Why You’ll Love these Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
I’ve been testing and perfecting pudding cookies for years. I have some tried and true tips that will guarantee perfect cookies every single time. They spread just enough with ultra thick centers that stay soft for days. These pumpkin pudding cookies are no different:
- Chewy edges with a gooey center.
- Not cakey!
- Cozy pumpkin flavor.
- No chilling the dough!
- Perfect for fall parties and holidays.
- Easy to customize with chopped nuts or other fall mix-ins.
Need another pumpkin recipe? Try soft pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie bars, or cinnamon pumpkin bread next.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: make sure you measure it correctly, or weight it for best results.
- Baking soda: to help them rise.
- Salt and vanilla: for flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice: homemade or store bought works.
- Butter: I like unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Brown butter: I’ve made them successfully with both light and dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar: for more sweetness and texture.
- Pumpkin spice instant pudding mix: not the cook and serve kind. You don’t actually make the pudding, just empty the pudding package into the cookie dough.
- Egg: use room temperature for best results.
- Pumpkin: press as much moisture out of it as possible.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: you can also use chopped chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate.
Have leftover pumpkin puree? Try pumpkin muffins with cake mix, pumpkin snickerdoodle cobbler, or pumpkin pecan toffee bars next.
How to Make Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
- Wet ingredients. Beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, pumpkin, and pudding mix and beat again.
- Dry Ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Stir in the Chocolate. Add chocolate chips and stir them well. I like to save about 1/3 cup for the tops of the cookies.
- Scoop and Bake. Drop 1/4 cup of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges and tops are just set.
Love pudding cookies? Try pistachio pudding cookies, chocolate pudding cookies, Reindeer tracks peanut butter pudding cookies, or M&M pudding cookies next.
Molly’s Tips
- Measure your flour correctly. Use the spoon and level method rather than sticking the measuring cup in and shaking it off. better yet, weigh it (and all your ingredients) with a food scale!
- Use truly room temperature butter. This is not soft, almost melted, butter. True room temperature butter should be about 60°F and feel cool to the touch. Just soft enough to cream. I find 1-2 hours on the counter is best.
- Blot the pumpkin dry: Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture to these pumpkin cookies, so this is a must.
- Cream the butter and sugar the full time. This isn’t a suggestion—there’s a scientific reason this is a must. The sugar cuts into the butter, leaving little air pockets that rise and make your cookies thick and tall.
- Underbake them slightly. When it doubt, pull them out before you overbake them for the softest cookies. The edges should be set and the tops just barely wet and golden.
- Save some chocolate for the top. I love to press extra chocolate into the tops of freshly baked cookies.
Storage and Freezing
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to one week. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze pumpkin cookie dough: scoop the dough into balls and arrange them on a cookie sheet. Transfer the entire tray to the freezer and freeze until solid. You can then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag to save space and they stay fresh for up to 4 months. Bake from frozen! Add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Freeze baked cookies: allow them to cool completely until the chocolate sets again. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy room temperature or warm them up.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3.4 ounces pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 cup pumpkin pure blotted dry with paper towels
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Using a stand or electric mixer in a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and creamy, 2-3 full minutes. Do not skip this step.1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Blot the pumpkin dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible then add it to the dough with the pumpkin spice pudding mix, egg, and vanilla and beat on high for 2-3 additional minutes, until light and fluffy.3.4 ounces pumpkin spice instant pudding mix, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup pumpkin pure, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and turn the mixer on low to start so the flour doesn’t get everywhere. Turn the mixer up to high and mix until combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and repeat until dough is just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir with a rubber spatula until incorporated.2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Drop cookies by ¼ cup onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and just set on the top. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Place baked cookies an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Kate Poskochil
FAQs
Yes, if you can’t find the pumpkin-spice version, use vanilla and add an extra ½-1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. The texture will be the same, but the flavor will be slightly tweaked.
Yes. I’ve tested with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and the cookies turned out soft and chewy. Bake time may vary by 1-2 minutes.
Cool completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature, and include a slice of white bread to maintain moisture. Refrigerating will dry them out.
Absolutely! Chopped pecans, white chocolate chips, or even toffee bits work beautifully. Just fold in ½-cup for mix-ins.
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Hi Molly,
Would it possible to make a bar cookie using this recipe? If so, can you give me any special instructions, please?
Hey Judy! I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work! I would press the dough into a parchment lined baking pan (maybe square?) and bake for 20-30 minutes. You’ll have to keep a close eye on them to see when they’re done! Let me know if you try it I’m sure others would love to hear what you did. Thanks!
Amazing!!!!
Hey Molly!
Excited to try these cookies. This is basically the same recipe I use for all my cookies, just swap out tbe pudding flavor for whatever cookie I’m making. But this is the first I’ve ever seen that adds an additional “liquid”, the pumpkin purée. They still firm up enough to handle but keep that perfectly pudding cookie softness?
Hey Lindsey! Yes, they do. They’re a bit softer so if you feel like your dough is too sticky and prefer them more firm you can add flour 1 tablespoon at a time to see if that helps!
Whatever genius person first thought to put pudding in cookies is my idol. These look absolute amazing- can’t wait to try them!
Seriously, pudding cookies are hands down my favorite dessert!