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Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies

Maple pecan pumpkin cookies with a tender, spiced crumb and toasted pecans, finished with a quick maple glaze drizzle. Soft centers with crisp edges come from baking at 375°F until golden brown.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 28 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220

Ingredients
  

All-purpose flour
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
Baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
Pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Unsalted butter
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
Brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
Pure maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
Pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree (blotted dry)
Egg yolk
  • 1 egg yolk
Vanilla
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Maple extract
  • 1 tsp maple extract
Pecans
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
Powdered sugar
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar
Milk
  • 1 tbsp milk
Flaky sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and mix
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
  2. Blot pumpkin dry, then beat butter, brown sugar, and pure maple syrup until smooth.
  3. Add blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, vanilla, and maple extract; mix until combined.
Combine and shape
  1. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt) and mix just until no dry streaks remain.
  2. Fold in toasted pecans.
  3. Scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon rounds and space them on the lined baking sheets.
Bake, glaze, and finish
  1. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes, until edges look set and lightly golden.
  2. Cool cookies, then drizzle with maple glaze made from powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the pumpkin puree dry prevents cakey cookies and helps keep the edges crisp. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days; refrigerate up to 7 days for firmer texture. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months (glaze after thawing) for best results. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-based butter substitute and dairy-free milk in the glaze if needed.