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Soft and chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies with sweet butterscotch morsels. Perfect for pairing with a warm mug of coffee or cocoa, they’re also dangerously easy to snack on straight from the cookie jar. Make a batch (or two!) and enjoy a little taste of fall anytime.
Oatmeal cookies have always been my favorite: a chewy, hearty cookie with a chunk of something sweet. For Fall, I adapted my classic oatmeal cookie recipe into a pumpkin version with a touch of butterscotch. The trick to making cookie dough with pumpkins is to remove some of the water in the puree to prevent sogginess. I like to dab the pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove a bit of moisture and use just the egg yolk for that classic oatmeal cookie texture.
The pumpkin oatmeal cookies are dense yet soft and won’t spread too much in the oven. I gently flatten each dough ball slightly into a circle before baking. And don’t worry if one bakes a little misshapen; gently reshape it with a spatula while it’s still warm on the tray. It will cool nicely round.
Key Ingredients for Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- All Purpose Flour: For a tender cookie with a bit of structure use all purpose flour with a slightly higher protein level of 11.7%.
- Note: I’m using King Arthur All Purpose Flour in this recipe.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: For the best chew and that classic oatmeal cookie texture always choose whole old fashioned oats over quick or instant oats.
- Pumpkin Spices: I’m using a combo of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice for a balanced flavor of pumpkin spice.
- Pumpkin Puree: I’ve used both canned pumpkin puree and homemade puree in this recipe. Some of the moisture in the pumpkin is absorbed by dabbing with paper towels, so either form of puree works.
- Unsalted European Style Butter: With 82% butterfat compared to American butter at 80%, European-style butter improves flavor and creates a tender cookie crumb.
- Note: You can swap evenly for American style butter, but the cookie texture will be slightly different.
- Egg Yolk: Using just an egg yolk over a whole egg creates a cookie that’s a bit richer and chewier.
- Note: Make sure to weigh your egg yolk, a large one should equal 20 grams.
- Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: An equal amount of both sugars makes a cookie that’s chewy, perfectly sweet, and with a bit of caramel flavor.
- Butterscotch Chips: I love the combo of butterscotch and pumpkin. But, if that’s not for you, swap out for chocolate chips, chopped nuts or leave the cookie plain.
How to Make Butterscotch Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
This cookie dough is easily mixed together by hand without the need of an electric mixer. A simple folding of dry ingredients into wet ingredients before tossing in the butterscotch chips. Below is the step-by-step process.
- Place pumpkin puree in a shallow bowl and dap with a couple paper towel to remove some of the excess moisture. The puree will measure 162 grams before this step and 144 grams after.
- Whisk together the sugars, pumpkin puree, egg yolk, vanilla, and cooled melted butter until glossy smooth.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Then fold them into the wet ingredients until evenly distributed into a thick, soft, moist cookie dough.
- Add the butterscotch chips and fold them with a spatula until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and rest the for 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate for later use.
- Using a large cookie scoop, measure out dough balls weighing 65 grams each. Place them onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving space for spreading.
- Use your fingertips or a spatula to lightly flatten each dough ball into a cookie shape (less flattening for thick, chewy cookies and more for thinner, crispier ones).
- Bake cookies on the middle oven rack for 17-19 minutes. The centers will look slightly puffed and the edges a deeper golden brown.
Tips for Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
- Rest the dough: This gives the oats time to soak up a little moisture and soften. I rest my cookie dough at room temp in the bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 30 minutes. The dough will be easy to scoop right onto the baking tray.
- Use a scoop or scale for even cookies: A large cookie scoop or weigh each one to 65 grams for perfectly portioned dough balls every time.
- Shape before baking: Gently press the dough with your fingertips to flatten. They’ll spread a little on their own, but without some help you’ll have cookie mounds.
- Watch the edges: The cookies are ready when the edges turn a deep golden brown and look just slightly crisp.
