How to Make Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

The season for all things pumpkin starts earlier every year. And while pumpkin desserts such as pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread shine in the spotlight, what about cookies? It’s time to put pumpkin pudding cookies at the top of your fall baking list.

Adding a packet of pumpkin spice pudding to cookies makes them incredibly soft and chewy. It brings plenty of pumpkin and warm spice flavor to the mix, without creating a cakey cookie like typical pumpkin cookie recipes do. Make these flavorful pumpkin pudding cookies as-is, or add semisweet or white chocolate chips to dress them up even more.

Pumpkin Pudding Cookies Recipe

This recipe makes 14 cookies. Chilling the dough is key to creating the ideal soft, chewy texture for these cookies. Rolling the dough in the spiced sugar mixture enhances the pumpkin spice flavor.

Ingredients

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• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant pumpkin spice pudding
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Spiced sugar topping:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon clove

Directions

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars

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In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and dry pudding mix.

Step 2: Finish the dough and chill

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Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt to finish until just combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Step 3: Roll and bake

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Scoop tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Roll each in the spiced sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and use the bottom of a small measuring cup to gently smooth the tops. Sprinkle with additional spiced sugar. Allow the cookies to begin cooling on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

How to Store Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

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Want to keep cookies on hand for when a pumpkin spice craving strikes? These pumpkin pudding cookies can be stored in an airtight container. They’ll stay nice and soft at room temperature for 3 days.

To keep them even longer, store the cookies in an airtight container or put them in a plastic zip-close bag. Store in the freezer for up to two months.