Name: Recipe "Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies"
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 0.5 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 0.5 cup pure pumpkin; 0.25 cup molasses; 1 large egg; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2.333 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1.5 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cloves; 0.5 tsp salt

Another reason to love Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark, Apple Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting, Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, or Flourless Chocolate Cookies.

These pumpkin gingersnap cookies bring together everything I love about pumpkin cookies, gingersnaps, and molasses cookies in one batch. The pumpkin keeps the dough extra moist, so the centers stay soft and chewy while the edges get just a little crisp. Rolling the dough in sugar before baking gives each cookie a sparkly top and a subtle crunch. The blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with molasses and pumpkin makes them taste like fall in every bite, whether you bake them for a holiday party or a cozy weekend treat.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Gingersnap Recipe

It combines two favorite cookies into one, you get the warm spice of gingersnaps with the soft, moist texture of pumpkin cookies.
The dough comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients, and the hardest part is waiting for it to chill.
Each cookie has a perfect contrast: a slightly crisp, sugary exterior and a tender, chewy center that stays soft for days.

Key Ingredients for Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Pure pumpkin, Use canned pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the recipe. Pumpkin adds moisture and a mild earthy sweetness that keeps these cookies soft.
Molasses, Regular unsulphured molasses gives the cookies their deep, rich flavor and helps create that chewy texture. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which is too bitter and strong for this recipe.
Spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves), This trio is the heart of the gingersnap flavor. For the best results, use spices that are less than a year old, old spices lose their punch. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice if needed.

Kitchen Tools for Making Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Stand mixer or hand mixer, for creaming the butter and sugar and mixing the dough smoothly.
Baking sheet, a heavy-duty sheet helps cookies bake evenly.
Silicone baking mat or parchment paper, prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
Wire cooling rack, allows air to circulate so the cookies cool completely without soggy bottoms.
Small bowl for sugar, for rolling the dough balls before baking.
Tablespoon or cookie scoop, for portioning uniform dough balls.

Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Chilling the dough is non-negotiable here. The dough is quite sticky right after mixing, and an hour in the fridge firms it up so you can roll it into neat balls without a mess. More importantly, the rest allows the flour to fully hydrate and the spices to meld, which gives you a more flavorful cookie with better structure. You can chill the dough for up to 3 days, so it’s a great make-ahead option.

When you bake, watch the timer closely. The cookies are done when they look cracked on top and the edges are set, but the centers will still be soft and puffy. That’s exactly what you want, they’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. If you overbake them, you’ll lose that soft, chewy texture. Let them rest on the sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a wire rack; they’re too fragile to handle right away.

If you want to change things up, try adding 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips or chopped pecans to the dough before chilling. For a spicier kick, increase the ground ginger to 2 teaspoons or add a pinch of black pepper. You can also swap the granulated sugar for coarse sanding sugar when rolling the cookies, it gives an extra sparkly, crunchy coating. To make these cookies gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend; the texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

How to Serve Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

These cookies are wonderful on their own with a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee. For a more indulgent fall dessert, sandwich two cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. They also make a great addition to a holiday cookie platter alongside chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles. If you’re hosting a gathering, set out a plate with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of melted white chocolate for a festive touch.

How to Store Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and flavorful for up to 3 days. If you stack them, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

How to Freeze Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment. To freeze the dough, roll it into tablespoon-sized balls and arrange them on a baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes until solid, then transfer the balls to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw, just place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

How to Reheat Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

If you like your cookies warm and soft, you can reheat them briefly. Place a cookie on a microwave-safe plate and heat for about 10 seconds. Alternatively, warm them in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes. This will restore some of the fresh-from-the-oven texture without drying them out.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices?

Yes, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The flavor will be slightly different but still very good. If you do, you might want to add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to keep that gingersnap kick.

Why does the dough need to be chilled for at least an hour?

Chilling firms up the sticky dough so you can roll it into balls without it sticking to your hands. It also allows the flour to fully absorb the moisture from the pumpkin and molasses, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and gives them a better texture.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

You can, but reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Salted butter typically contains about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per stick, so using it with the full 1/2 teaspoon called for in the recipe could make the cookies too salty.

My cookies turned out flat, what went wrong?

Flat cookies usually mean the dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or the butter was too soft. Make sure your butter is at cool room temperature (not melted or greasy) and that you chill the dough for the full hour. Also, check that your baking soda is fresh, old baking soda won’t give enough lift.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

Look for cracks on the surface and set edges, but the centers should still look soft and slightly puffy. The cookies will continue to bake from residual heat as they cool on the sheet. If you wait until the centers look fully firm, they’ll be overbaked and dry.

Recipe

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Pumpkin cookies meet gingersnap cookies and the results are AMAZING! You will love these pumpkin gingersnap cookies, they are the perfect fall dessert.

easyVegetarian

15 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

1 hr 25 min

Total Time

Servings

Dessert

Course

American

Cuisine

121 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

0.5 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
0.5 cup pure pumpkin
0.25 cup molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

2.333 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
0.5 tsp salt

Instructions

1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mix until well combined.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.
3
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place sugar in a small bowl.

4
Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well coated and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart
5
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition (per serving)

121kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein6%8 kcal

Fat24%29 kcal

Carbohydrates70%86 kcal

How this was calculated — 11 of 12 ingredients matched

unsalted butterButter, salted860 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated924 kcal

pure pumpkinPumpkin, raw31 kcal

molassesMolasses174 kcal

vanilla extractVanilla extract14 kcal

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached2049 kcal

baking sodaLeavening agents, baking soda0 kcal

ground cinnamonCinnamon buns, frosted (includes honey buns)45 kcal

ground gingerGinger root, raw6 kcal

ground clovesSpices, cloves, ground14 kcal

saltSalt, table0 kcal

Serving size ≈ 34 g · 34 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

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Keyword: Oven Baked, vegetarian

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