- Add some frosting: Whip up a batch of Maple Vanilla Buttercream while the cookies bake for an iced pumpkin cookie.
- Cool completely: Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before adding any frosting so it sets beautifully.
Leftovers & Storage
- Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy.
- Refrigerator: If you prefer them a little firmer, keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and enjoy, or give them a quick warm-up in the microwave.
- Cookie Dough Freezing: You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls. Scoop and flatten slightly, then freeze on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
Butterscotch Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Butterscotch Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are a quick tasty recipe twist on the classic oatmeal cookies. Using pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and butterscotch chips.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 160 grams (1 ¼ cups) all purpose flour, 11.7% protein
- 120 grams (1 ¼ cups) old fashioned whole oats
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 2.5 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 162 grams (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling, patted lightly with paper towels
- 113 grams (½ cup) European style unsalted butter 82% butterfat, melted and cooled to room temp
- 1 large egg yolk (20 grams)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 110 grams (½ cup) light or dark brown sugar
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 100 grams (½ cup) butterscotch baking chips
Instructions
Make Cookie Dough
- Place the pumpkin in a shallow bowl lined with paper towels. Then, gently blot with additional paper towels to remove the moisture. Do this until the paper towel is lightly moistened and not soaked when dabbed onto the puree. Less moisture equal chewier cookies.162 grams pumpkin puree
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt.160 grams all purpose flour, 120 grams old fashioned whole oats, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 2.5 tsp pumpkin spice, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- Using a separate bowl hand whisk pumpkin puree, melted butter, egg yolk, vanilla, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined.162 grams pumpkin puree, 113 grams European style unsalted butter 82% butterfat, 1 large egg yolk (20 grams), 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, 110 grams light or dark brown sugar , 100 grams granulated sugar
- Pour the dry mixture into the pumpkin mixture and mix together with a spatula to make a soft cookie dough. Fold in the butterscotch chips.100 grams butterscotch baking chips
Rest and Scoop Cookie Dough
- Rest the cookie dough in the bowl covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes. You don't need to refrigerate before baking. The butter will firm slightly and the oats will absorb some of the moisture. You can also pop the cookie dough in the fridge until ready to bake for up to 3 days. Let cold dough come to room temp some before scooping.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line a cookie sheet with to layers of parchment paper.
- Using a large cookie scoop, measure and scoop 65 gram dough balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Spacing 2-3 inches apart. The dough will be a little soft and sticky.
- I like to bake six cookies at a time. Gently flatten each one into a thick round circle using your finger tips or a spatula.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes on the middle rack until browned on the edges. They may still look soft in the very center, but will firm as they cool. Don't over bake! If you have a cookie that's a little misshapen, just push it back into a round shape with a spatula while it's still warm.
- Place the pan on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes, before transfer cookies from the pan directly to the wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ingredients Used:
- Flour:
- King Arthur All Purpose Flour (11.7% protein)
- French Farine T55 (11% protein)
- Butter: European unsalted butter, 82% butterfat
- Butterscotch: Nestle Toll House butterscotch baking chips
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
Could I use gluten free flour to make these cookies gluten free?
Hi Judy, I haven’t tested it, but I’ve heard great things about King Arthur Flour’s 1:1 gluten free flour. Please let me know how it goes, if you give a try.
Hi Jenn! About how many does this recipe yield? Love this recipe and the ingredients and just want to check before I make because using for a cookie exchange this holiday season. ♥️ Thanks!!
Hi Alicia! If using the large cookie scoop you should get 14 cookies 🙂 Happy baking!
These cookies are amazing! I made a batch this morning and they are almost gone. Such a great fall flavor that keeps making you want more. ❤️
Hello im not a butterscotch fan. Would it be ok to leave out? Maybe sub raisins? Ty
Hi Joni! yes you can swap the butterscotch for raisins, nuts, or chocolate 🙂
Made these yesterday for my kids, so yummy. Reminds me of an oatmeal cookie but more cake like. Thanks for the recipe!