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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, spiced cookies dipped in sweet vanilla icing, and the recipe makes almost four dozen, which is a good thing because when I baked them on a *rainy fall afternoon* Maddie and Lizzie each claimed a whole cooling rack. If you love our pumpkin snickerdoodles, this is the hearty oatmeal cousin you need in your fall lineup.
They taste like a cozy bowl of spiced oatmeal turned into a cookie, with a sweet icing finish.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 11 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 48 cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 97kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Warm pumpkin spice with hearty oats and sweet vanilla icing
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a simple drop cookie like our pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes
Quick Answer
Cream butter with dark brown and granulated sugar, mix in an egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree, then stir in flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, and leaveners. Scoop the dough onto lined sheet trays, bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes, cool, then dip the tops of the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies in a quick vanilla icing.
Jump to:
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies FAQs
- Other Recommended Fall Cookie Recipes
- Iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A full cup of pumpkin. Pumpkin adds moisture and flavor, keeping the cookies pillowy soft for days.
- Old fashioned oats. Rolled oats give hearty, chewy texture that instant oats simply cannot match.
- Cornstarch in the dough. A teaspoon of cornstarch tenderizes the crumb and keeps the cookies thick and soft.
- A double sugar blend. Dark brown sugar brings deep molasses flavor while granulated sugar helps the edges set.
- A quick dip icing. Dipping the tops in thin vanilla icing gives every cookie a smooth, bakery style glaze that sets in 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The recipe makes almost four dozen cookies, perfect for sharing all season.
- They are soft, chewy, and loaded with warm spice, like our pumpkin whoopie pies in easy drop cookie form.
- The vanilla icing sets firm so the cookies stack and travel beautifully.
Key Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the pantry staples that make these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies soft, chewy, and completely irresistible.
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: The heart of the cookie, they add chewy texture and hearty flavor, do not swap in instant oats.
- Pumpkin Puree: A full cup of pure pumpkin keeps the cookies soft and adds real fall flavor.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Deep molasses sweetness that pairs perfectly with pumpkin and oats.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Two teaspoons season the whole batch, the same warm blend we use in our pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
- Powdered Sugar, Milk, and Vanilla: Whisked into a simple icing that sets into a sweet glaze on every cookie.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are easy to customize. Here are some favorite ways to switch them up.
- Add mix-ins: Fold in a cup of white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, raisins, or chopped pecans.
- Maple icing: Swap the milk in the icing for maple syrup for a maple glazed version.
- Cream cheese frosting: Skip the dip icing and spread the cooled cookies with tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Extra spice: Add a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger or nutmeg for a deeper spice profile.
- More fall cookies: If you love these, bake our pumpkin snickerdoodles next.
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Cream the butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl for about 2 minutes until combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla and stir them in until fully combined.
- Add the pumpkin puree and stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and mix until just combined.
- Scoop the dough with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop about 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet trays and bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Cool the cookies completely, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a smooth icing, and dip the top of each cookie, letting the icing set for 15 minutes.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use old fashioned oats. Instant oats turn mushy and quick oats bake up dry, rolled oats give the perfect chew.
- Do not overmix the dough. Stir just until the flour disappears so the cookies stay tender.
- Let them cool on the tray. Ten minutes on the hot sheet tray finishes the centers without overbaking the edges.
- Cool completely before icing. Warm cookies melt the icing into a puddle instead of a pretty glaze.
- Keep the icing thick. It should ribbon off the whisk, add powdered sugar a spoonful at a time if it gets too thin.
- Use a cookie scoop. Even scoops mean every cookie bakes in the same time, no burnt little ones.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies belong on every fall cookie tray, from Halloween parties to Thanksgiving dessert tables. The icing sets firm, so they stack neatly in a tin without smearing.
Pour a cold glass of milk or a hot coffee and enjoy them alongside our pumpkin donut holes for a full-on fall treat spread.
Baking for a crowd? Pair a platter of these with our pumpkin cake and pumpkin monkey bread and watch everything disappear.
Store iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days with parchment between the layers.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies FAQs
Too much flour is the usual culprit. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag, and pull the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from the oven as soon as the tops are no longer glossy.
Old fashioned rolled oats are best for Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. Quick oats absorb more moisture and give a drier, more compact cookie, while rolled oats keep that signature chewy texture.
No. Once the icing sets, store Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. The icing hardens enough to stack them with parchment in between.
Yes. Freeze the un-iced cookies in a freezer bag for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature and dip them in fresh icing. You can also freeze iced cookies in a single layer once the glaze is fully set.
Yes. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Chilled dough bakes up slightly thicker, so add a minute to the bake time if the cookies are scooped straight from the fridge.
The cookies were still warm or the icing was too thin. Cool the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies completely and keep the icing thick enough to ribbon off the whisk before dipping.
Need one more cozy bake? Our pumpkin cinnamon rolls are the ultimate fall weekend breakfast.
Party guests love this sweet pumpkin cheese ball with its chocolate chip topping.
Iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
For the icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line sheet trays with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl stir together the flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until combined.¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla, stir it in until combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the pumpkin and stir until smooth.1 cup pumpkin puree
- Lastly, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined and no dry patches remain.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough about 2 inches apart onto the prepared sheet trays.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until no longer glossy on top and they are puffed up. Let cool for 10 minutes on the sheet tray.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a shallow bowl until smooth.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons whole milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dip the tops of the cookies in the icing and place them back on the wire rack. Let sit for 15 minutes so the icing can set.
Notes
- Use Room Temperature Butter: This makes it easier to cream with the sugars and helps achieve the right texture.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Use the spoon and level method to avoid adding too much flour, which can make the cookies dry.
- Mix Wet Ingredients Thoroughly: Ensure the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract are well combined before adding dry ingredients.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix until just combined to keep the cookies tender and avoid a tough texture.
- Use Parchment Paper: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Cool Completely Before Icing: Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before dipping them in icing to prevent it from melting off.
Nutrition
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