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Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

Pumpkin molasses cookies with warm cinnamon-ginger spice and crinkled edges, baked for a soft chewy center. Molasses and packed brown sugar create deep dark flavor while blotted pumpkin keeps the dough thick.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 28 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp molasses
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin puree blotted very dry
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Rolling
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets for easy transfer. Keep an eye on rack position so cookies bake evenly.
  2. Blot the pumpkin puree very dry until it looks less wet. This helps the dough stay thick and keeps the baked centers soft.
  3. Whisk all dry ingredients together in one bowl. Mix until cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice are evenly dispersed.
  4. Beat softened unsalted butter with packed brown sugar until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks creamy with no sugar lumps.
  5. Add egg, molasses, blotted pumpkin puree, and vanilla and beat until combined. The batter should look darker and cohesive.
  6. Fold in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain. The dough should be thick enough to scoop.
  7. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Chill until firm, which improves crinkling and prevents spreading.
Shape, roll, and bake
  1. Scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon balls of dough. Keep portions consistent so bake time stays within the same window.
  2. Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar. Coat the surface so the cookies crackle and look crinkled as they bake.
  3. Bake at 375F for 9-11 minutes until crinkled. Do not overbake—pull them when edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin very dry and chill the dough—both make the crinkly, chewy result. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate up to 7 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months (thaw at room temperature). Dietary swap: for egg-free, use a suitable egg replacer (follow package for 1 egg) and expect a slightly softer texture.