These delicious Pumpkin Cookies are crisp and chewy at the same time and studded with buttery, crunchy toffee bits. They’re also one-bowl, no-mixer – a cookie lover’s dream come true!
When I was trying to name these pumpkin cookies, so many adjectives ran through my mind. Crispy, chewy, crunchy, moist, crazy delicious, easy, quick, one-bowl, no-mixer, pumpkin-y, fall-inspired, toffee-studded, not-too-sweet were some of them. I finally settled on Crispy, Chewy Toffee Pumpkin Cookies. You fill in the blanks when you take the first delicious bite!
Can pumpkin cookies be crisp and chewy instead of cake-y?
I’ve found (after many years of sampling and taste-testing) that most pumpkin cookies tend to cake-y in texture. While there’s nothing wrong with cake-y cookies, I’m more of a crisp-on-the-edges and chewy-in-the-centers kind of cookie lover. I wasn’t sure, with pumpkin puree in the dough, if it would be possible to make a crisp, chewy cookie but decided to play around it.
Pumpkin cookies are generally cake-y because most recipes include both pumpkin puree and eggs, and both of them combined, tend to make cookies moist, more like cake than traditional cookies. I decided to try using just enough pumpkin puree to add that wonderful pumpkin flavor without introducing too much moisture. I also settled for one egg yolk to bind things together and skipped the white.
It took a few tries to get everything right but these Crispy, Chewy Pumpkin Cookies are definitely right now and ready for your fall baking enjoyment.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, right? It’s true with these cookies, for sure. It would be hard to convey to you how delicious they are without showing you a picture of the inside. While they stay crisp and crunchy on the outside, the minute you take the first bite, you’ll discover the wonderful pumpkin-y chewiness inside!
See what I mean?
The recipe for these pumpkin cookies includes a half cup of toffee bits plus a sprinkle on the top. There’s not enough toffee to overwhelm the pumpkin flavor but rather, it’s a delicious compliment. Toffee bits can be found in the same section of the grocery store as chocolate chips. They come in two varieties; regular and a version with a chocolate coating. For these pumpkin cookies, look for the toffee bits without chocolate to keep the flavor clean and uncomplicated. Super Walmart always carries toffee bits as do many larger grocery stores. They can also be purchased online.
Good news! If you want to make these pumpkin cookies but don’t have toffee bits, guess what? They’ll still be wonderful. I made one batch sans toffee and took a plate to our neighbors. The cookies were still warm and apparently quite irresistible. They all took a sample immediately and their eyes lit up with the first bite. Exclamations of “these are delicious!” and “oh my goodness” abounded! They didn’t seem to mind being taste-testers one iota and gave the cookies a unanimous thumbs up!
The best news? You can stir together a batch of these Crispy, Chewy Toffee Pumpkin Cookies in just minutes. It’s a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe, so in addition to being super quick, there aren’t a bunch of dirty dishes to wash either. That’s a win-win for me! The simplicity of the recipe also makes them perfect for baking with children (or in my case, grandchildren).
You’ll notice this recipe calls for just a quarter cup of pumpkin puree. You might not want open up a whole can for just a quarter cup, right? No worries! Check out this post to see what to do with the rest of the can. You’ll find a fabulous fall salad dressing, muffins, soup, even a fun and delicious Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe. Leftover, canned pumpkin puree will keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight storage container. And honestly, once you make a batch of these delicious pumpkin , you’ll want to make more, so you’ll be all set to go!
Cafe Tips for making these Crispy, Chewy Toffee Pumpkin Cookies
- Since this recipe doesn’t call for an electric mixer, make sure your butter is nice and soft to start with. I like to take mine out a few hours ahead of time but if I forget, a short stint in the microwave on power level one (10% power for about 2-3 minutes on my microwave) does the trick
- Don’t confuse pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling. They’re sold right next to each other, often in the same size cans. Pumpkin puree is simply pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filing is pumpkin puree with added spices and sugar. You want pumpkin puree for this recipe.
- If you like your cookies crispy and chewy, don’t over bake them. They’ll seem a little floppy when you first remove them from the oven but don’t worry, they’ll firm up in a few minutes.
- Canned pumpkin puree will keep well in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days after opening. Just transfer the remains to an airtight storage container. Make more cookies or check out some of these other pumpkin recipes.
- To make even, uniform cookies and save time, use a cookie scoop. I used this size scoop to make my pumpkin cookies.
- I mentioned earlier that you can omit the toffee bits in this recipe. Feel free to substitute pecans or walnuts – also super delicious!
- I love these parchment paper sheets, cut to just the right size for cookie sheet pans. They come in a flat box that makes them easy to store and they last forever. Parchment paper saves time with clean up and keeps cookie dough from sticking to the pans.
- It helps to have an assistant (or two) when baking these cookies. And if they’re little and very cute, it somehow makes the whole thing the most fun experience ever!
So, don’t let this season pass without trying out this fabulous Crispy, Chewy Toffee Pumpkin Cookies recipe. I know it will become a fall favorite at your house too!
- ½ cup butter very soft
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup toffee bits* plus more for garnishing, if desired
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Combine soft butter, pumpkin puree, egg yolk and vanilla in a medium size bowl. Mix until smooth and well blended.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until smooth and creamy.
Sprinkle flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt over the top of the pumpkin mixture and mix until well combined. Add toffee bits (if using) and stir again.
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop rounded scoops of dough onto prepared sheet pans, spacing 1 1/2-2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, then sprinkle 1/2-1 teaspoon toffee bits over the top of each cookie. Return to oven for another 3-5 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
If not using toffee bits for garnish, bake cookies for 14-16 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Allow cookies to cool (they will firm up) for several minutes before transferring from pan to a cooling rack. Cool complete then store in an airtight container.
- *Toffee bits are optional. Cookies can be made without them and will still be delicious. You can also substitute pecans or walnuts for the toffee bits.
Karen Edwards says
I’m hoping to bake these ahead of time. How can I store them so they’ll be good 4 days after baking.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, they freeze beautifully. I would freeze them and then just thaw for a few hours before serving.
Mo says
These are lovely cookies! Chewy like a ginger snap but pumpkin instead. I only had 1/4 cup of toffee bit so I halved the batter. Toffee bits and pecans for one half and mini chocolate chips in the other half. Both were a hit!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you Mo, your versions sound delicious!
Brenda says
I made these cookies yesterday. Oh my gosh. Everyone loved them and your description is spot on. This recipe is certainly a keeper. Thank you Chris.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Brenda, So happy you enjoyed them!
Suze Skinner says
Excellent recipe Chris! I went all in on this one, adding chopped pecans to the batter and sprinkling the toffee bits on the top. I followed a tip from Christopher Kimball/Cooks Illustrated to gently warm the pumpkin puree with the spices first. The heat removes any canned taste it might have and blooms the spices. Delicious!!
Lynda says
These are wonderful, but mine are very thin. Did not rise as much as yours. Any suggestions??
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lynda, flours can vary. Next time make a batch as directed and bake just one. If it’s thin, add another 2 tablespoons of flour and proceed.
cheri says
These cookies look scrumptious Chris and your cookie taste testers are getting so big. One of my testers is coming tomorrow and I thought we would make a bowl of these too, will have to pick up the toffee bits, happy fall!!
Melisa says
I made these cookies this afternoon. I had to bake them longer than your recipe suggests(12 minutes before sprinkling on the toffee bits and three minutes after putting them back in the oven), but it could be my oven. They are at their very best when crisp and quite brown. They are still chewy in the center. They were very easy to mix up and everyone liked them. I like them much better than a cakey-type pumpkin cookie. Thanks for the recipe, Chris!