Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies

Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies bring together all the best flavors of fall in a simple treat that takes minutes to prepare. Chocolate chips are the perfect finishing touch, taking these cookies from good to incredible!

Using spice cake mix keeps the recipe quick and easy - perfect for baking with kids or whipping up a quick batch when you're craving something sweet.

I make these Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies every fall, and they’re always a hit. The warm spices and pumpkin make the whole house smell amazing while they bake.

I like them best when they're still a little warm from the oven and the chocolate chips are still soft. During the week, I keep them in a container on the counter for quick snacks, and they're perfect with a cup of hot coffee. 

The recipe is so simple, yet people are always asking me for it! These spice cake cookies disappear fast every time. 

Do yourself a favor and freeze some for later. They make perfect last minute hostess gifts and they just take an hour to thaw out! I swear they taste just as good as the day they were baked.

Ingredient Notes

See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

• Pumpkin Puree: Make sure to grab pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The canned puree saves time and gives consistent results. I use Libby's brand, but any brand works well.
• Spice Cake Mix: A 15.25-ounce box of any brand will do the job nicely. The mix already contains the perfect blend of fall spices, which makes these cookies so easy to throw together.
• Butter: Regular salted or unsalted butter both work here. Just make sure it's fully melted but not hot when you add it to the mix.
• Egg: One large egg helps bind everything together. You can skip it, but your cookies will have a denser texture.
• Chocolate Chips: I use milk chocolate chips, but dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate all taste great in these cookies. Mini chips work too - they spread more evenly throughout the dough.
• Mix-In Options: Feel free to add chopped nuts, toffee bits, or other candies. About 1/2 cup of any extra mix-ins is perfect.

How To Make Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper or giving them a light coating of cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, mix together your pumpkin puree, egg, and melted butter until everything looks smooth and well combined. The butter should be melted but not hot when you add it, or it might start cooking the egg.

Add the spice cake mix to your wet ingredients. Stir everything together just until you don't see any dry mix left - avoid overmixing or your cookies might turn out tough. The dough will be thick and sticky, which is exactly what you want.

Pour in the chocolate chips and fold them into the dough until they're evenly distributed throughout. If you're adding any extra ingredients like nuts, this is when you'll want to mix those in, too.

Scoop the dough onto your prepared cookie sheets. I use a 2.5-inch cookie scoop, but a regular spoon works fine, too. Gently press each cookie down a little with your hand or the bottom of a glass - they won't spread much while baking.

Bake the cookies on the middle rack for about 13-16 minutes. You'll know they're done when they spring back if you lightly press the top. The exact time depends on your oven, so keep an eye on them the first time you make them.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

Why are my cookies not done in the middle?

If your cookies are staying doughy in the center, you might be making them too thick. Remember to flatten them slightly before baking.

The dough seems too wet.

The dough for these cookies is naturally sticky because of the pumpkin. If it feels too wet to handle, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. Also, double-check that you used the right size cake mix (15.25 ounces).

Variations

• Switch up the chips. Try white chocolate or dark chocolate chips - or use a mix of different chocolate chips for more flavor variety.
• Add some crunch. Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts when you add the chocolate chips. About 1/2 cup adds the perfect amount of crunch.
• Make them spicier. Add 1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the dough for an extra boost of fall flavor.

Make-Ahead, Storing and Freezing

Store: Keep these Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They'll stay fresh in the fridge for about 5 days - just bring them to room temperature before eating. 

Freeze: These cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Once they're completely cool, place them in a freezer bag or container. I like to put wax paper between layers of cookies to prevent them from freezing together. Let them thaw on the counter for about an hour when you're ready to eat them.

Make-Ahead: The baked cookies taste just as good after freezing, so they're perfect for making ahead. You can also mix up the dough and scoop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then freeze the unbaked cookies until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen - just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Recipe Tips

• Don't overmix the dough once you add the cake mix. Mix just until you don't see any dry ingredients - this keeps your cookies soft and tender.
• Make sure you're using pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the recipe.
• Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing it with the egg to prevent the egg from cooking in the hot butter.
• These cookies don't spread much while baking, so remember to flatten them slightly before putting them in the oven.
• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking. They're very soft when they first come out and need time to set up.
• Check your cookies at the minimum baking time. They should spring back when lightly touched - if they don't, give them another minute or two.

If you love fall baking, don't miss out on these Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies.

Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies bring fall flavors to your kitchen without any fuss. These soft, spiced cookies have that perfect homemade taste, but the cake mix makes them so simple to throw together. Grab a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee and enjoy these delicious treats!