large bowl beat together butter and both sugars until light and creamed together, about 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolk, blotted pumpkin and vanilla dn mix again.
- Step 3: Slowly mix in baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and flour, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Step 4: Mix together flour, brown sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Add soft butter and mix together with a fork or your fingers until it all comes together.
- Step 5: Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon size balls and place 6 cookies on cookie sheet. Take the backside of the cookie scoop or a spoon and push to make an indention in each cookie dough ball, or you can use your fingers.
- Step 6: Take a handful of crumb topping and place it in the indention of the cookie dough.
- Step 7: Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Run a spoon or spatula around the freshly baked cookies to help shape a perfect circle. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Step 8: Mix together the glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't skip blotting the pumpkin. This is the most important step. Extra moisture in the dough will cause the cookies to spread too much and lose their chewy texture. Take the extra 2 minutes - it's worth it.
- Pile the crumb topping high. It will look like too much when you're adding it to the raw dough, but the cookies spread as they bake and it all evens out beautifully. Don't be shy with it.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizing. A 3 tablespoon scoop keeps all your cookies the same size so they bake at the same rate. My apple cinnamon cookies use the same approach - consistent scooping makes a big difference.
- Run a spatula around the edges right out of the oven. This quick move helps them look round and bakery-worthy. Do it while they're still hot and soft.
- Cool completely before glazing. If the cookies are still warm, the glaze will just slide right off. I know it's hard to wait, but it makes such a difference.
- Grams are more precise for measuring flour. If you don't have a kitchen scale, no problem - just lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup so it isn't packed. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes - this step really matters. Pumpkin puree has a lot of water in it, and if you add it straight to the dough it throws off the texture of the whole cookie. It only takes a couple minutes and makes a big difference.
Yes! A 1:1 gluten free flour swap works great in both the cookie dough and the crumb topping.
Make sure you're pressing a good deep indention into each cookie ball before adding the crumb. That little pocket helps keep everything in place as the cookie bakes and spreads.
Yes! A simple dusting of powdered sugar works great too and is even easier.
Storing & Freezing
Pumpkin coffee cake cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. If you've already added the glaze, just layer them with parchment between each layer so they don't stick together.
These cookies also freeze really well. Store un-glazed cookies in an airtight container or zip lock bag and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Pull them out the night before and let them thaw at room temperature, then add the glaze before serving. I do the same with my pumpkin cheesecake snickerdoodles - bake a batch, freeze half, and you always have something ready to go.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 g) pumpkin puree blotted to become 3 tablespoon (50g)
- 1 egg yolk room temp
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour gluten free can also be used
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup (62.5 g) flour
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoon (1.5 teaspoon) pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoon butter soft
Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- good sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Measure out ⅓ cup of pumpkin and place on a paper plate. Using some paper towels, blot the pumpkin, removing liquid until the paper towel wipes clean. When done the pumpkin should measure more like 3 tablespoons (50g).
- In a large bowl beat together butter and both sugars until light and creamed together, about 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolk, blotted pumpkin and vanilla dn mix again.
- Slowly mix in baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and flour, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Mix together flour, brown sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Add soft butter and mix together with a fork or your fingers until it all comes together.
- Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon size balls and place 6 cookies on cookie sheet. Take the backside of the cookie scoop or a spoon and push to make an indention in each cookie dough ball, or you can use your fingers.
- Take a handful of crumb topping and place it in the indention of the cookie dough.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Run a spoon or spatula around the freshly baked cookies to help shape a perfect circle. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Mix together the glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Enjoy!
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