Jump to Recipe

These soft baked Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies are thick and chewy with the fall flavors of pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon, and spices.

Everybody loves a crinkle top cookie! You might also like these Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies, Apple Butter Cookies, the Best Snickerdoodle Recipe, or Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

Stack of pumpkin gingersnap cookies.

Gingersnap and pumpkin flavors go really well together. Like in my pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust. The warm and cozy spices found in gingersnaps compliment the pumpkin really well. Plus, the pumpkin adds extra moisture that keeps these pumpkin gingersnap cookies moist and soft for days!

It’s hard to eat just one! And they leave your house smelling like the holidays. I might bake them again soon just for the aroma they waft in my house.

Cooling rack full of pumpkin gingersnap cookies.

Leftover Pumpkin Recipe

This recipe is the perfect way to use up that leftover 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree sitting in the fridge. (Or you might also like to use that leftover pumpkin in my Pumpkin Swirl Brownies.)

But I would make an excuse to open up a new can of pumpkin just to make these pumpkin gingersnaps. They are that good!

Pumpkin gingersnap cookies have everything you love about gingersnaps — the sweet and spicy flavor, the pretty crinkle tops, all with the wonderful pairing of pumpkin to transform them into fall cookies. Let me show you how to make them.

Baked pumpkin gingersnap cookies on a silicone baking mat.

How to Make Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

*The full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Steps to make pumpkin gingersnap cookie dough.
  • First, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
  • Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
Mixing cookie dough. Scooping cookies and rolling in sugar.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
  • Mix until combined. (It will be thick and sticky.) REFRIGERATE the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. (This makes the dough easier to handle.) The dough can be chilled for up to 2-3 days.
  • When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, line half sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place some granulated sugar in a bowl.
  • Use a medium, #40 scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Roll gently with your hands, then roll the dough in the sugar until coated on all sides. Place the cookies onto the prepared trays about 3-inches apart (8 cookies per tray.) 

TIP: Work quickly so the dough doesn’t warm up and get too soft and sticky. Roll and coat all of the cookies with sugar and refrigerate the prepared dough balls while other cookies bake.

Baked pumpkin gingersnap cookies on a silicone baking mat.
  • Bake pumpkin gingersnap cookies at 350˚F for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look cracked on top and set at the edges. They will be puffy, but deflate some upon cooling.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Stack of pumpkin gingersnap cookies.

Storing and Freezing

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.

To freeze the cookie dough, roll the cookies into balls  and place on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes or until firm. Transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, separating any layers with parchment paper. Do not coat in sugar. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, roll cookies in sugar, then bake. You may want to thaw the cookie dough slightly (10-15 minutes at room temperature) so the sugar will adhere better. Or bake them from frozen for a few extra minutes, without rolling in sugar.

More Pumpkin Desserts

*If you make this, please rate and review the recipe in the comments below. THANKS!

Baked pumpkin gingersnap cookies on a silicone baking mat.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 32 cookies

These soft baked Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies are thick and chewy with the fall flavors of pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon, and spices.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Coating:

  • 1/4-1/3 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined. (It will be thick and sticky.) REFRIGERATE the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. (This makes the dough easier to handle.) The dough can be chilled for up to 2-3 days.
  4. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, line half sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place some granulated sugar in a bowl.
  5. Use a medium, #40 scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Roll gently with your hands, then roll the dough in the sugar until coated on all sides. Place the cookies onto the prepared trays about 3-inches apart (8 cookies per tray.) 
  6. Bake pumpkin gingersnap cookies at 350˚F for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look cracked on top and set at the edges. They will be puffy, but deflate some upon cooling.
  7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • TIP: Work quickly so the dough doesn’t warm up and get too soft and sticky. Roll and coat all of the cookies with sugar and refrigerate the prepared dough balls while other cookies bake.
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.
  • To freeze the cookie dough, roll the cookies into balls and place on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes or until firm. Transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, separating any layers with parchment paper. Do not coat in sugar. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, roll cookies in sugar, then bake. You may want to thaw the cookie dough slightly (10-15 minutes at room temperature) so the sugar will adhere better. Or bake them from frozen for a few extra minutes, without rolling in sugar.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 120mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.

author: Amber | Dessert Now Dinner Later / Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies
© Dessert Now Dinner Later. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-create the recipe, snap YOUR OWN PHOTO and re-write the recipe in YOUR OWN WORDS, or link back to this post for the recipe.

*Originally published 10/28/2012. Post updated September 2023.