Pumpkin Pecan Cookies
Pumpkin pecan cookies are a delightfully cozy bake loaded with autumn worthy pumpkin flavor and peppered with nutty pecans. These cookies are surprisingly buttery and cinnamon-sweet with a hint of butterscotch.
Servings: 20 cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ c plant-based or unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ c light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ c granulated sugar
- ⅓ c pumpkin puree, blotted (pat-dried) (reduced to ¼ cup when blotted, see notes)
- 1 Tbsp almond milk (or sub other milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c white whole wheat flour (or sub all-purpose flour)
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ⅓ c pecans, chopped, extra for garnish
- ⅔ c white chocolate chips, extra for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Blot the pumpkin puree: place the pumpkin between two layers of paper towel in a small bowl (like a sandwich). Use the top paper towel to press the moisture out of the pumpkin. Discard when wet and repeat several times until the pumpkin appears "dried". Don't skip this step, as blotting pumpkin will improve the texture of these cookies!!
- In a stand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix in the blotted pumpkin, almond milk, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and mix together. With the mixer on low speed, slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the sugar-butter mixture.
- Fold in the chopped pecans and white chocolate (if using). Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Use a spoon to form the chilled dough into generous 1 tablespoon portions and roll into a dough ball. Space dough balls about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet and slightly flatten. If desired, press extra pecans and white chocolate into the tops of the dough balls before baking (for more delicious looking cookies!).
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Bake 10 minutes for gooey cookies and 12 minutes for slightly firmer cookies. Allow the cookies to cool about 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to completely cool. If your cookies did not spread, you can press them down slightly with the back of a spoon, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Notes:
- We recommend using Betty Crocker olive oil plant butter (plant based option) or Land O Lakes olive oil and sweet cream butter (reduced fat option) in these cookies. We have tried both with great results. We haven't tried other plant or reduced fat butter in any of our cookie recipes.
- Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey? Pumpkin is high in moisture and can result in cakier cookies. To reduce the cakiness, blot the pumpkin repeatedly with paper towels to remove as much excess moisture as possible before making these cookies.
- Is pumpkin puree the same as canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling? Yes! Pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin are the same thing. Pumpkin puree is NOT the same thing as pumpkin pie filling.
- Can I use other nuts in this recipe? Absolutely! Substitute or add pecans with walnuts or hazelnuts.