3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies Recipe (2024)

These 3-ingredient pumpkin cookies are perfect for those times when you crave the deliciousness of pumpkin. They’re a great dessert or afternoon treat for both kids and adults, especially during the fall season.

You can leave these delicious cookies bare or make iced pumpkin cookies with vanilla or cream cheese frosting. You can even decorate them for your favorite holiday by adding sprinkles or food coloring.

If you want a lighter topping, you can dust them with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

This pumpkin cookie recipe is somewhat flexible because you can add other ingredients, like chocolate chips or whatever else you like.

Although we typically enjoy them in September, October, and November, there’s no reason to limit yourself.

Canned pumpkin is available year-round, so make these cookies whenever the mood strikes. However, I typically stock up when it goes on sale during the holidays.

Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies

Cake mix cookies are a “thing” around our house. I’ve made a variety of cookies using cake and brownie mixes.

All of them have been good, but I often have to make them several times before they’re the way I want them. I tweaked these pumpkin spice cake mix cookies before I got them the way I wanted.

The original recipe that I saw called for a box of spice cake mix. I hunted all over the place, but I couldn’t find a box of spice cake mix that was gluten free.

That’s okay, though. I don’t mind eating my mistakes in the kitchen. It’s all research, right?

Every year, I look forward to autumn, with the air being less humid and the leaves crunching beneath my feet.

I also love the aroma of pumpkin spice wafting through the air. Although I’m not a big fan of most “designer” coffees, I allow myself a pumpkin coffee from Starbuck’s once a year.

Pumpkin is such a delicious fall treat, but we actually love pumpkin year-round. In fact, I’ve been known to stock up on canned pumpkin when I see it to make sure I always have some on hand.

Make a platter of pumpkin cookies, these delicious butterscotch pecan cookies, and these family-favorite pecan brownie cookies. That’s how you can be sure everyone will have something they like.

When you make cookies from a cake mix, the texture will be slightly different. In fact, you will wind up with chewier, soft pumpkin cookies. And they are delicious while they’re still warm!

But that’s a good thing, right? I mean, who doesn’t like chewy cookies right out of the oven?

3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients

You only need 3 ingredients to make these delicious cookies. And this is such a super easy recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Yellow cake mix (or white cake mix)
• Can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Pumpkin pie spice

See Also

Quick and Easy Scone Recipe (Only 3 Ingredients!)No Bake Peanut Butter Balls (3 Ingredients!) - The Big Man's World ®3 Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies (No Flour, Refined Sugar, Butter or Oil)2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe

These are all from the baking aisle of almost any grocery store. So you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them.

I like to use a box of cake mix because it contains so many of the ingredients you would need for cookies. So I figure you might as well get them in one box.

Since I have to be gluten-free, I make these cookies with three ingredients. However, there are spice cake mixes that aren’t gluten-free.

If you aren’t intolerant to gluten, you can make them with two ingredients—spice cake mix and pumpkin.

You can add other things to your cookies. For example, if you love chocolate with your pumpkin, sprinkle some chocolate chips into the batter.

Or if you like iced cookies, spread some frosting over the top. We like cream cheese frosting on ours, but buttercream is also good.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

How to Make 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Cookies

This is such a great recipe that you can whip together in a flash. There’s nothing tricky or complicated about it.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Or you can line your baking sheet with either a silicone mat or parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pumpkin pie spice.

Stir until the you can see the spice throughout the cake mix.

Add the entire can of pumpkin. Make sure you get all of it out of the can and into the bowl.

Stir until they are well mixed. You can either do this by hand or use an electric mixer, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer.

Using either a medium cookie scoop scoop or a large spoon, scoop out the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet in tablespoon sized balls.

Since the cookies won’t spread much when they cook, gently press them down. This is pretty much the size and shape they’ll be when they’re done.

Put the cookies in the oven and bake for 17 minutes. If you’re using gluten-free cake mix, give them an extra minute.

After they’re done, remove them from the oven and and place them on a wire rack. Allow them to cool.

If you want to frost them, do it after they’re room temperature or cooler. If they’re warm, the frosting will melt off of them.

Please keep in mind that these cookies are very moist, and they’ll get even more so if you store them in an airtight container.

I still like to seal the container and then “toast” them when I’m ready to enjoy one. That crisps up the outside of the cookies without drying out the inside.

See this recipe shared at Meal Plan Sunday.

Perfect Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are perfect as-is. But if you want to have some variation, here are some things you can add:

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are amazing. I mean, how can they not be?
• White chocolate chips – Yes, this is another good one!
• Raisins or other dried fruit – A little bit of fruit is good for you!

I’m really into easy recipes, and this is the easiest pumpkin cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. In fact, your kids can help out or even make it all by themselves … with your supervision, of course.

It’s a great way to get the little ones interested in cooking. And the best part, is they’ll have a batch of delicious cookies that they’ll be proud to share with the entire family.

Pumpkin Season

I always look forward to pumpkin season because there are so many different options for one of my favorite flavors. However, when I can, I stock up on canned pumpkin.

That’s because I enjoy a lot of different pumpkin recipes any time of year. Sure, it’s a delicious treat during the holiday season, but there are times when my taste buds crave what is typically a fall cookie.

More Recipes

If you enjoyed these pumpkin cookies, then try this simple recipe for these pumpkin bars. They’re super yummy and will disappear quickly.

I love the flavor of pumpkin so much that I like to spread this pumpkin butter on my toast in the morning. It’s also delicious on biscuits and dinner rolls.

Another tasty morning treat is one of these pumpkin muffins. If pumpkin is one of your favorite fall flavors, you can make a batch, freeze them, and heat them in the toaster when you’re in a hurry.

My husband and I enjoy frozen drinks, so I came up with this delicious pumpkin pie smoothie. This fall flavor is so delicious you’ll want to make them every single day.

If you like an old fashioned pumpkin pie to celebrate the season, try this yummy pumpkin pie. My friend Julie from Back to My Southern Roots makes some of the best food!

Or try this scrumptious pumpkin roll breakfast bake from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage. What a way to start the day!