These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and full of pumpkin flavor! Not only are they quick and easy to make (no chilling required!), but the warm layers of spice are tasted in every bite.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and combined (about 1-2 minutes). Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed, just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, if needed.
Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed, just until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a silicone spatula to fold together any remaining loose ingredients.
Use a cookie scoop (I used my 1.5 tbsp) to scoop out the dough and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Then take the bottom of a ¼ cup measuring cup to flatten down the cookie dough. Bake for 11-13 minutes, just until the edges of the cookies start to turn light brown in color.
Let the cookies rest on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Maple Icing (optional)
In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract, and milk. The icing should be thick.
Place the icing into a small sandwich baggy and cut a small hole in one of the corners. Wait until the cookies are completely cooled before icing them. To make it even easier, you can use a butter knife to gently ice the tops of the cookies.
Notes:
Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.Cookie Dough: Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Then, use the bottom of a ¼ cup measuring cup to flatten the dough. Otherwise, the cookies won't spread like they're supposed to and will have a dome top to them.Pumpkin Spice: If you do not have pumpkin pie spice at home, you can easily make your own. Here is my recipe on how to make your own pumpkin spice.Pumpkin Puree: This recipe calls for pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.Additional Add-Ins: If you want, you can easily add chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or raisins to the cookie dough. Just add ¾ cup of any one of these.