Description
These Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies are soft, flavorful treats perfect for autumn. Featuring a spiced pumpkin dough studded with toasted pecans and topped with a sweet maple glaze, they combine classic fall flavors into a delightful cookie that’s easy to prepare and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1–2 tsp milk (adjust for consistency)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the canned pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined, ensuring the pumpkin flavor is evenly distributed.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt to blend all the dry spices and flour evenly.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough which can result in tougher cookies.
- Fold in Pecans: Gently fold in the toasted chopped pecans to distribute them evenly throughout the dough, adding crunch and flavor.
- Scoop Cookies: Using about 2 tablespoons per cookie, scoop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: While the cookies cool, mix the powdered sugar, pure maple syrup, pinch of salt, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk in a bowl until smooth and slightly runny to create the perfect drizzle consistency.
- Glaze Cookies: Drizzle the maple glaze over the cooled cookies using a spoon or piping bag for a sweet finishing touch to enhance the flavor and appearance.
Notes
- To toast pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes until fragrant, stirring halfway through.
- Adjust milk in the glaze to get the desired drizzle consistency; less milk for thicker glaze, more for thinner.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For a nuttier flavor, try using toasted walnuts in place of pecans.
- If you prefer a less sweet treat, reduce the powdered sugar in the glaze or omit it entirely.
