sweet miscellany

These soft pumpkin cookies are the epitome of fall. The earthy sweetness of pumpkin paired with the cozy warmth of cinnamon, the toasty bits of pecans, and the little kick of whiskey make for a truly delicious autumnal dessert! If you’d like to head straight to the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the post.

Summer was long and brutal this year in Houston though with the effects of climate change ever-prevalent, it’s becoming harder and harder to remember the comparatively mild summers of my childhood. The autumnal equinox is always a marker of hope: cooler weather is tangible once we make it to this point. And, pumpkin baked goods seem to help us bide the time!

These cookies are the epitome of fall. Or, at least what I like to think of as quintessentially fall flavors. The earthy sweetness of pumpkin, the cozy warmth of cinnamon, the toasty bits of pecans, and the little kick of whisky make for a damn delicious cookie. The cookies have a soft texture almost like a muffin top. They’re best the day they’re made so plan ahead and clear your schedule so you can enjoy them!

What You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin Cookies

Since these are gluten free, you’ll start with a 1:1 gluten free baking flour mix like this one. You’ll add the usual suspects of sea salt and baking soda. Then you’ll add lovely, fragrant ground cinnamon. In a separate bowl you’ll mix all of the wet ingredients: oat milk (or any non-dairy milk you like!), pumpkin puree, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup for sweetness. Once they’re baked, the cookies are topped with a simple vanilla glaze spiked with a touch of whiskey. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of toasted pecans.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Break out the pumpkin puree, put on a Tim Burton movie, and make these cookies this weekend. If you’re really in the pumpkin mood, try out these favorites from the archives:

Pumpkin Cookies with Whiskey Vanilla Glaze

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 25-27 minutes
Yield: 9 cookies 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

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for the cookies:

240g all-purpose gluten free flour mix (I use this one)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
120g oat milk
120g pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
80g maple syrup

for the glaze & topping

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
contents of 1 vanilla bean (or, 2 tsp vanilla extract)
tiny pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 tbsp whiskey
1–2 tbsp oat milk
a handful of toasted and chopped pecans

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk together the flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon until combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, pumpkin, vanilla, vinegar, and syrup until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until you have a smooth and thick batter.

Using a quarter cup measure (or a quarter cup scoop if you have one), portion out the batter then drop it on your prepared baking sheet. Smooth/flatten the top with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining batter leaving at least one and a half inches between each cookie.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops spring back when gently touched. Cool completely before glazing. Makes 9 large cookies.

Once the cookies have cooled, make the glaze. Add the powdered sugar, contents of the vanilla bean, sea salt, whisky and 1 tablespoon of the oat milk to a bowl. Whisk vigorously until a glaze begins to form. You want a thick but pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add in a splash of oat milk at a time.

To assemble, spoon a bit of glaze onto the top of each cooled cookie then sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

Notes

I tend to use oat milk in baking lately but feel free to use whatever milk you’ve got on hand.
These cookies are best the day they are made but they will last longer if the cookies are kept in an airtight container and glazed just before eating.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-17 minutes